IP Library Granted Patent US 12677489
Granted Patent B2
US 12677489 · App. 18/715,896 · Granted Jul 7, 2026

Solid-state imaging device, electronic device, and distance measurement system

Inventors: Yusuke Sato (Kanagawa, JP); Masahiro Tsukamoto (Kanagawa, JP); Kanae Ohi (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
H10F39/8023G01S7/4816G01S17/89H04N25/131H04N25/47H04N25/707H04N25/77H10F39/182H10F39/8053
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12677489
App. No.
18/715,896
Granted
Jul 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A solid-state imaging device, an electronic device, and a distance measurement system for miniaturization of pixels in a device that outputs a luminance signal and an event signal. A device includes: a pixel array unit in which an event pixel that detects that a luminance change exceeds a predetermined threshold and a gradation pixel that outputs a luminance signal of a gradation level according to a light amount of incident light are mixed, in which a color filter of the same color is formed in units of two or more pixels in the gradation pixel, and the event pixel is disposed with a region size in which at least two of the gradation pixels are arranged in a row direction or a column direction. The present disclosure can be applied to, for example, a distance measurement system or the like that generates image information and distance measurement information.

Claims (138)

1 . A solid-state imaging device, comprising

a pixel array unit in which an event pixel that detects that a luminance change exceeds a predetermined threshold as an event and a gradation pixel that outputs a luminance signal of a gradation level according to a light amount of incident light are mixed,

wherein a color filter of a same color is formed in units of two or more pixels in the gradation pixel,

wherein the event pixel is disposed with a region size in which at least two of the gradation pixels are disposed in a row direction or a column direction,

wherein the event pixel is a region in which a color filter of a same color is formed in a case where the pixel is assumed to be the gradation pixel, and

wherein the event pixel is a region where an R or B color filter is formed in a case where the pixel is assumed to be the gradation pixel.

2 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein

the pixel array unit includes color filters of a plurality of colors.

3 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein

unit regions including a plurality of the gradation pixels each having the color filter of the same color formed thereon are repeatedly arranged in the column direction and the row direction.

4 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 3 , wherein

the pixel array unit includes a shared pixel transistor region in which one or more pixel transistors shared by the plurality of gradation pixels are arranged between the unit regions repeatedly arranged in the column direction.

5 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein

the event pixel includes a region of at least two of the gradation pixels arranged in a direction perpendicular to a shared pixel transistor region in which one or more pixel transistors shared by a plurality of the gradation pixels are arranged.

6 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein

the event pixel includes a region of the gradation pixels of four pixels of two pixels in the row direction and two pixels in the column direction.

7 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein

a region of two of the event pixels is configured to operate as one of the event pixels.

8 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 7 , wherein

the event pixel includes a transistor that turns on and off a connection with another of an adjacent event pixel.

9 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 7 , wherein

photoelectric conversion elements formed in regions of the two event pixels are connected by wiring.

10 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 7 , wherein

one photoelectric conversion element is formed in regions of the two event pixels.

11 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 7 , wherein

regions of the two event pixels are disposed adjacent to each other in a diagonal direction.

12 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 7 , wherein

each of regions of the two event pixels is constituted by a region of at least two of the gradation pixels arranged in a direction perpendicular to a shared pixel transistor region in which one or more pixel transistors shared by a plurality of the gradation pixels are arranged.

13 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 7 , wherein

each of regions of the two event pixels is a region in which an R or B color filter is formed in a case where the event pixels are assumed to be the gradation pixels.

14 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein

a color filter of R, G, B, or W is formed in the gradation pixel.

15 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein

a color filter of R, G, B, or IR is formed in the gradation pixel.

16 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein

an IR color filter is formed in the event pixel, and

the event pixel detects that a luminance change of infrared light exceeds a predetermined threshold as an event.

17 . A solid-state imaging device, comprising

a pixel array unit in which an event pixel that detects that a luminance change exceeds a predetermined threshold as an event and a gradation pixel that outputs a luminance signal of a gradation level according to a light amount of incident light are mixed,

wherein a color filter of a same color is formed in units of two or more pixels in the gradation pixel,

wherein the event pixel is disposed with a region size in which at least two of the gradation pixels are disposed in a row direction or a column direction,

wherein unit regions including a plurality of the gradation pixels each having the color filter of the same color formed thereon are repeatedly arranged in the column direction and the row direction, and

wherein the pixel array unit includes a shared pixel transistor region in which one or more pixel transistors shared by the plurality of gradation pixels are arranged between the unit regions repeatedly arranged in the column direction.

18 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 17 , wherein

the pixel array unit includes color filters of a plurality of colors.

19 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 17 , wherein

the event pixel includes a region of at least two of the gradation pixels arranged in a direction perpendicular to a shared pixel transistor region in which one or more pixel transistors shared by a plurality of the gradation pixels are arranged.

20 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 17 , wherein

the event pixel includes a region of the gradation pixels of four pixels of two pixels in the row direction and two pixels in the column direction.

21 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 17 , wherein

a region of two of the event pixels is configured to operate as one of the event pixels.

22 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 21 , wherein

the event pixel includes a transistor that turns on and off a connection with another of an adjacent event pixel.

23 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 21 , wherein

photoelectric conversion elements formed in regions of the two event pixels are connected by wiring.

24 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 21 , wherein

one photoelectric conversion element is formed in regions of the two event pixels.

25 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 21 , wherein

regions of the two event pixels are disposed adjacent to each other in a diagonal direction.

26 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 21 , wherein

each of regions of the two event pixels is constituted by a region of at least two of the gradation pixels arranged in a direction perpendicular to a shared pixel transistor region in which one or more pixel transistors shared by a plurality of the gradation pixels are arranged.

27 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 21 , wherein

each of regions of the two event pixels is a region in which an R or B color filter is formed in a case where the event pixels are assumed to be the gradation pixels.

28 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 17 , wherein

a color filter of R, G, B, or W is formed in the gradation pixel.

29 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 17 , wherein

a color filter of R, G, B, or IR is formed in the gradation pixel.

30 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 17 , wherein

an IR color filter is formed in the event pixel, and

the event pixel detects that a luminance change of infrared light exceeds a predetermined threshold as an event.

31 . A solid-state imaging device, comprising

a pixel array unit in which an event pixel that detects that a luminance change exceeds a predetermined threshold as an event and a gradation pixel that outputs a luminance signal of a gradation level according to a light amount of incident light are mixed,

wherein a color filter of a same color is formed in units of two or more pixels in the gradation pixel,

wherein the event pixel is disposed with a region size in which at least two of the gradation pixels are disposed in a row direction or a column direction, and

wherein the event pixel includes a region of at least two of the gradation pixels arranged in a direction perpendicular to a shared pixel transistor region in which one or more pixel transistors shared by a plurality of the gradation pixels are arranged.

32 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 31 , wherein

the pixel array unit includes color filters of a plurality of colors.

33 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein

the event pixel includes a region of the gradation pixels of four pixels of two pixels in the row direction and two pixels in the column direction.

34 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 31 , wherein

a region of two of the event pixels is configured to operate as one of the event pixels.

35 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 34 , wherein

the event pixel includes a transistor that turns on and off a connection with another of an adjacent event pixel.

36 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 34 , wherein

photoelectric conversion elements formed in regions of the two event pixels are connected by wiring.

37 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 34 , wherein

one photoelectric conversion element is formed in regions of the two event pixels.

38 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 34 , wherein

regions of the two event pixels are disposed adjacent to each other in a diagonal direction.

39 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 34 , wherein

each of regions of the two event pixels is constituted by a region of at least two of the gradation pixels arranged in a direction perpendicular to a shared pixel transistor region in which one or more pixel transistors shared by a plurality of the gradation pixels are arranged.

40 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 34 , wherein

each of regions of the two event pixels is a region in which an R or B color filter is formed in a case where the event pixels are assumed to be the gradation pixels.

41 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 31 , wherein

a color filter of R, G, B, or W is formed in the gradation pixel.

42 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 31 , wherein

a color filter of R, G, B, or IR is formed in the gradation pixel.

43 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 31 , wherein

an IR color filter is formed in the event pixel, and

the event pixel detects that a luminance change of infrared light exceeds a predetermined threshold as an event.

44 . A solid-state imaging device, comprising

a pixel array unit in which an event pixel that detects that a luminance change exceeds a predetermined threshold as an event and a gradation pixel that outputs a luminance signal of a gradation level according to a light amount of incident light are mixed,

wherein a color filter of a same color is formed in units of two or more pixels in the gradation pixel,

wherein the event pixel is disposed with a region size in which at least two of the gradation pixels are disposed in a row direction or a column direction, and

wherein the event pixel includes a region of the gradation pixels of four pixels of two pixels in the row direction and two pixels in the column direction.

45 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 44 , wherein

the pixel array unit includes color filters of a plurality of colors.

46 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 45 , wherein

a region of two of the event pixels is configured to operate as one of the event pixels.

47 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 46 , wherein

the event pixel includes a transistor that turns on and off a connection with another of an adjacent event pixel.

48 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 46 , wherein

photoelectric conversion elements formed in regions of the two event pixels are connected by wiring.

49 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 46 , wherein

one photoelectric conversion element is formed in regions of the two event pixels.

50 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 46 , wherein

regions of the two event pixels are disposed adjacent to each other in a diagonal direction.

51 . A solid-state imaging device, comprising

a pixel array unit in which an event pixel that detects that a luminance change exceeds a predetermined threshold as an event and a gradation pixel that outputs a luminance signal of a gradation level according to a light amount of incident light are mixed,

wherein a color filter of a same color is formed in units of two or more pixels in the gradation pixel,

wherein the event pixel is disposed with a region size in which at least two of the gradation pixels are disposed in a row direction or a column direction, and

wherein a region of two of the event pixels is configured to operate as one of the event pixels.

52 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 51 , wherein

the pixel array unit includes color filters of a plurality of colors.

53 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 51 , wherein

the event pixel includes a transistor that turns on and off a connection with another of an adjacent event pixel.

54 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 51 , wherein

photoelectric conversion elements formed in regions of the two event pixels are connected by wiring.

55 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 51 , wherein

one photoelectric conversion element is formed in regions of the two event pixels.

56 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 51 , wherein

regions of the two event pixels are disposed adjacent to each other in a diagonal direction.

57 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 51 , wherein

each of regions of the two event pixels is constituted by a region of at least two of the gradation pixels arranged in a direction perpendicular to a shared pixel transistor region in which one or more pixel transistors shared by a plurality of the gradation pixels are arranged.

58 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 51 , wherein

each of the regions of the two event pixels is a region in which an R or B color filter is formed in a case where the event pixels are assumed to be the gradation pixels.

59 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 51 , wherein

a color filter of R, G, B, or W is formed in the gradation pixel.