Image sensor for supplying a different voltage to pixels based on illumination change, operation method thereof, and device having an image sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9769405-B2
Application number	US-201414452088-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2014
Priority date	Sep 3, 2013
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

An image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of pixels, a row driver configured to control an operation of each of the plurality of pixels, a voltage supply line connected to a reset transistor included in each of the plurality of pixels, and a voltage supply circuit which detects a signal from the voltage supply line and supplies one of a first voltage and a second voltage to the voltage supply line based on the signal from the voltage supply line.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image sensor comprising:
a pixel array including a plurality of pixels;
a row driver configured to control an operation of each of the plurality of pixels;
a first voltage supply line connected to a reset transistor in each of the plurality of pixels; and
a voltage supply circuit configured to detect a signal from the first voltage supply line and supply one of a first voltage and a second voltage to the first voltage supply line based on the signal from the first voltage supply line.

2. The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the voltage supply circuit includes:
a comparator configured to compare a reference signal with the signal from the first voltage supply line and generate a comparison signal;
a voltage generator configured to generate the second voltage based on the first voltage; and
a switch configured to supply the one of the first voltage and the second voltage to the first voltage supply line based on the comparison signal.

3. The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the voltage supply circuit includes:
a comparator configured to compare a reference signal with the signal from the first voltage supply line and generate a comparison signal;
a voltage generator configured to generate the first voltage and the second voltage based on an external voltage; and
a switch configured to supply the one of the first voltage and the second voltage to the first voltage supply line based on the comparison signal.

4. The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the voltage supply circuit includes:
a voltage generator having an input terminal and an output terminal, the input terminal connected to the first voltage supply line, the input terminal configured to receive the first voltage, the voltage generator configured to generate the second voltage based on the first voltage and output the second voltage through the output terminal; and
a diode having a cathode and an anode, the cathode connected to the first voltage supply line and the anode connected to the output terminal.

5. The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the voltage supply circuit includes:
a voltage generator configured to generate the first voltage and the second voltage based on an external voltage, output the first voltage through a first output terminal connected to the first voltage supply line, and output the second voltage through a second output terminal; and
a diode having a cathode and an anode, the cathode connected to the first voltage supply line and the anode connected to the second output terminal.

6. The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of pixels further includes a source follower connected to a second voltage supply line configured to supply a third voltage, and
the voltage supply circuit includes:
a comparator configured to compare a reference signal with the signal from the first voltage supply line and generate a comparison signal;
a voltage generator configured to generate the first voltage and the second voltage based on the third voltage; and
a switch configured to supply the one of the first voltage and the second voltage to the first voltage supply line based on the comparison signal.

7. The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of pixels further includes a source follower connected to a second voltage supply line configured to supply a third voltage, and
the voltage supply circuit includes:
a comparator configured to compare a reference signal with the signal from the first voltage supply line and generate a comparison signal;
a voltage generator configured to generate the first voltage, the second voltage, and the third voltage based on an external voltage; and
a switch configured to supply the one of the first voltage and the second voltage to the first voltage supply line based on the comparison signal.

8. The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of pixels further includes a source follower connected to a second voltage supply line configured to supply a third voltage, and
the voltage supply circuit includes:
a voltage generator having an input terminal, a first output terminal and a second output terminal, the input terminal connected to the second voltage supply line, the first output terminal connected to the first voltage supply line, the voltage generator configured to generate the first voltage and the second voltage based on the third voltage, output the first voltage through the first output terminal, and output the second voltage through the second output terminal; and
a diode having a cathode and an anode, the cathode connected to the first voltage supply line and the anode connected to the second output terminal.

9. The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of pixels further includes a source follower connected to a second voltage supply line configured to supply a third voltage,
wherein the voltage supply circuit includes:
a voltage generator configured to generate the first voltage, the second voltage, and the third voltage based on an external voltage, output the first voltage through a first output terminal connected to the first voltage supply line, output the second voltage through a second output terminal, and output the third voltage to the second voltage supply line; and
a diode having a cathode and an anode, the cathode connected to the first voltage supply line and the anode connected to the second output terminal.

10. The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first voltage is higher than the second voltage.

11. An image processing device comprising:
an image sensor configured to output data;
a display device; and
a processor configured to process the data output from the image sensor, and transmit the processed data to the display device,
wherein the image sensor includes,
a pixel array including a plurality of pixels,
a row driver configured to control an operation of each of the plurality of pixels,
a first voltage supply line connected to a reset transistor in each of the plurality of pixels, and
a voltage supply circuit configured to detect a signal from the first voltage supply line, and supply one of a first voltage and a second voltage to the first voltage supply line based on the signal from the first voltage supply line.

12. The image processing device of claim 11 , wherein the voltage supply circuit includes:
a comparator configured to compare a reference signal with the signal from the first voltage supply line and generate a comparison signal;
a voltage generator configured to generate the second voltage based on the first voltage; and
a switch configured to supply the one of the first voltage and the second voltage to the first voltage supply line based on the comparison signal.

13. The image processing device of claim 12 , wherein the comparator is a comparator having a hysteresis characteristic.

14. The image processing device of claim 11 , wherein the voltage supply circuit includes:
a voltage generator having an input terminal and an output terminal, the input terminal connected to the first voltage supply line, the input terminal configured to receive the first voltage, the voltage generator configured to generate the second voltage based on the first voltage, and output the second voltage through the output terminal; and
a diode having a cathode and an anode, the cathode connected to the first voltage supply line and the anode connected to the output terminal.

15. The image processing device of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of pixels further includes a source follower connected to a second voltage supply line configured

Assignees

• Koh Kyoung Min
• Lee Kwang Hyun
• Kim Shin Hoo
• Kim Ju Ha
• Kim Ji Yong
• Park Seok Yong
• Yun Jae Cheol
• Jung Jae Jin
• Joo Woong
• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Koh Kyoung Min
• Lee Kwang Hyun
• Kim Shin Hoo
• Kim Ju Ha
• Kim Ji Yong
• Park Seok Yong
• Yun Jae Cheol
• Jung Jae Jin
• Joo Woong

Classifications

• H04N25/709 Primary

  Circuitry for control of the power supply · CPC title

• H04N25/76

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

• H04N25/77 Primary

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

• H04N25/623 Primary

  by evacuation via the output or reset lines · CPC title

• H04N5/374

  Electricity · mapped topic