US 9,807,333 B2Granted

Imaging apparatus and imaging system

AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorsToshiki Tsuboi, Takashi Muto

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Abstract

An imaging apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment includes pixels, reading circuits, first current sources each including a first transistor, second current sources each including a second transistor, a first control unit configured to control outputting a current from the first transistor to the reading circuit, and a second control unit configured to perform selectively supplying a voltage to a gate of the second transistor and holding a voltage at the gate of the second transistor. When the second control unit supplies the voltage to the gate of the second transistor, the second transistor supplies the reference current and the first control unit stops outputting the current from the first transistor to the reading circuit. When the second control unit holds the voltage at the gate of the second transistor, the first control unit causes the first transistor to output the current from the first transistor to the reading circuit.

Claims17

Dependent claims

An imaging apparatus comprising:

a plurality of pixels constituting a plurality of pixel columns;
a plurality of reading circuits each including an output line, connected to one of the plurality of pixel columns, to which signals from a part of the plurality of pixels are output and a signal processing circuit configured to receive the signals via the output line;
a plurality of first current sources provided in association with the plurality of reading circuits, each of the plurality of first current sources including a first transistor configured to supply a current to one of the plurality of reading circuits;
a plurality of second current sources each including a second transistor configured to supply a reference current to be used as a reference by at least one of the plurality of first current sources;
a first control unit configured to control outputting a current from the first transistor to the reading circuit;
and
a second control unit configured to perform selectively supplying a voltage to a gate of the second transistor and holding a voltage at the gate of the second transistor,
wherein
when the second control unit supplies the voltage to the gate of the second transistor, the second transistor supplies the reference current and the first control unit stops outputting the current from the first transistor to the reading circuit, and
when the second control unit holds the voltage at the gate of the second transistor, the first control unit causes the first transistor to output the current from the first transistor to the reading circuit.

7 more elements

An imaging apparatus comprising:

a plurality of pixels constituting a plurality of pixel columns;
a plurality of reading circuits each including an output line, connected to one of the plurality of pixel columns, to which signals from a part of the plurality of pixels are output and a signal processing circuit configured to receive the signals via the output line;
a plurality of first current sources provided in association with the plurality of reading circuits, each of the plurality of first current sources including a first transistor configured to supply a current to one of the plurality of reading circuits;
a plurality of second current sources each including a second transistor configured to supply a reference current;
a plurality of third transistors provided in association with the plurality of second current sources, each being configured to receive the reference current from the second transistor and each constituting a current mirror circuit with each of the first transistors included in at least two of the plurality of first current sources;
a first switch connecting the first transistor and the reading circuit;
and
a second switch connected to a gate of the second transistor and configured to set the gate of the second transistor into an electrically floating state.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.