Patent · US Active

Solid-state imaging device which sets a black level reference when capturing an image

US8872948B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
1References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 16, 2012
Grant dateOct 28, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 12, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N25/78
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a solid-state imaging device includes an effective pixel portion in which effective pixels are provided, a light-shielded pixel portion in which light-shielded pixels are provided, an ADC circuit that performs an AD conversion operation for signal components read from the effective pixel and the light-shielded pixel, on the basis of a result of a comparison with a reference voltage on which a clamping voltage is superimposed, and an AD clamping circuit that calculates a clamping voltage for a target value of a black level read from the light-shielded pixel by extrapolating a relation between the clamping voltage and an AD-converted value of the black level read from the light-shielded pixel at the time when the clamping voltage is applied.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.