IP Library Granted Patent US 10,708,532
Granted Patent B2
US 10,708,532 · App. 16/534,835 · Granted Jul 7, 2020

Analog-to-digital converter and solid-state image sensor

Inventors: Takeo Ushinaga (Sakai, JP); Yoshinao Morikawa (Sakai, JP)
Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
H04N5/37455H03M1/34
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,708,532
App. No.
16/534,835
Granted
Jul 7, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

[Object] To prevent code skipping in decoding. [Solution] Included are a low-order bit latch unit ( 63 ) that latches digital code data as a low-order bit, a high-order bit counter unit ( 64 ) that counts one or both of edges of a control signal corresponding to a reference clock, and stops counting of high-order bits, triggered by output of a comparator ( 62 ) being inverted, a low-order bit decoding signal latch unit ( 65 ) that latches a low-order bit decoding signal, and a signal processing unit ( 8 ).

Claims (14)

1. An analog-to-digital converter that is disposed for at least one column or at least one of unit pixels, and converts input analog signals into digital signals, the analog-to-digital converter comprising:

a comparator that compares voltage of the analog signals with a reference voltage of which a voltage value varies in accordance with a reference clock;

a low-order bit latch unit that latches a digital code corresponding to the reference clock as a low-order bit, triggered by output of the comparator being inverted;

a high-order bit counter unit that counts one or both of edges of a control signal corresponding to the reference clock, and stops counting of high-order bits, triggered by output of the comparator being inverted;

a low-order bit decoding signal latch unit that latches a low-order bit decoding signal corresponding to the reference clock; and

a signal processing unit that compares a value of the low-order bit decoding signal that has been latched and a value of a least significant bit of the high-order bits to detect code skipping, and corrects the detected code skipping.

2. The analog-to-digital converter according to claim 1 ,

wherein the signal processing unit detects the code skipping in a case where the value of the low-order bit decoding signal and the value of the least significant bit differ, and corrects the detected code skipping.

3. The analog-to-digital converter according to claim 1 ,

wherein the signal processing unit detects the code skipping in a case where the value of the low-order bit decoding signal and the value of the least significant bit are equal, and corrects the detected code skipping.

4. A solid-state image sensor, comprising:

a pixel portion that converts incident light into analog signals;

the analog-to-digital converter according to claim 1 , that converts the analog signals into digital signals; and

a vertical signal line for transferring the analog signals from the pixel portion to the analog-to-digital converter.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 7, 2019
From: USHINAGA, TAKEO; MORIKAWA, YOSHINAO
To: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 049996/0588 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62717261 · Aug 10, 2018
Related Publication 20200053310A1 · Feb 13, 2020