Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Hoyong Na

Jihun Shin

Youngtae Jang

Shinyeol Choi

Kyungmin Kim

Kyuik Cho

YoungKyun Jeong

Sunjung Kim

Sejun Kim

Kyung-min Kim

MinWoo Lee

Changeun Kang

Seongyeop Park

Jinkyeong Heo

An image sensor includes a pixel array that includes a plurality of pixels, and a row driver. Each pixel includes a photodiode, a transfer gate transistor between the photodiode and a floating diffusion node, and a first transistor between the floating diffusion node and a first voltage node configured to receive a first voltage. The row driver is connected with rows of the pixels through row lines. For each pixel of a selected row among the rows, the row driver is configured to apply a second voltage to a gate of the first transistor such that the first transistor is turned on and the floating diffusion node is reset, and turn on the transfer gate transistor such that electrons integrated in the photodiode are dumped to the floating diffusion node.

Image sensor, camera module including image sensor, and operating method of image sensor

An image sensor includes a first layer including a pixel array region having a plurality of pixels arranged in a plurality of row lines and a plurality of column lines; and a second layer including a row driver selecting at least a portion of the plurality of row lines, generating pixel control signals driving selected row lines, and outputting the pixel control signals to control signal lines, wherein the selected row lines share the control signal lines, at a branch point of the first layer, the selected row lines receive the pixel control signals from the control signal lines in common, and the pixel control signals simultaneously drive the selected row lines.

Image sensor

An image sensor includes a pixel array, a row driver, a detector, an analog-to-digital converter and a controller. The pixel array includes a pixel area including a pixel and a dummy area including a monitoring circuit. The dummy area is disposed on a same substrate as the pixel area. The dummy area is disposed adjacent to the pixel area. The row driver is configured to output a driving signal to the pixel and the monitoring circuit. The detector is configured to receive a monitoring signal from the monitoring circuit. The analog-to-digital converter is configured to receive an analog signal corresponding to an incident light from the pixel and to convert the analog signal to a digital signal. The controller is configured to control the row driver and the analog-to-digital converter.

Image sensor and method of monitoring the same

An image sensor includes a pixel array, in which a plurality of pixels are arranged, and a row driver for controlling the plurality of pixels. Each of the plurality of pixels includes a first photodiode, a second photodiode having a larger light-receiving area than the first photodiode, a first floating diffusion node in which charges generated by the first photodiode are stored, a first capacitor connected to the first floating diffusion node, and a capacitor control transistor having one end connected in series to the first capacitor. For each of the plurality of pixels, the row driver adjusts capacitance of the first floating diffusion node by using the capacitor control transistor for each of a plurality of preset operation modes during a readout period of the first photodiode.

Image sensor, pixel, and method of operating the pixel

An image sensor includes a dual conversion gain pixel to output a high conversion gain signal according to a high conversion gain and output a low conversion gain signal according to a low conversion gain, by adjusting a conversion gain; a scaler to scale a voltage level of the high conversion gain signal; a ramp generator to generate a first ramp signal and a second ramp signal, slopes of the first and second ramp signals being different from each other; a comparator to compare the scaled high conversion gain signal and the first ramp signal to output a first comparison result, and compare the low conversion gain signal and the second ramp signal to output a second comparison result; and a counter to output a first counting result value based on the first comparison result and output a second counting result value based on the second comparison result.

Image sensor, image processing system including the same, and operating method of the same

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Daegu, South Korea

Hoyong Na