IP Library Granted Patent US 9,001,242
Granted Patent B2
US 9,001,242 · App. 13/709,997 · Granted Apr 7, 2015

Solid-state imaging device and imaging device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,001,242
App. No.
13/709,997
Granted
Apr 7, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A solid-state imaging device simultaneously completes pixel reset operation on all of pixels included in a unit cell when performing pixel reset scanning in a curtain shutter synchronous mode. The pixel reset operation is processing in which a photodiode corresponding to one of transfer transistors is reset. The pixel reset scanning is processing in which the pixel reset operation is performed on a row basis. The curtain shutter synchronous mode is a mode in which exposure of an imaging region to incident light is started by the pixel reset scanning and ended by blocking the incident light by a mechanical curtain shutter provided on an optical path of the incident light.

Claims (23)

1. A solid-state imaging device comprising:

a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns in an imaging region;

a plurality of unit cells each including n pixels from among the pixels as one unit arranged in rows and columns in the imaging region, n being a natural number greater than or equal to 2;

a row scanning unit configured to perform pixel reset scanning by scanning the pixels in the imaging region on a row basis; and

a reset scanning register for holding a parameter which is for determining the timing to complete a pixel reset operation on each of the rows and is determined according to a running quality of a mechanical curtain shutter,

wherein each of the unit cells includes:

the n pixels each including a photodiode which converts incident light into electric charges and a transfer transistor which transfers the electric charges converted by the photodiode;

a floating diffusion shared by the n pixels and holds the electric charges transferred by the transfer transistors; and

a reset transistor shared by the n pixels and resets a potential of the floating diffusion,

the pixel reset scanning is processing in which the pixel reset operation is performed on a row basis, the pixel reset operation being processing in which one of the transfer transistors and the reset transistor are turned ON to reset the photodiode corresponding to the one of the transfer transistors, and

the row scanning unit is configured to complete the pixel reset operation simultaneously on a plurality of rows to which the n pixels contained in the unit cell belong when performing the pixel reset scanning in a curtain shutter synchronous mode in which exposure of the imaging region to the incident light is started by the pixel reset scanning and ended by blocking the incident light by the mechanical curtain shutter provided on an optical path of the incident light, and

wherein, in the curtain shutter synchronous mode, the row scanning unit is configured to determine timing to complete the pixel reset operation, according to the running quality of the mechanical curtain shutter, and

wherein, in the curtain shutter synchronous mode, the row scanning unit is configured to perform the pixel reset scanning based on the parameter held by the reset scanning register.

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

wherein the row scanning unit further includes:

a calculating circuit which calculates the timing to complete the pixel reset operation, using a row address value indicating a row to which the unit cell belongs and the parameter held by the reset scanning register; and

a row selection circuit which outputs a row scanning signal to the n pixels included in the unit cell so that the pixel reset operation on the n pixels included in the unit cell is completed at the timing calculated by the calculating circuit.

3. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein, in the curtain shutter synchronous mode, the row scanning unit is configured to make a period from start to completion of the pixel reset operation on the unit cell constant for all of the pixels included in the imaging region.

4. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein, in the curtain shutter synchronous mode, the row scanning unit is configured to simultaneously start the pixel reset operation on all of the pixels included in the imaging region.

5. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein, in the curtain shutter synchronous mode, the row scanning unit is configured to perform part of the pixel reset operation in parallel on the pixels included in the unit cell.

6. An imaging device comprising:

the solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 ; and

the mechanical curtain shutter.

Assignments (4)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ERRONEOUSLY FILED APPLICATION NUMBERS 13/384239, 13/498734, 14/116681 AND 14/301144 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 034194 FRAME 0143. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 056788/0362 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 27, 2020
From: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 052755/0870 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 10, 2014
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 034194/0143 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 17, 2014
From: MIYAKE, YASUO
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 031990/0609 →