# US 9,433,338 B2 · Imaging element, imaging device, endoscope, endoscope system, and method of driving imaging element

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- Number: US 9,433,338 B2
- Document ID: US9433338B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/872,574
- Filed: 2015-10-01
- Published: 2016-01-28
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2013-04-25
- Assignees: Olympus Corporation
- Applicants: Olympus Corporation
- Inventors: Nana Akahane; Makoto Ono; Takahiro Nishiwaki; Katsumi Hosogai
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9433338B2

## CPC

- A61B 1/00006: {of control signals}
- A61B 1/000095: {for image enhancement}
- A61B 1/045: Control thereof
- A61B 1/05: characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
- G02B 23/2476: {Non-optical details, e.g. housings, mountings, supports}
- H04N 23/54: Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
- H04N 25/633: by using optical black pixels
- H04N 25/65: applied to reset noise, e.g. KTC noise related to CMOS structures by techniques other than CDS
- H04N 25/671: for non-uniformity detection or correction
- H04N 25/673: by using reference sources
- H04N 25/709: Circuitry for control of the power supply
- H04N 25/71: Charge-coupled device [CCD] sensors; Charge-transfer registers specially adapted for CCD sensors
- H04N 25/78: Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters
- H04N 7/183: {for receiving images from a single remote source}
- H04N 23/555: {for picking-up images in sites, inaccessible due to their dimensions or hazardous conditions, e.g. endoscopes or borescopes}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

An imaging element includes: a plurality of pixels; first vertical transfer lines; a second vertical transfer line; a reference voltage generator configured to generate a first reference voltage for a column-black reference signal, a second reference voltage for a line-black reference signal and a third reference voltage for phase adjustment; a phase adjusting signal generator configured to output a phase adjusting signal corresponding to the third reference voltage; a first reference signal generator configured to generate a column-black reference signal corresponding to the first reference voltage; a second reference signal generator configured to generate a line-black reference signal corresponding to the second reference voltage; and a timing generator configured to drive the phase adjusting signal generator, the first reference signal generator and the second reference signal generator to transmit the phase adjusting signal, the column-black reference signal and the line-black reference signal, respectively.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An imaging element comprising:
a plurality of pixels disposed in an arrangement of a two-dimensional matrix, the pixels being configured to receive external light to generate an imaging signal corresponding to a light amount and output the imaging signal;
first vertical transfer lines, each first vertical transfer line being provided to each column in the arrangement of the plurality of pixels and transferring the imaging signal;
a second vertical transfer line provided discretely from the first vertical transfer line;
a reference voltage generator configured to generate a first reference voltage for a column-black reference signal, a second reference voltage for a line-black reference signal and a third reference voltage for phase adjustment;
a phase adjusting signal generator configured to output a phase adjusting signal corresponding to the third reference voltage during a period in which the pixel does not output the imaging signal, the phase adjusting signal being used for the phase adjustment;
a first reference signal generator including a first source follower transistor connected to the first vertical transfer line and a first reset transistor supplying an output voltage of the reference voltage generator to a gate of the first source follower transistor, and the first reference signal generator being configured to generate a column-black reference signal corresponding to the first reference voltage and output the column-black reference signal to the first vertical transfer line;
a second reference signal generator including a second source follower transistor connected to the second vertical transfer line and a second reset transistor supplying the second reference voltage to a gate of the second source follower transistor, and the second reference signal generator being configured to generate a line-black reference signal corresponding to the second reference voltage and output the line-black reference signal to the second vertical transfer line; and
a timing generator configured to drive the phase adjusting signal generator, the first reference signal generator and the second reference signal generator to transmit the phase adjusting signal, the column-black reference signal and the line-black reference signal, respectively, to an external device during a transfer blanking period of the imaging signal.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The imaging element according to claim 1, wherein the timing generator is configured to further transmit the line-black reference signal to the external device before starting transmission of the imaging signal of each column in the arrangement of the plurality of pixels to the external device after a horizontal blanking period of the imaging signal.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The imaging element according to claim 1, wherein the timing generator is configured to further transmit the phase adjusting signal to the external device before a horizontal blanking period of the imaging signal after completing transmission of the imaging signal of each column in the arrangement of the plurality of pixels to the external device.

### Claim 4

An imaging device comprising
an imaging element comprising:
a plurality of pixels disposed in an arrangement of a two-dimensional matrix, the pixels being configured to receive external light to generate an imaging signal corresponding to a light amount and output the imaging signal;
first vertical transfer lines, each first vertical transfer line being provided to each column in the arrangement of the plurality of pixels and transferring the imaging signal;
a second vertical transfer line provided discretely from the first vertical transfer line;
a reference voltage generator configured to generate a first reference voltage for a column-black reference signal, a second reference voltage for a line-black reference signal and a third reference voltage for phase adjustment;
a phase adjusting signal generator configured to output a phase adjusting signal corresponding to the third reference voltage during a period in which the pixel does not output the imaging signal, the phase adjusting signal being used for the phase adjustment;
a first reference signal generator including a first source follower transistor connected to the first vertical transfer line and a first reset transistor supplying an output voltage of the reference voltage generator to a gate of the first source follower transistor, and the first reference signal generator being configured to generate a column-black reference signal corresponding to the first reference voltage and output the column-black reference signal to the first vertical transfer line;
a second reference signal generator including a second source follower transistor connected to the second vertical transfer line and a second reset transistor supplying the second reference voltage to a gate of the second source follower transistor, and the second reference signal generator being configured to generate a line-black reference signal corresponding to the second reference voltage and output the line-black reference signal to the second vertical transfer line; and
a timing generator configured to drive the phase adjusting signal generator, the first reference signal generator and the second reference signal generator to transmit the phase adjusting signal, the column-black reference signal and the line-black reference signal, respectively, to an external device during a transfer blanking period of the imaging signal.

### Claim 5

An endoscope comprising an imaging device on a distal end side of an insertion part, wherein
the imaging device comprising an imaging element comprising:
a plurality of pixels disposed in an arrangement of a two-dimensional matrix, the pixels being configured to receive external light to generate an imaging signal corresponding to a light amount and output the imaging signal;
first vertical transfer lines, each first vertical transfer line being provided to each column in the arrangement of the plurality of pixels and transferring the imaging signal;
a second vertical transfer line provided discretely from the first vertical transfer line;
a reference voltage generator configured to generate a first reference voltage for a column-black reference signal, a second reference voltage for a line-black reference signal and a third reference voltage for phase adjustment;
a phase adjusting signal generator configured to output a phase adjusting signal corresponding to the third reference voltage during a period in which the pixel does not output the imaging signal, the phase adjusting signal being used for the phase adjustment;
a first reference signal generator including a first source follower transistor connected to the first vertical transfer line and a first reset transistor supplying an output voltage of the reference voltage generator to a gate of the first source follower transistor, and the first reference signal generator being configured to generate a column-black reference signal corresponding to the first reference voltage and output the column-black reference signal to the first vertical transfer line;
a second reference signal generator including a second source follower transistor connected to the second vertical transfer line and a second reset transistor supplying the second reference voltage to a gate of the second source follower transistor, and the second reference signal generator being configured to generate a line-black reference signal corresponding to the second reference voltage and output the line-black reference signal to the second vertical transfer line; and
a timing generator configured to drive the phase adjusting signal generator, the first reference signal generator and the second reference signal generator to transmit the phase adjusting signal, the column-black reference signal and the line-black reference signal, respectively, to an external device during a transfer blanking period of the imaging signal.

### Claim 6

An endoscope system comprising:
an endoscope comprising an imaging device on a distal end side of an insertion part; and
a processing unit configured to convert the imaging signal into an image signal, wherein
the imaging device comprising an imaging element comprising:
a plurality of pixels disposed in an arrangement of a two-dimensional matrix, the pixels being configured to receive external light to generate an imaging signal corresponding to a light amount and output the imaging signal;
first vertical transfer lines, each first vertical transfer line being provided to each column in the arrangement of the plurality of pixels and transferring the imaging signal;
a second vertical transfer line provided discretely from the first vertical transfer line;
a reference voltage generator configured to generate a first reference voltage for a column-black reference signal, a second reference voltage for a line-black reference signal and a third reference voltage for phase adjustment;
a phase adjusting signal generator configured to output a phase adjusting signal corresponding to the third reference voltage during a period in which the pixel does not output the imaging signal, the phase adjusting signal being used for the phase adjustment;
a first reference signal generator including a first source follower transistor connected to the first vertical transfer line and a first reset transistor supplying an output voltage of the reference voltage generator to a gate of the first source follower transistor, and the first reference signal generator being configured to generate a column-black reference signal corresponding to the first reference voltage and output the column-black reference signal to the first vertical transfer line;
a second reference signal generator including a second source follower transistor connected to the second vertical transfer line and a second reset transistor supplying the second reference voltage to a gate of the second source follower transistor, and the second reference signal generator being configured to generate a line-black reference signal corresponding to the second reference voltage and output the line-black reference signal to the second vertical transfer line; and
a timing generator configured to drive the phase adjusting signal generator, the first reference signal generator and the second reference signal generator to transmit the phase adjusting signal, the column-black reference signal and the line-black reference signal, respectively, to an external device during a transfer blanking period of the imaging signal.