Looking for breakthrough ideas for innovation challenges? Try Patsnap Eureka!

Solid-state imaging apparatus with plural readout modes, and electronic equipment

a solid-state imaging and readout mode technology, applied in the direction of television systems, radio frequency controlled devices, instruments, etc., can solve the problems of degrading resolution and long sideways images, and achieve the reduction of the number of signals in the horizontal direction, the reduction of the angle of view, and the increase of the frame rate.

Inactive Publication Date: 2014-01-16
SONY GRP CORP
View PDF9 Cites 8 Cited by
  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent text describes a method to reduce the number of vertical readout lines in a columnAD conversion type CMOS image sensor while maintaining resolution and preventing long sideways of a pickup image when pixel rows are interlaced-scanned. This is achieved by simultaneously outputting drive signals to multiple pixel rows through systematic pixel drive lines, resulting in a thinned-out readout and reducing the number of signals in the horizontal direction, ultimately increasing the frame rate and preventing the pickup image from becoming long sideways.

Problems solved by technology

However, there arises a problem that when the number of readout lines is reduced by the thinning-out readout, the resolution is degraded, and when the number of vertical readout lines is reduced by the interlaced scanning, a pickup image becomes long sideways by reduction in angle of view.

Method used

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
View more

Image

Smart Image Click on the blue labels to locate them in the text.
Viewing Examples
Smart Image
  • Solid-state imaging apparatus with plural readout modes, and electronic equipment
  • Solid-state imaging apparatus with plural readout modes, and electronic equipment
  • Solid-state imaging apparatus with plural readout modes, and electronic equipment

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

first embodiment

2. First Embodiment

[0064]FIG. 3 is a system structural view showing the outline of a system structure of a CMOS image sensor 10A of a first embodiment of the invention. In the drawing, the same portion as that of FIG. 1 is denoted by the same reference numeral.

[0065]The CMOS image sensor 10A of this embodiment is constructed such that plural, for example, two systematic pixel drive lines 17 are arranged for each pixel row. Unit pixels 20 are connected to the two systematic pixel drive lines 17A and 17B in units of two adjacent columns. Specifically, the connection relation is such that from the left in the drawing, the respective pixels 20 of the first pixel column and the second pixel column are connected to the pixel drive line 17A, the respective pixels 20 of the third pixel column and the fourth pixel column are connected to the pixel drive line 17B, the respective pixels 20 of the fifth pixel column and the sixth pixel column are connected to the pixel drive line 17A, and so on...

second embodiment

3. Second Embodiment

[0105]FIG. 10 is a system structural view showing the outline of a system structure of a CMOS image sensor 10B of a second embodiment. In the drawing, the same portion as that of FIG. 3 is denoted by the same reference numeral.

[0106]The CMOS image sensor 10B of this embodiment has a structure in which plural, for example, two systematic (two lines) vertical signal lines 18 are arranged for each pixel column. Unit pixels 20 are alternately connected to the two systematic vertical signal lines 18A and 18B for the respective pixel rows. Specifically, the connection relation is such that each of the pixels 20 of the first pixel row from above in the drawing is connected to the vertical signal line 18A, and each of the pixels 20 of the second pixel row is connected to the vertical signal line 18B, each of the pixels 20 of the third pixel row is connected to the vertical signal line 18A, and so on.

[0107]One systematic pixel drive line 17 is arranged for each pixel row....

third embodiment

4. Third Embodiment

[0136]FIG. 13 is a system structural view showing the outline of a system structure of a CMOS image sensor 10C of a third embodiment. In the drawing, the same portion as that of FIG. 10 is denoted by the same reference numeral.

[0137]In the CMOS image sensor 10B of the second embodiment, for example, the two systematic vertical signal lines 18A and 18B are arranged for each pixel column. Then, the vertical signal lines 18A and 18B are alternately selected in units of two adjacent columns by the selection switch 143, and the signals are read out simultaneously from the pixels 20 of two pixel rows for different pixel columns, so that the horizontal thinning-out readout is performed while the vertical thinning-out readout is performed.

[0138]The CMOS image sensor 10C of this embodiment is the same as the CMOS image sensor 10B of the second embodiment in that plural, for example, two systematic vertical signal lines 18A 18B are provided for each pixel column, and signal...

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

PUM

No PUM Login to View More

Abstract

A solid-state imaging apparatus includes: a pixel array section in which pixels including photoelectric conversion elements are two-dimensionally arranged in a matrix form, and a plurality of systematic pixel drive lines to transmit drive signals to read out signals from the pixels are arranged for each pixel row; and a row scanning section to simultaneously output the drive signals through the plurality of systematic pixel drive lines to a plurality of pixel rows for different pixel columns.

Description

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This is a Continuation Application of the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12 / 662,421, filed Apr. 16, 2010, which claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-114250 filed in the Japanese Patent Office on May 11, 2009, the entire content of which are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to a solid-state imaging apparatus, a driving method of the solid-state imaging apparatus and an electronic equipment.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]An imaging apparatus, such as a digital still camera, to convert light into an electric signal and to output an image signal includes a solid-state imaging apparatus as an image capture section (photoelectric conversion section). In the field of the solid-state imaging apparatus, in recent years, as the number of pixels is increased and a frame rate is raised, a technology of realizing high-spe...

Claims

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

Application Information

Patent Timeline
no application Login to View More
Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): H04N5/378H01L27/146H04N5/335H04N5/341H04N5/369H04N5/374
CPCH04N5/378H01L27/14621H01L27/14627H01L27/14636H01L27/14643H01L27/1464H01L27/14647H04N25/445H04N25/767H04N25/70H04N25/447H04N25/134H04N25/78H04N25/75H04N25/772
Inventor ARAKI, YUICHIROKIKUCHI, MASARU
Owner SONY GRP CORP
Who we serve
  • R&D Engineer
  • R&D Manager
  • IP Professional
Why Patsnap Eureka
  • Industry Leading Data Capabilities
  • Powerful AI technology
  • Patent DNA Extraction
Social media
Patsnap Eureka Blog
Learn More
PatSnap group products

Browse by: Latest US Patents, China's latest patents, Technical Efficacy Thesaurus, Application Domain, Technology Topic, Popular Technical Reports.

© 2024 PatSnap. All rights reserved.Legal|Privacy policy|Modern Slavery Act Transparency Statement|Sitemap|About US| Contact US: help@patsnap.com