Image sensor
AssigneeDongbu HiTek Co., Ltd.
InventorsHee Sung Shim, Seong Min Lee, Joo Ho Hwang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of unit pixels in a matrix including rows and columns. The matrix being divided into a plurality of groups and each of the plurality of groups includes two or more different columns, a binning sampling unit configured to sample outputs of unit pixels in each of the plurality of groups and output binning sampling signals, and an analog-digital conversion block including first and second analog-digital conversion units corresponding to the columns. The first analog-digital conversion units convert the binning sampling signals. When the first analog-digital conversion units convert the binning sampling signals, the second analog-digital conversion units are turned off.
Claims19
An image sensor comprising:
- a pixel array including a plurality of unit pixels in a matrix including rows and columns, the matrix being divided into a plurality of groups, each of the plurality of groups including two or more different columns;
- a binning sampling unit configured to sample outputs of unit pixels in each of the plurality of groups and output binning sampling signals;
- and
- an analog-digital conversion block including a plurality of analog-digital conversion units corresponding to the columns, the analog-digital conversion units having first and second analog-digital conversion units, wherein each of the plurality of analog-digital conversion units includes (i) a correlated double sampling unit configured to perform correlated double sampling and (ii) an analog-digital converter configured to convert an output of the correlated double sampling unit, and the first analog-digital conversion units are configured to convert the binning sampling signals,
- wherein when the first analog-digital conversion units convert the binning sampling signals, the correlated double sampling unit and the analog-digital converter of each of the second analog-digital conversion units are off.
An image sensor comprising:
- a pixel array including a plurality of unit pixels in a matrix including rows and columns, the matrix being divided into a plurality of groups, and each of the plurality of groups including two or more different columns;
- a binning sampling unit configured to sample outputs of unit pixels that belong to each of the plurality of groups and output binning sampling signals;
- an analog-digital conversion block including a plurality of analog-digital conversion units that correspond to the columns, the analog-digital conversion units comprising first analog-digital conversion units configured to convert the binning sampling signals;
- latches configured to store outputs of the plurality of analog-digital conversion units;
- and
- a column scanner configured to select first ones of the latches to store outputs of the first analog-digital conversion units and read digital data in the selected first latches.
An image sensor comprising:
- a pixel array including a plurality of unit pixels in a matrix including rows and columns, sensing lines, and readout circuits between the plurality of unit pixels and the sensing lines, the matrix being divided into a plurality of groups, and each of the plurality of groups including two or more different columns;
- a binning sampling unit configured to sample outputs of unit pixels in each of the plurality of groups and output binning sampling signals;
- and
- an analog-digital conversion block including a plurality of analog-digital conversion units corresponding to the columns, the analog-digital conversion units comprising first analog-digital conversion units configured to convert the binning sampling signals,
- wherein each of the unit pixels includes a photodiode, a floating diffusion area and a transfer transistor between the photodiode and the floating diffusion area, the unit pixels in each column are grouped into a plurality of subgroups, and the floating diffusion areas of the unit pixels in each of the plurality of subgroups are connected to and shared between each other, and
- the readout circuit connects the shared floating diffusion areas and a corresponding one of the sensing lines.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.