Analog-digital converter, solid-state image capturing apparatus, and electronic information device

1. An analog-digital converter, comprising:

a comparing section for comparing an input signal voltage and an analog ramp voltage in which a voltage level gradually increases; and

a latch section for storing a digital value of a digital ramp signal, in which a digital value of a voltage level gradually increases in synchronization with the analog ramp voltage, when the analog ramp voltage or a voltage corresponding to the analog ramp voltage, and the input signal voltage are equal;

wherein a voltage in which a plurality of analog ramp signals are added is used as the analog ramp voltage so that a gain is selectable, and

wherein the analog-digital converter does not require an amplifier for gain selection.

2. An analog-digital converter according to claim 1 , further including an analog ramp generating section for generating the analog ramp signal and a digital ramp generating section for generating the digital ramp signal.

3. An analog-digital converter according to claim 2 , further including a first gain selecting section for branching an output of the analog ramp signal from the analog ramp generating section into a plurality of outputs to allow at least one of the outputs to be switched to a fixed voltage output.

4. An analog-digital converter according to claim 3 , wherein the first gain selecting section is a gain selecting switch, the gain selecting switch switching between at least one of the plurality of analog ramp signals and the fixed voltage by the first gain selecting signal so that a gain is selectable.

5. An analog-digital converter according to claim 2 , wherein the analog ramp generating section includes a second gain selecting section for changing a tilt amount of the analog ramp signal.

6. An analog-digital converter according to claim 2 ,

wherein, in the analog ramp generating section, the output of a differential amplifier is connected to an output of an analog ramp generating output, and the output of the analog ramp generating output is connected to the negative input of the differential amplifier through a parallel circuit of the seventh capacitor and the sixth switch;

wherein the positive input of the differential amplifier is connected to an analog ground point, and a sixth connecting point is connected to the analog ground point through a fifth capacitor as well as to the analog ground point through a series circuit of a seventh switch and a sixth capacitor; and

wherein the sixth connecting point is connected to the input of a reference voltage or the negative input of the differential amplifier through a fifth switch.

7. An analog-digital converter according to claim 6 , wherein additional series circuits, which are the same as the series circuit of the seventh switch and the sixth capacitor, are provided in such a manner that a series circuit of the seven- 1 st switch and the six-1st capacitor . . . a series circuit of a seven-mth switch and a six-mth capacitor are in parallel with each other.

8. An analog-digital converter according to claim 7 ,

wherein, in the analog ramp generating section, the sixth switch is controlled to open and close by a synchronizing signal, and the analog ramp generating output is reset to the voltage value of 0V when the synchronizing signal is “1”;

wherein a second gain selecting signal is configured with a plurality of gain selecting signals, and the seven-mth switch is controlled to open and close by the plurality of gain selecting switch, and one or a plurality of the six-nth capacitors, which correspond to the gain selecting signal “1” of the plurality of gain selecting signals, and the fifth capacitor are connected in parallel;

wherein the fifth switch is switch-controlled by the clock signal, and electric charge of the fifth capacitor is transferred to the seventh capacitor when the synchronizing signal is “0” and the second gain selecting signal is “0”; and

wherein electric charges of one or a plurality of the six-mth capacitors and the fifth capacitor are transferred to the seventh capacitor when the synchronizing signal is “0” and the plurality of gain selecting signals are “1”.

9. An analog-digital converter according to claim 6 ,

wherein, in the analog ramp generating section, the sixth switch is controlled to open and close by a synchronizing signal, and the analog ramp generating output is reset to the voltage value of 0V when the synchronizing signal is “ 1 ”;

wherein the seventh switch is controlled to open and close by a second gain selecting signal, and the fifth capacitor and the sixth capacitor are connected in parallel when the second gain selecting signal is “1”;

wherein the fifth switch is switch-controlled by a clock signal, and electric charge of the fifth capacitor is transferred to the seventh capacitor when the synchronizing signal is “0” and the second gain selecting signal is “0”; and wherein electric charges of the fifth capacitor and the sixth capacitor are transferred to the seventh capacitor when the synchronizing signal is “0” and the second gain selecting signal is “1”.

10. An analog-digital converter according to claim 1 , wherein, in the comparing section, an input of the input signal voltage is connected to a first connecting point through a third switch;

a first analog ramp signal is connected to the first connecting point through a first capacitor; a second analog ramp signal is connected to the first connecting point through a second capacitor . . . and an n-th analog ramp signal is connected to the first connecting point through an n-th capacitor (n is an integer greater or equal to 2);

the first connecting point is connected to the input of a CMOS inverter through a series circuit of a fourth switch and a comparing capacitor; and the output of the CMOS inverter is connected to the output of a comparator output, thereby configuring a sampling and comparing section.

11. An analog-digital converter according to claim 10 , wherein, in the comparing section, the input of the input signal voltage is connected through a first switch to a second connecting point in between the fourth switch and the comparing capacitor, and a third connecting point in between the comparing capacitor and inputs of the CMOS inverter is connected to the output of the CMOS inverter through a second switch, thereby configuring a resetting section.

12. An analog-digital converter according to claim 11 , wherein, in the comparing section, the CMOS inverter is connected in between outputs of a high electric potential power source and a low electric potential power source, and the first connecting point is connected to the output of the low electric potential power source through an additional capacitor.

13. An analog-digital converter according to claim 12 , wherein the comparing section is in a reset state when the first switch and the second switch are in the on state and the third switch and the fourth switch are in the off state; and

the input and output of the CMOS inverter are reset to the equal voltage; and the input reset voltage is charged to the comparing capacitor;

wherein the comparing section is in a sampling state when the first switch, the second switch and the fourth switch are in the off state and the third switch is in the on state; and

the input signal voltage is charged to the first capacitor, the second capacitor . . . the n-th capacitor and the additional capacitor, and the input voltage V 1 is a difference between the input reset voltage and the input signal voltage; and

wherein, the comparing section is in a comparing state when the first switch, the second switch and the third switch are in the off state and the fourth switch is in the on state, and the voltage level changes with the constant tilt amount of at least one of the first analog ramp signal, the second analog ramp signal . . . and the n-th analog ramp signal, and the comparator output changes at the time when an added voltage of the first analog ramp signal, the second analog ramp signal . . . and the n-th analog ramp signal reaches a predetermined voltage V 2 .

14. An analog-digital converter according to claim 13 , wherein a gain G, which is the ratio of the input voltage V 1 and the predetermined voltage V 2 , is determined in the comparing section by dividing the sum of respective capacitance of the first capacitor, the second capacitor . . . the n-th capacitor and the additional capacitor by the sum of respective capacitors that correspond to one or a plurality of analog ramp signals when one or a plurality of the analog ramp signals of the first analog ramp signal, the second analog ramp signal . . . the n-th analog ramp signal are changed and the rest of the analog ramp signals is fixed.

15. An analog-digital converter according to claim 11 , wherein, when the first switch and the second switch are in the on state and the third switch and the fourth switch are in the off state, the comparing section is in the reset state and the input and output of the CMOS inverter are reset to the equal voltage, and an input reset voltage is charged in the comparing capacitor.

16. An analog-digital converter according to claim 11 ,

wherein, when the first switch, the second switch and the fourth switch are in the off state and the third switch is in the on state, the comparing section is in a sampling state, and the input signal voltage is charged to the first capacitor, the second capacitor . . . and the n-th capacitor; and

an input voltage V 1 is a difference between a input reset voltage, which is charged to the comparing capacitor during a resetting period, and the input signal voltage;

wherein, when the first switch, the second switch and the third switch are in the off state and the fourth switch is in the on state, the comparing section is in a comparing state and the voltage level changes with the constant tilt amount of at least either of the first analog ramp signal and the second analog ramp signal, and the comparing output changes at the time when an added voltage of the first analog ramp signal, the second analog ramp signal . . . and the n-th analog ramp signal reaches a predetermined voltage V 2 .

17. An analog-digital converter according to claim 16 , wherein a gain G, which is the ratio of the input voltage V 1 and the predetermined voltage V 2 , is determined in the comparing section by dividing the sum of respective capacitance of the first capacitor, the second capacitor . . . the n-th capacitor by the sum of respective capacitors that correspond to one or a plurality of analog ramp signals when one or a plurality of the analog ramp signals of the first analog ramp signal, the second analog ramp signal . . . the n-th analog ramp signal are changed and the rest of the analog ramp signals is fixed.

18. An analog-digital converter according to claim 10 ,

wherein, when the third switch is in the on state, the comparing section is in a sampling state and the input signal voltage is charged to the first capacitor, the second capacitor, . . . and the n-th capacitor;

wherein an input voltage V 1 is a difference between an input reset voltage and the input signal voltage, the input reset voltage charged to the comparing capacitor during a resetting period; and

wherein, when the third switch is in the off state and the fourth switch is in the on state, the comparing section is in a comparing state and the voltage level changes with the constant tilt amount of at least one of the first analog ramp signal, the second analog ramp signal . . . and the n-th analog ramp signal, and the comparing output changes at the time when an added voltage of the first analog ramp signal, the second analog ramp signal . . . and the n-th analog ramp signal reaches a predetermined voltage V 2 .

19. An analog-digital converter according to claim 18 , wherein a gain G, which is the ratio of the input voltage V 1 and the predetermined voltage V 2 , is determined in the comparing section by dividing the sum of respective capacitance of the first capacitor, the second capacitor . . . the n-th capacitor by the sum of respective capacitors that correspond to one or a plurality of analog ramp signals when one or a plurality of the analog ramp signals of the first analog ramp signal, the second analog ramp signal . . . the n-th analog ramp signal are changed and the rest of the analog ramp signals is fixed.

20. A solid-state image capturing apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of pixel sections arranged in a matrix for photoelectrically converting an incident light into an electron and outputting it as an input signal voltage;

a y-axis decoder for sequentially selecting each column in a pixel arrangement; an x-axis decoder for selecting each row in a pixel arrangement; and

an analog-digital converter according to claim 1 .

21. An electronic information device using the solid-state image capturing apparatus according to claim 20 .

22. An electronic information device using the analog-digital converter according to claim 1 .