Solid-state imaging device, driving method, and electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016006969-A1
Application number	US-201414768534-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 17, 2014
Priority date	Feb 27, 2013
Publication date	Jan 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided is a solid-state imaging device including: a pixel section configured to include a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form, the plurality of pixels performing photoelectric conversion; column signal lines configured to transmit pixel signals output from the pixels in units of columns; an AD converting section configured to include a comparator that compares a reference signal serving as a ramp wave with the pixel signals transmitted via the column signal line and convert a reference level and a signal level of the pixel signals into digital signals independently based on a comparison result of the comparator; a switch configured to be connected with the column signal lines; and a control section configured to turn on the switch only during a certain period of time in a period of time in which the comparator is reset and cause the column signal lines to be short-circuited.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A solid-state imaging device comprising:
a pixel section configured to include a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form, the plurality of pixels performing photoelectric conversion; column signal lines configured to transmit pixel signals output from the pixels in units of columns; an AD converting section configured to include a comparator that compares a reference signal serving as a ramp wave with the pixel signals transmitted via the column signal line and convert a reference level and a signal level of the pixel signals into digital signals independently based on a comparison result of the comparator; a switch configured to be connected with the column signal lines; and a control section configured to turn on the switch only during a certain period of time in a period of time in which the comparator is reset and cause the column signal lines to be short-circuited, wherein the plurality of pixels are arranged in the pixel section to correspond to a color filter in which colors are arranged in a certain repetitive unit, and wherein the switch is connected to each column signal line of pixels of the same color.

2 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the control section adjusts an ON period of time of the switch according to a gain of AD conversion performed by the AD converting section.

3 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the control section adjusts a reset period of the comparator according to the gain of the AD conversion performed by the AD converting section.

4 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 3 ,
wherein the gain of the AD conversion performed by the AD converting section has a value corresponding to the reference signal differing according to each color.

5 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the switch is a transistor, and wherein the transistor includes a gate connected to the control section via a control line and a source and a drain that are connected to a row signal line connected to the column signal line in a row direction.

6 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the switch is a transistor, and wherein the transistor includes a gate connected to the control section via a control line, a source connected to the column signal line, and a drain connected to a row signal line in a row direction.

7 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the switch is connected with all the column signal lines.

8 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the column signal lines are divided into blocks in a certain unit, and wherein the switch is connected with the column signal lines in units of the blocks.

9 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of pixels arranged in the pixel section in the matrix form share at least an amplifying transistor and the column signal lines with other pixels.

10 . The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a noise adding section configured to add a noise that is temporally unchanging and is irregular in a two-dimensional space to the pixel signals transmitted via the column signal lines.

11 . A driving method of a solid-state imaging device, the solid-state imaging device including
a pixel section configured to include a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form, the plurality of pixels performing photoelectric conversion, column signal lines configured to transmit pixel signals output from the pixels in units of columns, an AD converting section configured to include a comparator that compares a reference signal serving as a ramp wave with the pixel signals transmitted via the column signal line and convert a reference level and a signal level of the pixel signals into digital signals independently based on a comparison result of the comparator, and a switch configured to be connected with the column signal lines, the driving method comprising: a step of, by the solid-state imaging device, turning on the switch only during a certain period of time in a period of time in which the comparator is reset and causing the column signal lines to be short-circuited, wherein the plurality of pixels are arranged in the pixel section to correspond to a color filter in which colors are arranged in a certain repetitive unit, and wherein the switch is connected to each column signal line of pixels of the same color.

12 . An electronic device comprising:
a solid-state imaging device including a pixel section configured to include a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form, the plurality of pixels performing photoelectric conversion, column signal lines configured to transmit pixel signals output from the pixels in units of columns, an AD converting section configured to include a comparator that compares a reference signal serving as a ramp wave with the pixel signals transmitted via the column signal line and convert a reference level and a signal level of the pixel signals into digital signals independently based on a comparison result of the comparator, a switch configured to be connected with the column signal lines, and a control section configured to turn on the switch only during a certain period of time in a period of time in which the comparator is reset and cause the column signal lines to be short-circuited, wherein the plurality of pixels are arranged in the pixel section to correspond to a color filter in which colors are arranged in a certain repetitive unit, and wherein the switch is connected to each column signal line of pixels of the same color.

13 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Matsumoto Shizunori

Classifications

• H04N25/701 Primary

  Line sensors · CPC title

• H04N25/616

  involving a correlated sampling function, e.g. correlated double sampling [CDS] or triple sampling · CPC title

• H04N25/44 Primary

  by partially reading an SSIS array · CPC title

• H04N25/76

  Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors · CPC title

• H04N25/77

  Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components · CPC title