Solid-state imaging element, driving method therefor, and camera system with a pixel drive control unit concurrently accessing a window region and the adjacent outer row
View Patent ↗A solid-state imaging element includes a pixel array unit having pixels arranged in a matrix, each pixel including a photoelectric conversion element, and a pixel drive control unit capable of controlling driving of the pixel array unit so as to perform a read or reset access operation of the pixel array unit in accordance with specified address information. The pixel drive control unit is capable of setting a desired region in the pixel array unit as a window region to be accessed. The pixel drive control unit includes a function for performing, concurrently with access to the window region and output processing, read or reset access on at least one adjacent outer row that is adjacent to the window region.
1. A solid-state imaging element comprising:
a pixel array unit having
pixels arranged in a matrix, each pixel including a photoelectric conversion element,
an effective pixel region, and
an optical black region disposed adjacent to the effective pixel region; and
a pixel drive control unit configured to control driving of the pixel array unit so as to perform a read or reset access operation of the pixel array unit in accordance with specified address information,
wherein the pixel drive control unit sets a desired region in the pixel array unit as a window region to be accessed, and
wherein the pixel drive control unit performs, concurrently with access to the window region and an output processing, the read or reset access operation on an adjacent row located between the window region and the optical black region, the adjacent row spanning an entire row of pixels in the matrix and not being a part of the window region and the optical black region.
2. The solid-state imaging element according to claim 1 , wherein the pixel drive control unit sets the window region in at least the effective pixel region.
3. The solid-state imaging element according to claim 1 , wherein the read or reset access on the adjacent row is performed during a blanking output period.
4. The solid-state imaging element according to claim 1 , wherein the pixel drive control unit includes
a read address counter configured to generate a read address,
a reset address counter configured to generate a reset address, and
a window-adjacent address generation unit configured to generate an address of the adjacent row, and
wherein access to the pixel array unit is performed by selectively switching between the address generated by the read address counter or the reset address counter and the address of the adjacent row generated by the window-adjacent address generation unit.
5. The solid-state imaging element according to claim 4 , wherein the pixel drive control unit determines the address of the adjacent row generated by the window-adjacent address generation unit using calculation from a setting value of the window region.
6. The solid-state imaging element according to claim 4 , wherein the pixel drive control unit sets the address of the adjacent row generated by the window-adjacent address generation unit.
7. The solid-state imaging element according to claim 4 , wherein the pixel drive control unit selects the address generated by the window-adjacent address generation unit during a blanking period, and selects the address generated by the read address counter during an effective pixel output period.
8. The solid-state imaging element according to claim 1 , wherein the pixel drive control unit sets the window region in the effective pixel region and the optical black region, and
wherein the pixel drive control unit selects a width of a window region in the effective pixel region and a width of a window region in the optical black region so that a trade-off can be made therebetween.
9. A driving method for a solid-state imaging element, comprising the steps of:
setting a desired region in a pixel array unit as a window region to be accessed, the pixel array unit having pixels arranged in a matrix, each pixel including a photoelectric conversion element, an effective pixel region, and an optical black region disposed adjacent to the effective pixel region; and
performing, concurrently with access to the window region and an output processing, a reset access on an adjacent row located between the window region and the optical black region, the adjacent row spanning an entire row of pixels in the matrix and not being a part of the window region and the optical black region.
10. The driving method according to claim 9 , wherein the pixel array unit has the window region in at least the effective pixel region.
11. The driving method according to claim 9 or 10 , further comprising: performing the read or reset access on the adjacent row during a blanking output period.
12. The driving method according to claim 9 , wherein the pixel drive control unit includes
a read address counter configured to generate a read address,
a reset address counter configured to generate a reset address, and
a window-adjacent address generation unit configured to generate an address of the adjacent row that is adjacent to the window region, and further comprising selectively switching between the address generated by the read address counter or the reset address counter and the address of the adjacent outer row generated by the window-adjacent address generation unit.
13. The driving method according to claim 12 , further comprising determining the address of the adjacent row generated by the window-adjacent address generation unit using calculation from a setting value of the window region.
14. The driving method according to claim 12 , further comprising setting the address of the adjacent row generated by the window-adjacent address generation unit.
15. The driving method according to claim 12 , further comprising selecting the address generated by the window-adjacent address generation unit during a blanking period, and selects the address generated by the read address counter during an effective pixel output period.
16. The driving method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
setting the window region in the effective pixel region and the optical black region, and
selecting a width of a window region in the effective pixel region and a width of a window region in the optical black region so that a trade-off can be made therebetween.
17. A camera system comprising:
a solid-state imaging element;
an optical system configured to form a subject image on the solid-state imaging element; and
a signal processing circuit configured to process an output image signal of the solid-state imaging element,
the solid-state imaging element including
a pixel array unit having pixels arranged in a matrix, each pixel including a photoelectric conversion element, an effective pixel region, and an optical black region disposed adjacent to the effective pixel region, and
a pixel drive control unit configured to control driving of the pixel array unit so as to perform a read or reset access operation of the pixel array unit in accordance with specified address information,
wherein the pixel drive control unit sets a desired region in the pixel array unit as a window region to be accessed, and
wherein the pixel drive control unit performs, concurrently with access to the window region and an output processing, the read or reset access operation on an adjacent row located between the window region and the optical black region, the adjacent row spanning an entire row of pixels in the matrix and not being a part of the window region and the optical black region.