Imaging device, monitoring device, and electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10021329-B2
Application number	US-201514806876-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 23, 2015
Priority date	Jul 31, 2014
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

An imaging device includes a pixel; a digital circuit; and an analog processing circuit including a constant current circuit, a current comparison circuit, and a control circuit. The pixel is capable of outputting differential data. The constant current circuit is capable of supplying a first current corresponding to the differential data, in accordance with a first control signal. The current comparison circuit is capable of supplying a second current that flows through the constant current circuit in accordance with a change in the differential data. The current comparison circuit has a function of setting a determination signal active depending on whether to supply the second current to the constant current circuit. The control circuit has a function of controlling the constant current circuit and the current comparison circuit to stop their functions as the determination signal becomes active. The digital circuit operates as the determination signal becomes active.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An imaging device comprising:
a pixel;
a digital circuit; and
an analog processing circuit comprising:
a constant current circuit;
a current comparison circuit; and
a control circuit,

wherein the pixel is capable of outputting differential data,
wherein the constant current circuit is capable of supplying a first current corresponding to the differential data, in accordance with a first control signal,
wherein the current comparison circuit is capable of supplying a second current flowing in the constant current circuit in accordance with a change in the differential data,
wherein the current comparison circuit is capable of setting a determination signal active depending on whether to supply the second current to the constant current circuit or not,
wherein the control circuit is capable of stopping functions of the constant current circuit and the current comparison circuit when the determination signal becomes active, and
wherein the digital circuit is capable of operating when the determination signal becomes active.

2. A monitoring device comprising:
the imaging device according to claim 1 ;
a memory device functionally connected to the imaging device;
an alarm device functionally connected to the imaging device; and
a display device functionally connected to the imaging device.

3. An electronic device comprising:
the monitoring device according to claim 2 ; and
an operation key.

4. An imaging device comprising:
a pixel;
a digital circuit; and
an analog processing circuit comprising:
a constant current circuit;
a current comparison circuit comprising a comparator, an amplifier circuit, a transistor, and a latch circuit; and
a control circuit,

wherein the pixel is capable of outputting differential data,
wherein the constant current circuit is capable of supplying a first current corresponding to the differential data, in accordance with a first control signal,
wherein the current comparison circuit is capable of supplying the constant current circuit with a second current flowing in accordance with a change in the differential data,
wherein the comparator is capable of generating an output signal for inputting and outputting the second current, when a bias voltage is applied,
wherein the amplifier circuit is capable of amplifying the output signal,
wherein the transistor is provided between the comparator and the amplifier circuit,
wherein the on/off state of the transistor is controlled in accordance with a second control signal,
wherein the latch circuit is capable of latching the amplified output signal,
wherein the latch circuit is capable of setting a determination signal active,
wherein the control circuit is capable of stopping output of the bias voltage, switching output of the first control signal so that the first current does not flow through the constant current circuit, and switching output of the second control signal so that the transistor is turned off, when the determination signal becomes active, and
wherein the digital circuit is capable of operating when the determination signal becomes active.

5. The imaging device according to claim 4 , wherein the latch circuit is initialized with a reset signal.

6. The imaging device according to claim 4 , wherein a channel formation region of the transistor comprises an oxide semiconductor.

7. A monitoring device comprising:
the imaging device according to claim 4 ;
a memory device functionally connected to the imaging device;
an alarm device functionally connected to the imaging device; and
a display device functionally connected to the imaging device.

8. An electronic device comprising:
the monitoring device according to claim 7 ; and
an operation key.

9. An imaging device comprising:
a pixel comprising an imaging element;
an analog processing circuit; and
a digital circuit,
wherein the analog processing circuit is configured to compare a current output from the pixel with a reference current output from the pixel to determine whether the current and the reference current are the same or not,
wherein the analog processing circuit is configured to output a control signal when the current is different from the reference current, and
wherein the control signal makes the analog processing circuit inactive and the digital circuit active.

10. The imaging device according to claim 9 ,
wherein the analog processing circuit comprises:
a constant current circuit;
a current comparison circuit; and
a control circuit,

wherein the constant current circuit is configured so that the reference current flows,
wherein the current comparison circuit is configured to maintain the reference current and output the control signal when the current output from the pixel is different from the reference current, and
wherein the control circuit is configured to output a signal making the analog processing circuit inactive in accordance with the control signal.

11. The imaging device according to claim 10 , wherein the control circuit is configured to output a signal to stop the current flowing in the constant current circuit in accordance with the control signal.

12. The imaging device according to claim 10 , wherein the control circuit is configured to output a signal to stop the current comparison circuit outputting the control signal.

13. The imaging device according to claim 10 ,
wherein the constant current circuit comprises:
first to sixth transistor, each comprising a first terminal, a second terminal, and a gate; and
a capacitor comprising a first terminal and a second terminal,

wherein the first terminal of the first transistor is electrically connected to the pixel,
wherein the gate of the first transistor is electrically connected to the control circuit,
wherein the second terminal of the first transistor is electrically connected to the first terminal of the second transistor, the first terminal of the third transistor, and the first terminal of the fourth transistor,
wherein the second terminal of the third transistor is electrically connected to the gate of the fourth transistor and the first terminal of the capacitor,
wherein the second terminal of the fourth transistor is electrically connected to the second terminal of the capacitor,
wherein the second terminal of the second transistor is electrically connected to the second terminal of the fifth transistor, the first terminal of the sixth transistor, and the gate of the sixth transistor,
wherein the first terminal of the fifth transistor is electrically connected to the current comparison circuit and the gate of the fifth transistor, and
wherein the second terminal of the sixth transistor is electrically connected to the current comparison circuit.

14. The imaging device according to claim 10 ,
wherein the pixel comprises:
first to fourth transistor, each comprising a first terminal, a second terminal, and a gate;
a first capacitor comprising a first terminal and a second terminal; and
the imaging element,

wherein the first terminal of the first transistor is electrically connected to the first terminal of the second transistor and the first terminal of the first capacitor,
wherein the second terminal of the first transistor is electrically connected to the imaging element,
wherein the second terminal of the first capacitor is electrically connected to the first terminal of the third transistor and the gate of the fourth transistor, and
wherein the first terminal of the fourth transistor is electrically connected to the constant current circuit.

15. The imaging dev

Assignees

• Semiconductor Energy Lab

Inventors

• Ohmaru Takuro

Classifications

• H04N25/70

  SSIS architectures; Circuits associated therewith · CPC title

• H04N25/709 Primary

  Circuitry for control of the power supply · CPC title

• H04N23/11

  for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths · CPC title

• H04N5/369

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N5/32

  Transforming X-rays (cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from X-rays H04N23/30; circuitry of SSIS for transforming X-rays into image signals H04N25/30) · CPC title