# US 9,883,130 B2 · Image sensor with feedthrough-compensated charge-binned readout > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,883,130 B2 - Document ID: US9883130B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/059,229 - Filed: 2016-03-02 - Published: 2016-09-15 - Granted: 2018-01-30 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-09 - Assignees: Rambus Inc. - Applicants: Rambus Inc. - Inventors: Michael Guidash - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9883130B2 ## CPC - H04N 23/667: Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes - H04N 25/46: by combining or binning pixels - H04N 25/77: Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components - H04N 25/7795: {Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals} - H04N 25/78: Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract In an integrated-circuit image sensor having a pixel array, first and second control pulses that enable photocharge transfer from respective first and second photosensitive elements to a shared floating diffusion node are staggered in time such that capacitive feedthrough to the shared floating diffusion node from a trailing edge of the first control pulse is counteracted by capacitive feedthrough to the shared floating diffusion node from a leading edge of the second control pulse. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of operation within an integrated-circuit image sensor having a pixel array, the method comprising: generating a first control pulse on a first signal line connected to a first pixel within the pixel array to enable photocharge accumulated within a photosensitive element of the first pixel to be transferred to a shared floating diffusion node; and generating a second control pulse on a second signal line connected to a second pixel within the pixel array to enable photocharge accumulated within a photosensitive element of the second pixel to be transferred to the shared floating diffusion node and combined therein with the photocharge transferred from the photosensitive element of the first pixel, the first and second control pulses being staggered in time such that capacitive feedthrough to the shared floating diffusion node from a trailing edge of the first control pulse is counteracted by capacitive feedthrough to the shared floating diffusion node from a leading edge of the second control pulse. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second control pulses are staggered in time such that the trailing edge of the first control pulse is substantially aligned with the leading edge of the second control pulse. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising generating a first compensation pulse on the second signal line staggered in time with respect to the first control pulse such that capacitive feedthrough to the shared floating diffusion node from a leading edge of the first control pulse is counteracted by capacitive feedthrough to the shared floating diffusion node from a trailing edge of the first compensation pulse. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 further comprising generating one or more additional compensation pulses on one or more other signal lines, the one or more additional compensation pulses having respective trailing edges substantially aligned with the trailing edge of the first compensation pulse such that the one or more additional compensation pulses and the first compensation pulse act in combination to counteract capacitive feedthrough to the shared floating diffusion node from the leading edge of the first control pulse. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein each of the one or more additional compensation pulses and the first compensation pulse have an amplitude less than an amplitude of the first control pulse. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein the one or more additional compensation pulses and the first compensation pulse constitute a total of N compensation pulses and each have a nominal amplitude of A divided by N, where A is a nominal amplitude of the first control pulse and N is an integer greater than one. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein the one or more other signal lines comprise control signal lines connected to one or more other pixels, respectively, within the pixel array. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 further comprising asserting a third control pulse on one of the one or more other signal lines to enable photocharge accumulated within a photosensitive element of the respective pixel connected to the one of the one or more other signal lines to be transferred to the shared floating diffusion node. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 wherein an amplitude of the first compensation pulse is lower than an amplitude of the second control pulse and insufficient to enable photocharge transfer from the photosensitive element of the second pixel to the shared floating diffusion node. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 further comprising generating a second compensation pulse on the first signal line staggered in time with respect to the second control pulse such that capacitive feedthrough to the shared floating diffusion node from a trailing edge of the second control pulse is counteracted by capacitive feedthrough to the shared floating diffusion node from a leading edge of the second compensation pulse. ### Claim 11 An integrated-circuit image sensor comprising: a pixel array including first and second pixels coupled to first and second signal lines, respectively, the first and second pixels having respective photosensitive elements and a shared floating diffusion node; and control circuitry to generate first and second control pulses on the first and second signal lines, respectively, to enable photocharge accumulated within the photosensitive elements of the first and second pixels to be transferred to, and combined within, the shared floating diffusion node, the first control pulse being time-staggered relative to the second control pulse such that capacitive feedthrough to the shared floating diffusion node from a trailing edge of the first control pulse is counteracted by capacitive feedthrough to the shared floating diffusion node from a leading edge of the second control pulse. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The integrated-circuit image sensor of claim 11 wherein the control circuitry to generate the first and second control pulses comprises circuitry to stagger the first and second control pulses in time such that the trailing edge of the first control pulse is substantially aligned with the leading edge of the second control pulse. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The integrated-circuit image sensor of claim 11 wherein the control circuitry comprises circuitry to generate a first compensation pulse on the second signal line staggered in time with respect to the first control pulse such that capacitive feedthrough to the shared floating diffusion node from a leading edge of the first control pulse is counteracted by capacitive feedthrough to the shared floating diffusion node from a trailing edge of the first compensation pulse. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The integrated-circuit image sensor of claim 13 wherein the control circuitry further comprises circuitry to generate one or more additional compensation pulses on one or more other signal lines, the one or more additional compensation pulses having respective trailing edges substantially aligned with the trailing edge of the first compensation pulse such that the one or more additional compensation pulses and the first compensation pulse act in combination to counteract capacitive feedthrough to the shared floating diffusion node from the leading edge of the first control pulse. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The integrated-circuit image sensor of claim 14 wherein each of the one or more additional compensation pulses and the first compensation pulse are generated with an amplitude less than an amplitude of the first control pulse. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The integrated-circuit image sensor of claim 14 wherein the one or more additional compensation pulses and the first compensation pulse constitute a total of N compensation pulses and each have a nominal amplitude of A divided by N, where A is a nominal amplitude of the first control pulse and N is an integer greater than one. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The integrated-circuit image sensor of claim 14 wherein the one or more other signal lines comprise control signal lines connected to one or more other pixels, respectively, within the pixel array. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The integrated-circuit image sensor of claim 17 wherein the control circuitry further comprises circuitry to assert a third control pulse on one of the one or more other signal lines to enable photocharge accumulated within a photosensitive element of the respective pixel connected to the one of the one or more other signal lines to be transferred to the shared floating diffusion node. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The integrated-circuit image sensor of claim 13 wherein an amplitude of the first compensation pulse is lower than an amplitude of the second control pulse and insufficient to enable photocharge transfer from the photosensitive element of the second pixel to the shared floating diffusion node. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The integrated-circuit image sensor of claim 13 wherein the control circuitry further comprises circuitry to generate a second compensation pulse on the first signal line staggered in time with respect to the second control pulse such that capacitive feedthrough to the shared floating diffusion node from a trailing edge of the second control pulse is counteracted by capacitive feedthrough to the shared floating diffusion node from a leading edge of the second compensation pulse. ### Claim 21 An integrated-circuit image sensor comprising: a pixel array including first and second pixels coupled to first and second signal lines, respectively, the first and second pixels having respective photosensitive elements and a shared floating diffusion node; and means for generating first and second control pulses on the first and second signal lines, respectively, to enable photocharge accumulated within the photosensitive elements of the first and second pixels to be transferred to, and combined within, the shared floating diffusion node, the first control pulse being time-staggered relative to the second control pulse such that capacitive feedthrough to the shared floating diffusion node from a trailing edge of the first control pulse is counteracted by capacitive feedthrough to the shared floating diffusion node from a leading edge of the second control pulse.