IP Library Granted Patent US 8,716,895
Granted Patent B2
US 8,716,895 · App. 12/082,874 · Granted May 6, 2014

Power supply device, operation method of power supply device, electronic apparatus, and operation method of electronic apparatus

Inventors: Eiji Makino (Kanagawa, JP); Youji Sakioka (Kanagawa, JP); Shizunori Matsumoto (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Sony Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,716,895
App. No.
12/082,874
Granted
May 6, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A power supply device that switches one of a first power supply, a second power supply, and a third power supply, all of which supply power to an auxiliary device, to a transfer gate in a CMOS image sensor having a photodiode and outputs the corresponding power to the transfer gate is disclosed. The device includes: a first transistor driven by the second power supply and outputting power of the second power supply to the transfer gate; a second transistor driven by the second power supply and outputting power of the first power supply to the transfer gate; a third transistor driven by the third power supply and outputting power of the third power supply to the transfer gate; and a fourth transistor located before the second transistor, driven by the first power supply, and outputting power of the first power supply to a source of the second transistor.

Claims (11)

1. An electronic apparatus that switches one of a first power supply, a second power supply having a higher potential than the first power supply, and a third power supply having a lower voltage than the first power supply, to a transfer gate in a CMOS image sensor having a photodiode thereby outputting the corresponding power to the transfer gate, the apparatus comprising:

a first transistor that selectively outputs the second power supply to the transfer gate;

a second transistor that selectively outputs the first power supply to the transfer gate;

a third transistor that selectively outputs the third power supply to the transfer gate; and

a fourth transistor that selectively transfers the first power supply to a source of the second transistor,

wherein the fourth transistor stops transferring the first power supply to the source of the second transistor when circuitry indicates that the second power supply is not available at the first transistor.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a signal generating section generating a predetermined signal when the second power supply is unavailable at the first transistor, and

wherein the fourth transistor stops outputting the power of the first power supply to the source of the second transistor on the basis of the predetermined signal.

3. An operation method of an electronic apparatus that switches one of a first power supply, a second power supply having a higher voltage than the first power supply, and a third power supply having a lower voltage than the first voltage, to a transfer gate in a CMOS image sensor having a photodiode and outputting the corresponding power to the transfer gate and that includes a first transistor that selectively outputs the second power supply to the transfer gate, a second transistor that selectively outputs the first power supply to the transfer gate, a third transistor that selectively outputs the third power supply to the transfer gate, and a fourth transistor that selectively outputs the first power supply to a source of the second transistor, the method comprising:

causing the fourth transistor to stop transferring the first power supply to the source of the second transistor when it is determined that the second power supply is unavailable.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 19, 2016
From: SONY CORPORATION
To: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 040419/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 15, 2008
From: MAKINO, EIJI; SAKIOKA, YOUJI; MATSUMOTO, SHIZUNORI
To: SONY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 020846/0370 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP P2007-132095 · May 17, 2007 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20080284250A1 · Nov 20, 2008