Gain adjustable sensor pixels, arrays and array systems and methods therefor
OwnerG. Reza Chaji, Arokia Nathaninventors
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Abstract
A sensor pixel including a sensor, charge storage, a reset block having a reset input, readout block, and a charge leakage gain adjustment block having a gain adjustment control input. The sensor, charge storage, reset block, readout block, and charge leakage gain adjustment block are each operatively connected to a node. Adjusting the gain of a sensor pixel by storing charge from a sensor in a charge storage connected to a node, leaking charge from the charge storage to reduce the charge at a node, and reading out a state of the pixel represented by the charge of a node.
Claims17
A sensor pixel comprising:
- a node,
- a sensor,
- charge storage,
- a reset block having a reset input,
- readout block, and
- a charge leakage gain adjustment block for the node, including at least one controllable switching transistor biased by and for discharge to a controllable low voltage and the at least one controllable switching transistor including a transistor having a gain adjustment control input, the gain adjustment control input and the controllable low voltage both controllable at a leakage time to effect charge leakage gain adjustment from the node,
- wherein the sensor, charge storage, a reset block, readout block, and charge leakage gain adjustment block are each operatively connected to the node.
A method of adjusting the gain of a sensor pixel, the method comprising:
- storing charge from a sensor in a charge storage connected to a node,
- leaking charge from the charge storage to reduce the charge at the node through a charge leakage gain adjustment block including at least one controllable switching transistor biased by and for discharge to a controllable low voltage and the at least one controllable switching including a transistor having a gain adjustment control input, in accordance with controlling at a leakage time both the controllable low voltage and a signal at the gain adjustment control input, and
- reading out a state of the pixel represented by the charge of the node.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.