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US 8,710,562 B2Granted
CMOS image sensor
AssigneeIntellectual Ventures II LLC
InventorWon-Ho Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A CMOS image sensor includes a photodiode, a plurality of transistors for transferring charges accumulated at the photodiode to one column line, and a voltage dropping element connected to a gate electrode of at least one transistor among the plurality of transistors for expanding a saturation region of the transistor by dropping down a gate voltage inputted to the gate electrode of the at least one transistor.
Claims20
A circuit comprising:
- a plurality of transistors including:
- a first transistor configured to reset a photodiode,
- a second transistor configured to receive a charge from the photodiode and to output an amplified signal, and
- a third transistor configured to transfer the amplified signal to a column line;
- wherein at least one source of the plurality of transistors or at least one drain of the plurality of transistors is configured to receive a first voltage;
- wherein at least one gate of the plurality of transistors is configured to receive a second voltage;
- and
- wherein the second voltage is less than the first voltage.
5 more elements
A circuit comprising:
- a plurality of transistors including:
- a first transistor configured to reset a photodiode,
- a second transistor configured to receive a charge from the photodiode and to output an amplified signal,
- a third transistor configured to transfer the amplified signal to a column line, and
- a fourth transistor configured to transfer the charge from the photodiode to the second transistor;
- wherein at least one source of the plurality of transistors or at least one drain of the plurality of transistors is configured to receive a first voltage;
- wherein at least one gate of the plurality of transistors is configured to receive a second voltage;
- and
- wherein the second voltage is less than the first voltage.
6 more elements
A method for operating a circuit, the method comprising:
- receiving a first voltage by at least one source or at least one drain of a plurality of transistors;
- receiving a second voltage by at least one gate of the plurality of transistors;
- wherein the second voltage is less than the first voltage;
- and
- wherein the plurality of transistors includes:
- a first transistor configured to reset a photodiode,
- a second transistor configured to receive a charge from the photodiode and to output an amplified signal, and
- a third transistor configured to transfer the amplified signal to a column line.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.