Panasonic Corporation

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Other

Masayuki Masuyama

Masashi Murakami

Yoshiyuki Matsunaga

Takao Kuroda

Makoto Inagaki

Takashi Fujioka

Takumi Yamaguchi

Takahiro Yamada

Hiroyoshi Komobuchi

Kunihiko Hara

Hiroshi Toya

Rieko Nishio

Shinsuke Nezaki

Yoshikazu Chatani

Hiroaki Uozumi

Keijirou Itakura

A solid-state image sensing element () has a main face provided with an imaging region () in which unit pixels containing photoelectric conversion elements are formed in matrix. Peripheral circuit elements () are configured to control imaging operation of the solid-state image sensing element () or to perform signal processing of an image output of the solid-state image sensing element (). The imaging region () is covered with a transparent material (). The peripheral circuit elements () are mounted to a region of the main face of the solid-state image sensing element () except for the imaging region () such that main faces of the peripheral circuit elements (3, 4) face the main face of the solid-state image sensing element ().

Solid-state image sensing device having a reduced size and method for fabricating the same

An imaging device outputs brightness information according to an amount of incident light and includes: an imaging unit that includes a plurality of unit cells arranged one dimensionally or two-dimensionally, each unit cell including a photoelectric conversion part that generates a first output voltage in a reset state and a second output voltage according to an amount of incident light, and each unit cell generating a reset voltage that corresponds to the first output voltage and a read voltage that corresponds to the second output voltage; and an output unit operable to output, in relation to each unit cell, brightness information indicating a difference between the reset voltage and the read voltage when normal light is incident to the imaging device and the read voltage is in a predetermined range, and brightness information indicating high brightness when strong light is incident to the imaging device and the read voltage is not in the predetermined range.

Imaging device that prevents loss of shadow detail

A solid-state imaging device which can, in response to the problem of black-crush occurring in an image when strong light is enters the device, positively detect black-crush in a state in which a variance margin has been secured. The solid-state imaging device outputs a luminance signal in accordance with an amount of received light, and includes: a pixel circuit having a light-receiving element; a signal output circuit having a sampling transistor which outputs, from a second signal output line, a luminance signal in accordance with the amount of light received by the light-receiving element, based on an output signal from the pixel circuit; and a high-intensity judgment circuit which is coupled by the pixel circuit and a judgment input coupling capacitor, judges whether or not light entering the light-receiving element is of high intensity based on the output signal from the pixel circuit, and in the case of judging the entering light to be of high intensity, outputs a luminance signal indicating high intensity.

Solid-state imaging device

A solid-state imaging device includes first-group pixels, second-group pixelsskipped during thinning drive, and a scanning section. The scanning sectiondrives each of the first-group pixelsto perform read operation of outputting the output signal and initializing the amount of the signal charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion element to a first level, and also drives each of the second-group pixelsto perform discharge operation of initializing the amount of the signal charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion element to a second level that is higher than the first level and lower than a saturation signal level of the photoelectric conversion element

Solid-state imaging device, imaging apparatus and driving method for the same

An amplification type solid state imaging device in use includes at least a light-receiving portionformed by arranging on a semiconductor substrateone-dimensionally or two-dimensionally a plurality of pixels that convert incident light to signal charge and output electric signals corresponding to the amount of the signal charge, a reader for reading out sequentially the electric signals from the respective pixels, a noise rejection circuitfor suppressing spurious signals for the electric signals read out by the reader, and a first light-shielding layerpositioned on the upper part of the light-receiving portionso as to restrict entry of light into parts other than photoelectric conversion portionsof the pixels. Furthermore, a second light-shielding layerfor restricting entry of light into the noise rejection circuitis provided on the upper part of the noise rejection circuit

Amplification type solid state imaging device

By providing dummy pixels separately from effective pixels, the total number of pixel rows is equalized with the number of horizontal sync signals included in one frame interval (which is called an 'HD number'). A period during which a reset signal for an electronic shuttering operation is being supplied to an arbitrary pixel row overlaps with a period during which another pixel row is selected to perform a readout operation thereon. Thus, it is possible to suppress a variation in reset potential among effective pixels.

Amplifying solid-state imaging device, and method for driving the same

A high dynamic range solid-state image pickup device is provided with a plurality of unit cells, which convert light into signal charges and accumulate the signal charges. The unit cells are arranged by rows and columns for outputting a signal voltage corresponding to the signal charges. A selector and a read transistor set an accumulation time period for accumulating the signal charges in the unit cells to a first period and a second period different from each other. The row selector and a vertical selection transistor select a row. Sampling capacitors (210, 210) are connected to the unit cell of each column. A pulse generator and sampling transistors select an arbitrary sampling capacitor from the sampling capacitors. The pulse generator and the sampling transistors perform selection so as to accumulate the signal voltage corresponding to the signal charges accumulated during the first period and the second period in the sampling capacitors, respectively.

Solid-state image pickup device

A solid-state image sensing apparatus which can improve the S/N ratio without enlarging the chip area in both of the mode in which pixel signals are summed and the mode in which pixel signals are not summed is provided. The solid-state image sensing apparatus includes an image sensing regionin which a plurality of unit cellsis laid out two-dimensionally, the first vertical signal line, a row selection circuit, a column selection circuit, a horizontal signal lineand a signal processing unit, having a sampling capacitors which accumulate signals corresponding to amplified signals of the unit cells, which selects the case of summing the signals or the case of not summing the signals, wherein the capacitance of the sampling capacitor which accumulates a signal corresponding to an amplified signal of a unit cell for each row when the sum is performed is smaller than the capacitance required for reading out the signal from said capacitor.

Solid-state image sensing apparatus and driving method thereof

An image sensor includes the following: a sensor unit being made up of a plurality of pixels; a scanning circuit having a dynamic logic circuit which outputs selection signals that select pixels from among the plurality of pixels in the sensor unit; and a bootstrap circuit that is placed between the scanning circuit and the sensor unit. The bootstrap circuit holds the selection signal outputted from the scanning circuit during one horizontal scanning period, and outputs, to the sensor unit, an AND signal obtained by operating a logical AND between the held selection signal and a drive signal that specifies a timing to output the AND signal to the sensor unit.

Image sensor, driving method and camera

An object of the present invention is to provide a shift register in which it is prevented from malfunctioning because of a portion between a first transistor and a second transistor being in a high-impedance state. The shift register of the present invention includes capacitor meansfor storing data outputted from a unit circuitof the preceding block. A first transistoris turned ON only when data is being stored in the capacitor means. A second transistorincludes a control electrode and an input-side diffusion layer connected to the output-side diffusion layer of the first transistor, and is turned ON only when a pulse of a clock signal from the first transistoris inputted to the control electrode and the input-side diffusion layer. Potential controlling meanskeeps the second transistorOFF at least during a period in which the second transistoris supposed to be OFF.

Growing community of inventors

Kyoto, Japan

Masayuki Masuyama