Patent · US Active

Three level transfer gate

US9780138B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
3References
20Claims
0Family size

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Key dates

Filing dateNov 26, 2014
Grant dateOct 3, 2017
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 26, 2034

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10F39/8037
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and device of driving a radiation sensor pixel is disclosed. The sensor pixel comprises a sensing element capable of charge generation as a response to impinging radiation, a floating diffusion node, a transfer gate between the sensing element and the floating diffusion node, and a charge storage device connected to the floating diffusion node via a switch. The method comprises biasing the transfer gate to three or more bias voltages OFF, ON and an intermediate bias between OFF and ON. During the period in which the transfer gate is biased to the intermediate bias, if the sensor reaches saturation, the overflown charges may be collected and part of them stored in the charge storage device, for further analysis and merging.

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