Pixim, Incorporated

Sony Corporation

Sen Yu

Frederick T Brady

Thomas Ayers

Sungin Hwang

Jinsuk Kang

Yasunori Tsukuda

Brian R Carey

An image sensor including an array of pixel elements is operated according to two operation modes to modulate the conversion gain of the pixel to operate the image sensor based on the impinging light conditions. More specifically, an image sensor pixel element is operated in a high conversion gain mode for low light conditions and in a low conversion gain mode for bright light conditions. The low conversion gain mode implements charge sharing between the floating diffusion and the photodiode. The low conversion gain mode further implements partial reset where the photodiode and the floating diffusion are reset to the same potential and to a potential slightly less than the pinning voltage of the photodiode.

Conversion gain modulation using charge sharing pixel

There is provided an electronic circuit including a timing signal generation unit for generating a timing signal; a data signal supply unit for synchronizing with the timing signal generated to supply a data signal; a data signal transmission circuit for transmitting the data signal supplied; a timing signal transmission circuit for transmitting the timing signal generated by a circuit having a substantially same delay time as the data signal transmission circuit; and a data holding unit for synchronizing with the timing signal transmitted to hold and output the data signal transmitted. Also, there are provided a solid state image capturing apparatus and a method of controlling the electronic circuit.

Electronic circuit, solid state image capturing apparatus and method of controlling electronic circuit

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Sen Yu