Pixel circuit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9728578-B2
Application number	US-201414454776-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 8, 2014
Priority date	Aug 9, 2013
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

A pixel arrangement includes a photodiode, a reset transistor configured to be controlled by a reset signal and coupled to a reset input voltage, a transfer gate transistor configured to transfer charge from the photodiode to a node, wherein the transfer gate transistor is controlled by a transfer gate voltage, and a source follower transistor controlled by the voltage on the node and coupled to a source follower voltage. A capacitor is coupled between the node and an input voltage. During a read operation the input voltage is increased to boost the voltage at the node. The increased input voltage may, for example, be one the reset input voltage, said source follower voltage, said transfer gate voltage and a boosting voltage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pixel arrangement, comprising:
at least one photodiode;
at least one reset transistor configured to be controlled by a reset signal and coupled in use to a reset input voltage;
a transfer gate transistor for each photodiode configured to transfer charge from the photodiode to a sense node, said transfer gate transistor having a control terminal configured to be controlled by a transfer gate voltage, and
at least one source follower transistor configured to be controlled by the voltage on the sense node and coupled in use to a source follower voltage; and
at least one capacitance coupled between the sense node and the control terminal of the transfer gate transistor;
wherein during a read operation, the transfer gate voltage transitions from a first voltage level for controlling the transfer gate transistor to be turned off to a second voltage level and stays at that second voltage level for a first time period causing a voltage of said sense node to increase without turning on said transfer gate transistor to transfer charge from the photodiode to the sense node, and then the transfer gate voltage further transitions, after the first time period, from the second voltage level to a third voltage level for controlling the transfer gate transistor to be turned on and stays at that third voltage level for a second time period causing the transfer gate transistor to transfer charge from the photodiode to the sense node; and
wherein the second voltage level is between the first and third voltage levels; and
at least one read transistor configured to be controlled by a read voltage;
wherein during said read operation, the read voltage causes the read transistor to be turned on during a read time period which includes a first sampling period where the sense node is sampled while the transfer gate voltage is at the second voltage level and a second sampling period where the sense node is sampled after the transfer gate voltage is at the third voltage level.

2. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said transfer gate voltage further transitions, after the second time period, from the third voltage level to a fourth voltage level and stays at said fourth voltage level for a third time period during which the second sampling period occurs, and then transitions, after the third time period, from the fourth voltage level to the first voltage level wherein the fourth voltage level is between the first and second voltage levels.

3. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said reset signal is pulsed at a beginning of said read operation.

4. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said reset signal is pulsed and said read voltage causes the read transistor to be turned on while said reset signal is pulsed.

5. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said at least one photodiode comprises a plurality of photodiodes.

6. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising at least one storage stage having a capacitor and at least one selection transistor configured to store charge in said capacitor and controlled by a selection voltage.

7. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the arrangement is implemented as an integrated circuit.

8. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein said capacitance is a parasitic gate capacitance of the transfer gate transistor.

9. The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein said capacitance is a capacitor coupled between a gate terminal of the transfer gate transistor and the sense node.

10. A circuit, comprising:
a photodiode;
a transfer transistor having a source-drain path coupled between the photodiode and a first intermediate node, said transfer transistor configured to be controlled by a transfer signal;
a reset transistor having a source-drain path coupled between a reset voltage node and the first intermediate node, said reset transistor configured to be controlled by a reset signal;
a source follower transistor having a source-drain path coupled between a source follower voltage node and a second intermediate node, said source follower transistor configured to be controlled by a voltage at said first intermediate node; and
a read transistor having a source-drain path coupled between the second intermediate node and an output node, said read transistor configured to be controlled by a read signal;
wherein during a read operation, the transfer signal transitions from a first voltage level for controlling the transfer transistor to be turned off to a second voltage level that is higher than the first voltage level but not high enough to control the transfer transistor to be turned on to pass charge from the photodiode to the first intermediate node and stays at that second voltage level for a first time period to boost the voltage at said first intermediate node before said transfer signal turns on said transfer transistor, and the transfer signal further transitions, after the first time period, from the second voltage level to a third voltage level that is higher than the second voltage level and stays at that third voltage level for a second time period to turn on said transfer transistor to pass charge from the photodiode to the first intermediate node;
wherein the second voltage level is between the first and third voltage levels; and
wherein during a double sampling operation occurring when the read signal is asserted, a voltage at the output is first sampled while the transfer signal is at the second voltage level and the voltage at the output is second sampled after the transfer signal is at the third voltage level.

11. The circuit of claim 10 , further comprising a boost capacitor coupled between a control terminal of the transfer transistor and the first intermediate node, said control terminal configured to receive the transfer signal.

12. The circuit of claim 10 , further comprising:
a control transistor having a source-drain path coupled between the second intermediate node and a third intermediate node, said control transistor configured to be controlled by a control signal; and
a storage capacitor coupled between the third intermediate node and a reference supply node.

13. The circuit of claim 10 , further comprising:
an additional photodiode; and
an additional transfer transistor having a source-drain path coupled between the additional photodiode and the first intermediate node, said additional transfer transistor configured to be controlled by an additional transfer signal.

Assignees

• Stmicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) Sas
• Stmicroelectronics (Research & Development) Ltd

Inventors

• Storm Graeme
• Mandier Christophe
• Stark Laurence

Classifications

• H04N25/626

  Reduction of noise due to residual charges remaining after image readout, e.g. to remove ghost images or afterimages · CPC title

• H04N25/771

  comprising storage means other than floating diffusion · CPC title

• H04N25/59

  by controlling the amount of charge storable in the pixel, e.g. modification of the charge conversion ratio of the floating node capacitance · CPC title

• H04N25/57

  Control of the dynamic range · CPC title

• H04N25/00

  Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof · CPC title