Solid-state image capture device and control method and control program therefor
A solid-state image capture device including: a pixel having a photoelectric conversion element and first to fourth switch elements; a reference-signal generator that generates a reference signal; and an analog-to-digital converter that generates a digital signal corresponding to an analog signal output by the pixel, by using a comparator having first and second input terminals. The second switch element is turned on to reset a voltage of the predetermined connection point, the fourth switch element is turned on while a connection degree of the second switch element is in an intermediate state between an on state and an off state to cause the first and second input terminals to reach a same potential, and the second switch element is not turned on and at least one of the first and third switch elements is turned on to cause the analog-to-digital converter to perform conversion into a digital signal.
1. A solid-state image capture device comprising:
a pixel including a photoelectric conversion element configured to convert light into signal charge and first to fourth switch elements;
a reference-signal generator configured to generate a reference signal that changes with time; and
an analog-to-digital converter configured to generate a digital signal corresponding to an analog signal output by the pixel, by using a comparator having a first input terminal connected to the pixel and a second input terminal connected to the reference-signal generator,
wherein the photoelectric conversion element is connected to a predetermined connection point via the first switch element,
the predetermined connection point is connected to a predetermined constant-voltage source via the second switch element and is connected to the first input terminal via the third switch element, and
the first input terminal and the second input terminal are connected via the fourth switch element; and
wherein, during acquirement of a digital signal corresponding to an amount of light received by the photoelectric conversion element,
the second switch element is turned on to reset a voltage of the predetermined connection point,
the fourth switch element is turned on while a connection degree of the second switch element is in an intermediate state between an on state and an off state to cause the first input terminal and the second input terminal to reach a same potential,
the second switch element is not turned on and the third switch element is turned on to cause the analog-to-digital converter to convert the reset voltage of the predetermined connection point into a digital signal, and
the second switch element is not turned on and the first switch element and the third switch element are turned on to cause the analog-to-digital converter to convert a voltage corresponding to the signal charge generated by the photoelectric conversion element into a digital signal.
2. The solid-state image capture device according to claim 1 , wherein, when the analog-to-digital converter converts the voltage of the predetermined connection point, the voltage being reset by turning-on of the second switch element, into the digital signal, the third switch element is turned on while the second switch element is in the intermediate state between the on state and the off state.
3. The solid-state image capture device according to claim 1 , wherein, both when the first switch element is in an on state and when the first switch element is an off state, the analog-to-digital converter converts analog signals output by the pixel into digital signals and performs correlated double sampling to generate digital signals corresponding analog signals of the pixel, and
when the connection degree of the second switch element is varied and the analog signal input from the pixel to the first input terminal changes to have a predetermined threshold or greater,
before the analog-to-digital converter converts the voltage corresponding to the signal charge generated by the photoelectric conversion element into the digital signal after the analog-to-digital converter converts the reset voltage of the predetermined connection point into the digital signal, the connection degree of the second switch element is put into the intermediate state between the on state and the off state, the first input terminal and the second input terminal are set to a same potential, and in the correlated double sampling performed by the analog-to-digital converter, the digital signal generated based on the analog signal output by the pixel when the first switch element is in the on state is disabled and the digital signal generated based on the analog signal output by the pixel when the first switch element is in the off state is used as the digital signal corresponding to the analog signal of the pixel.
4. A control method for a solid-state image capture device including
a pixel including a photoelectric conversion element configured to convert light into signal charge and first to fourth switch elements,
a reference-signal generator configured to generate a reference signal that changes with time, and
an analog-to-digital converter configured to generate a digital signal corresponding to an analog signal output by the pixel, by using a comparator having a first input terminal connected to the pixel and a second input terminal connected to the reference-signal generator,
wherein the photoelectric conversion element is connected to a predetermined connection point via the first switch element,
the predetermined connection point is connected to a predetermined constant-voltage source via the second switch element and is connected to the first input terminal via the third switch element, and
the first input terminal and the second input terminal are connected via the fourth switch element,
the control method comprising:
resetting a voltage of the predetermined connection point by turning on the second switch element;
causing the first input terminal and the second input terminal to reach a same potential by turning on the fourth switch element while putting a connection degree of the second switch element into an intermediate state between an on state and an off state;
causing the analog-to-digital converter to convert the reset voltage of the predetermined connection point into a digital signal by turning on the third switch element without turning on the third switch element; and
causing the analog-to-digital converter to convert a voltage corresponding to the signal charge generated by the photoelectric conversion element into a digital signal, by turning on the first switch element and the third switch element without turning on the second switch element.
5. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a control program for a solid-state image capture device including a pixel including
a photoelectric conversion element configured to convert light into signal charge and first to fourth switch elements,
a reference-signal generator configured to generate a reference signal that changes with time, and
an analog-to-digital converter configured to generate a digital signal corresponding to an analog signal output by the pixel, by using a comparator having a first input terminal connected to the pixel and a second input terminal connected to the reference-signal generator,
wherein the photoelectric conversion element is connected to a predetermined connection point via the first switch element,
the predetermined connection point is connected to a predetermined constant-voltage source via the second switch element and is connected to the first input terminal via the third switch element, and
the first input terminal and the second input terminal are connected via the fourth switch element,
the control program being executable to cause the solid-state image capturer device to implement:
a function of resetting a voltage of the predetermined connection point by turning on the second switch element;
a function of causing the first input terminal and the second input terminal to reach a same potential by turning on the fourth switch element while putting a connection degree of the second switch element into an intermediate state between an on state and an off state;
a function of causing the analog-to-digital converter to convert the reset voltage of the predetermined connection point into a digital signal by turning on the third switch element without turning on the third switch element; and
a function of causing the analog-to-digital converter to convert a voltage corresponding to the signal charge generated by the photoelectric conversion element into a digital signal, by turning on the first switch element and the third switch element without turning on the second switch element.