# US 9,438,838 B2 · Imaging element and imaging apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,438,838 B2 - Document ID: US9438838B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/819,532 - Filed: 2011-08-30 - Published: 2013-12-26 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2010-08-31 - Assignees: Nikon Corporation - Applicants: Kazuhiko Suenobu - Inventors: Kazuhiko Suenobu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9438838B2 ## CPC - H04N 25/75: Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array - H04N 25/79: Arrangements of circuitry being divided between different or multiple substrates, chips or circuit boards, e.g. stacked image sensors - H10F 39/804: {Containers or encapsulations} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION ## Abstract An imaging element includes a pixel array which has a plurality of pixels arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, and a plurality of signal output terminals which are provided to correspond to the pixel columns of the pixel array and output the signals of the pixels in the pixel columns. In the plurality of signal output terminals, each predetermined number of signal output terminals is arranged as a set in the column direction of the pixel array. The sets of the predetermined number of signal output terminals are arranged in the row direction of the pixel array. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An imaging element comprising: a first pixel configured to generate a first signal by an incident light; a second pixel configured to generate a second signal by the incident light; a third pixel configured to generate a third signal by the incident light; a control line that is a wiring connected to the first pixel, the second pixel, and the third pixel and that is configured to supply a drive signal from a driver to the first pixel, the second pixel, and the third pixel; a first output terminal configured to output the first signal generated by the first pixel; a second output terminal configured to output the second signal generated by the second pixel; and a third output terminal configured to output the third signal generated by the third pixel, wherein: the second pixel is arranged between the first pixel and the third pixel in a first direction, and the second output terminal is arranged between the first output terminal and the third output terminal in a second direction different from the first direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The imaging element according to claim 1, wherein a pitch between the first output terminal and the second output terminal in the second direction is longer than a pitch between the first pixel and the second pixel in the first direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The imaging element according to claim 1, wherein the first output terminal is configured to output to a first converter that is configured to convert the first signal to a first digital signal, the second output terminal is configured to output to a second converter that is configured to convert the second signal to a second digital signal, and the third output terminal is configured to output to a third converter that is configured to convert the third signal to a third digital signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The imaging element according to claim 1, further comprising: a first amplifier arranged between the first pixel and the first output terminal and configured to amplify the first signal; a second amplifier arranged between the second pixel and the second output terminal and configured to amplify the second signal; and a third amplifier arranged between the third pixel and the third output terminal and configured to amplify the third signal, wherein the first output terminal is configured to output the first signal amplified by the first amplifier, the second output terminal is configured to output the second signal amplified by the second amplifier, and the third output terminal is configured to output the third signal amplified by the third amplifier. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The imaging element according to claim 1, further comprising: a fourth pixel arranged between the first pixel and the second pixel in the first direction and configured to generate a fourth signal by the incident light; and a fourth output terminal configured to output the fourth signal generated by the fourth pixel, wherein the fourth output terminal is arranged between the first output terminal and the second output terminal in the second direction. ### Claim 6 An imaging apparatus comprising: a first semiconductor element having: a first pixel configured to generate a first signal by an incident light, a second pixel configured to generate a second signal by the incident light, a third pixel configured to generate a third signal by the incident light, a control line that is a wiring connected to the first pixel, the second pixel, and the third pixel and that is configured to supply a drive signal from a driver to the first pixel, the second pixel, and the third pixel, a first output terminal configured to output the first signal, a second output terminal configured to output the second signal, and a third output terminal configured to output the third signal; and a second semiconductor element connected to the first semiconductor element and having: a first converter configured to convert the first signal to a first digital signal, a second converter configured to convert the second signal to a second digital signal, and a third converter configured to convert the third signal to a third digital signal, wherein the second pixel is arranged between the first pixel and the third pixel in a first direction, and the second output terminal is arranged between the first output terminal and the third output terminal in a second direction different from the first direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The imaging apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a pitch between the first output terminal and the second output terminal in the second direction is longer than a pitch between the first pixel and the second pixel in the first direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The imaging apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: the first semiconductor element includes: a first amplifier arranged between the first pixel and the first output terminal and configured to amplify the first signal, a second amplifier arranged between the second pixel and the second output terminal and configured to amplify the second signal, and a third amplifier arranged between the third pixel and the third output terminal and configured to amplify the third signal, wherein the first output terminal is configured to output the first signal amplified by the first amplifier to the first converter, the second output terminal is configured to output the second signal amplified by the second amplifier to the second converter, and the third output terminal is configured to output the third signal amplified by the third amplifier to the third converter. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The imaging apparatus according to claim 6, wherein an area of the first semiconductor element is larger than an area of the second semiconductor element. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The imaging apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: a substrate arranged to face the first semiconductor element and having a first wiring which is connected to the first output terminal and the first converter, a second wiring which is connected to the second output terminal and the second converter, and a third wiring which is connected to the third output terminal and the third converter, wherein the first pixel, the second pixel and the third pixel receive lights transmitted from the substrate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The imaging apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the first semiconductor element further includes: a fourth pixel configured to generate a fourth signal by the incident light, and a fourth output terminal configured to output the fourth signal generated by the fourth pixel, wherein the fourth pixel is arranged between the first pixel and the second pixel in the first direction, and the fourth out terminal is arranged between the first output terminal and the second output terminal in the second direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The imaging apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the second semiconductor element further comprises a fourth converter configured to convert the fourth signal to a fourth digital signal. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The imaging apparatus according to claim 12, wherein an area of the first semiconductor element is larger than an area of the second semiconductor element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The imaging apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first semiconductor element further includes: a fourth amplifier arranged between the fourth pixel and the fourth output terminal and configured to amplify the fourth signal, wherein the fourth output terminal is configured to output the fourth signal amplified by the fourth amplifier to the fourth converter. ### Claim 15 (depends on 6) The imaging apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: a substrate arranged to face the first semiconductor element and having: a first wiring which is connected to the first output terminal and the first converter, a second wiring which is connected to the second output terminal and the second converter, a third wiring which is connected to the third output terminal and the third converter wherein the first pixel, the second pixel, and the third pixel receive lights transmitted from the substrate.