IP Library Granted Patent US 7,116,367
Granted Patent B2
US 7,116,367 · App. 09/935,589 · Granted Oct 3, 2006

Solid-state image pickup apparatus having a reset transistor controlled by an output line

Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,116,367
App. No.
09/935,589
Granted
Oct 3, 2006
Kind
B2
Abstract

To reduce the number of MOS transistors of a pixel and the number of gate potential control lines, the present invention provides a solid-state image pickup apparatus including a pixel including a photoelectric conversion unit, a read transistor for reading a signal from the photoelectric conversion unit, and a reset transistor for resetting the input portion of the read transistor, and an output line to which the signal from the read transistor is read out, wherein the reset transistor is controlled in accordance with the signal level of the output line.

Claims (13)

1. A solid-state image pickup apparatus comprising:

a pixel including a photoelectric conversion unit, a read transistor for reading a signal from said photoelectric conversion unit, and a reset transistor for resetting an input portion of said read transistor; and

an output line to which the signal from the read transistor is read out, said output line being connected to a control electrode area of the reset transistor so that said control electrode area is supplied with a signal level of said output line,

wherein the reset transistor is controlled to be turned on and off by changes in the signal level of said output line.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a control transistor connected to said output line to control the signal level of said output line.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the read transistor and reset transistor are MOS transistors.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprises a transfer switch arranged between the photoelectric conversion unit and the read transistor,

wherein signal charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion unit are transferred to the input portion of the read transistor through said transfer switch.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of transfer switches are connected to the input portion of the read transistor, and signal charges are independently transferred from a plurality of photoelectric conversion units by said transfer switches.

6. An image pickup system comprising:

said solid-state image pickup apparatus of claim 1 ;

an optical system adapted to form an image of light onto said solid-state image pickup apparatus; and

a signal processing circuit adapted to process an output signal from said solid-state image pickup apparatus.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 13, 2001
From: SHINOHARA, MAHITO
To: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 012303/0705 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2000-256356 · Aug 25, 2000 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20020024068A1 · Feb 28, 2002