Image sensor provided with plural pixel circuits arranged in plural rows and plural columns

An image sensor comprising:

• a plurality of pixel circuits arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, each controlled by a plurality of control signals and operable to convert incident light into an electrical signal;
• a pixel array including a plurality of horizontal signal lines each provided corresponding to each row in order to transfer the plural control signals, and a plurality of vertical signal lines respectively provided corresponding to the plural columns;
• a selection circuit operable to select one of the plural rows;
• a control signal generating circuit provided corresponding to each control signal and operable to supply, via a horizontal signal line corresponding to a row selected by the selection circuit, a corresponding control signal to each of the plural pixel circuits of the row;
• and
• a read circuit operable to read a plurality of electrical signals outputted to the plural vertical signal lines from the plural pixel circuits of the row selected by the selection circuit,
• wherein the plural rows are divided in advance into a plurality of row groups each having M rows (M is an integer equal to or greater than two),
• wherein the selection circuit comprises:
• a first sub selection circuit operable to select one row group of the plural row groups;
• and
• a second sub selection circuit operable to select one row of the M rows belonging to the row group selected by the first sub selection circuit,
• wherein the control signal generating circuit comprises:
• a logic circuit provided corresponding to each row group and operable to set a first signal to a selection level when the corresponding row group is selected by the first sub selection circuit, and operable to set the first signal to a non-selection level when the corresponding row group is not selected by the first sub selection circuit;
• a latch circuit provided corresponding to each row group and operable to set a second signal to an activation level after being set when the corresponding first signal is set to the selection level, and operable to set the second signal to a deactivation level after being reset by a reset signal;
• M forming signal generating circuits provided in the plural row groups in common, corresponding to M rows respectively, and each operable to generate a forming signal when the corresponding row is selected by the sub selection circuit;
• and
• M gate circuits provided corresponding to M rows of each row group respectively, and operable to supply the forming signal generated by the corresponding forming signal generating circuit to the corresponding horizontal signal line as the corresponding control signal, when the corresponding second signal is set to an activation level,
• wherein the latch circuit serves as a voltage level shift circuit operable to transform a high side level of a digital signal from a first voltage to a second voltage higher than the first voltage, and
• wherein the first signal includes a digital signal having a high side level of the first voltage and a low side voltage level of a third voltage lower than the first voltage, and the second signal
• includes a digital signal having a high side level of the second voltage and a lower side level of a fourth voltage lower than the second voltage.

An image sensor comprising:

• a plurality of pixel circuits arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, each controlled by a plurality of control signals and operable to convert incident light into an electrical signal;
• a pixel array including a plurality of horizontal signal lines each provided corresponding to each row in order to transfer the plural control signals, and a plurality of vertical signal lines respectively provided corresponding to the plural columns;
• a selection circuit operable to select one of the plural rows;
• a control signal generating circuit provided corresponding to each control signal and operable to supply, via a horizontal signal line corresponding to a row selected by the selection circuit, a corresponding control signal to each of the plural pixel circuits of the row;
• and
• a read circuit operable to read a plurality of electrical signals outputted to the plural vertical signal lines from the plural pixel circuits of the row selected by the selection circuit,
• wherein the plural rows are divided in advance into a plurality of row groups each having M rows (M is an integer equal to or greater than two),
• wherein the selection circuit comprises:
• a first sub selection circuit operable to select one row group of the plural row groups;
• and
• a second sub selection circuit operable to select one row of the M rows belonging to the row group selected by the first sub selection circuit,
• wherein the control signal generating circuit comprises:
• a logic circuit provided corresponding to each row group and operable to set a first signal to a selection level when the corresponding row group is selected by the first sub selection circuit, and operable to set the first signal to a non-selection level when the corresponding row group is not selected by the first sub selection circuit;
• a latch circuit provided corresponding to each row group and operable to set a second signal to an activation level after being set when the corresponding first signal is set to the selection level, and operable to set the second signal to a deactivation level after being reset by a reset signal;
• a forming signal generating circuit operable to generate a forming signal;
• M sub latch circuits provided corresponding to M rows of each row group respectively and being activated when the corresponding second signal is set to an activation level, and each being set by a sub set signal and being reset by a sub reset signal;
• a latch control circuit operable to supply the sub set signal or the sub reset signal to a sub latch circuit which is one of the M sub latch circuits and corresponds to the row selected by the second sub selection circuit;
• and
• a gate circuit provided corresponding to each row and operable to supply the forming signal to a horizontal signal line as the corresponding control signal when the corresponding sub latch circuit is set,
• wherein the latch circuit serves as a voltage level shift circuit operable to transform a high side level of a digital signal from a first voltage to a second voltage higher than the first voltage, and
• wherein the first signal includes a digital signal having a high side level of the first voltage and a low side voltage level of a third voltage lower than the first voltage, and the second signal
• includes a digital signal having a high side level of the second voltage and a lower side level of a fourth voltage lower than the second voltage.