Image sensor having wide dynamic range, pixel circuit of the image sensor, and operating method of the image sensor
US10015428B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 23, 2016 |
| Grant date | Jul 3, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 11, 2036 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N25/585
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A pixel circuit includes a first photocharge accumulator including at least two photodiodes exposed to light for a long period of time, and a second photocharge accumulator including at least one photodiode exposed to light for a short period of time. The pixel circuit includes a first transfer controller that transfers photocharges accumulated in the first photocharge accumulator to a floating diffusion area, and a second transfer controller that transfers photocharges accumulated in the second photocharge accumulator to the floating diffusion area. The pixel circuit includes a driving transistor to generate a pixel signal according to the photocharges transferred to the floating diffusion area. A number of photodiodes of the first photocharge accumulator is greater than a number of photodiodes of the second photocharge accumulator.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.