Image pick-up device and camera system comprising an image pick-up device
US7277130B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 3, 2002 |
| Grant date | Oct 2, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 14, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N25/766
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The invention relates to an image pick up device (401) with pixels arranged in rows and columns. Every pixel (301) comprises a photosensitive element (302), a floating diffusion (304), a transfer transistor (303), an amplifying transistor (305) having its control electrode connected to the floating diffusion (304), and a reset transistor (306). An external node (310) is coupled to a selection switch via a row selection bus (406). The selection switch (411) provides either a first bias voltage, generated by a first voltage source (409), or a second bias voltage, generated by a second volt age source (410), to the row selection bus (406). Applying the first bias voltage and simultaneously turning on the reset transistor (306) programs the floating diffusion (304) to the first bias voltage which biases the amplifying transistor (305) in an on-mode, thereby selecting the pixel (301). Likewise, applying the second bias voltage biases, the amplifying transistor (305) in an off-mode, thereby deselecting the pixel (301). This way of selecting and deselecting pixels avoids the need for a separate selection transistor in every pixel, thereby increasing the fill factor of the pixels. This app…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.