Apparatus, sensor and electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024106454-A1
Application number	US-202318472069-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 21, 2023
Priority date	Sep 26, 2022
Publication date	Mar 28, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus comprises: a plurality of analog-to-digital conversion units that performs analog-to-digital conversion using ΔΣ modulation by comparing a signal output from a plurality of pixels to a reference voltage; and a plurality of supply units that supply one of a plurality of different reference voltages to each of the plurality of analog-to-digital conversion units. The plurality of supply units supply different reference voltages to adjacent analog-to-digital conversion units among the plurality of analog-to-digital conversion units.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus comprising:
one or more processors and/or circuitry which function as: a plurality of analog-to-digital conversion units that performs analog-to-digital conversion using ΔΣ modulation by comparing a signal output from a plurality of pixels to a reference voltage; and a plurality of supply units that supply one of a plurality of different reference voltages to each of the plurality of analog-to-digital conversion units, wherein the plurality of supply units supply different reference voltages to adjacent analog-to-digital conversion units among the plurality of analog-to-digital conversion units.

2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of supply units has a selection unit that selects one of the plurality of different reference voltages, and supplies the selected reference voltage to the plurality of analog-to-digital conversion units.

3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of supply units are wirings that supply different reference voltages to the adjacent analog-to-digital conversion units.

4 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of pixels is covered with a color filter having one type of spectral characteristic among a plurality of types of spectral characteristic, and
of the plurality of analog-to-digital conversion units, the adjacent analog-to-digital conversion units perform analog-to-digital conversion on signals output from pixels covered with color filters having a same type of spectral characteristics.

5 . A sensor comprising:
a plurality of pixels; and an apparatus comprising one or more processors and/or circuitry which function as:
a plurality of analog-to-digital conversion units that performs analog-to-digital conversion using ΔΣ modulation by comparing a signal output from the plurality of pixels and a reference voltage; and
a plurality of supply units that supply one of a plurality of different reference voltages to each of the plurality of analog-to-digital conversion units,
wherein the plurality of supply units supply different reference voltages to adjacent analog-to-digital conversion units among the plurality of analog-to-digital conversion units.

6 . The sensor according to claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of supply units has a selection unit that selects one of the plurality of different reference voltages, and supplies the selected reference voltage to the plurality of analog-to-digital conversion units.

7 . The sensor according to claim 5 , wherein the plurality of supply units are wirings that supply different reference voltages to the adjacent analog-to-digital conversion units.

8 . The sensor according to claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of pixels is covered with a color filter having one type of spectral characteristic among a plurality of types of spectral characteristic, and
of the plurality of analog-to-digital conversion units, the adjacent analog-to-digital conversion units perform analog-to-digital conversion on signals output from pixels covered with color filters having a same type of spectral characteristics.

9 . An electronic device comprising:
a sensor comprising:
a plurality of pixels; and
an apparatus comprising one or more processors and/or circuitry which function as:
a plurality of analog-to-digital conversion units that performs analog-to-digital conversion using ΔΣ modulation by comparing a signal output from the plurality of pixels and a reference voltage; and
a plurality of supply units that supply one of a plurality of different reference voltages to each of the plurality of analog-to-digital conversion units; and

a control unit that switches the reference voltage to be supplied to each of the plurality of analog-to-digital conversion units according to an actuation mode of the sensor, wherein the plurality of supply units supply different reference voltages to adjacent analog-to-digital conversion units among the plurality of analog-to-digital conversion units.

10 . The electronic device according to claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of supply units has a selection unit that selects one of the plurality of different reference voltages, and supplies the selected reference voltage to the plurality of analog-to-digital conversion units.

11 . The electronic device according to claim 9 , wherein the plurality of supply units are wirings that supply different reference voltages to the adjacent analog-to-digital conversion units.

12 . The electronic device according to claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of pixels is covered with a color filter having one type of spectral characteristic among a plurality of types of spectral characteristic, and
of the plurality of analog-to-digital conversion units, the adjacent analog-to-digital conversion units perform analog-to-digital conversion on signals output from pixels covered with color filters having a same type of spectral characteristics.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Sasaki Ken
• Nasu Hitoshi

Classifications

• H03M3/466 Primary

  Multiplexed conversion systems · CPC title

• H04N25/772

  comprising A/D, V/T, V/F, I/T or I/F converters · CPC title

• H04N25/78 Primary

  Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters · CPC title

• H04N25/709

  Circuitry for control of the power supply · CPC title

• H03M3/396

  among different frequency bands · CPC title