Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Seokyong Hong

Yooseung Jung

Junyoung Kil

Dahsom Kim

Seunghoon Lee

Sunjung Kim

Yunhwan Jung

Sunyool Kang

Kwanghyun Lee

Wang Hyun Kim

Jewon Lee

Jahyun Koo

JuHwan Jung

Jinyoung Jeong

Donghoon Sung

An image sensor includes a pixel array, a ramp signal generating circuit configured to output a first reference ramp signal of a first slope as a first ramp signal in a first period and a second reference ramp signal of a second slope as the first ramp signal in a second period, an offset voltage sampling circuit configured to, to sample an offset voltage based on a DC level of the first reference ramp signal, to output the first ramp signal in the first period, and to output a signal obtained by adding the offset voltage to the first ramp signal as a second ramp signal in the second period, a buffer configured to buffer the first ramp signal and the second ramp signal, and an ADC circuit configured to compare a pixel signal from the pixel array with the first ramp signal or the second ramp signal.

Image sensor and electronic device including the same

An image sensor device includes a first pixel located at a first row, a first select transistor, a second pixel located at a second row, a second select transistor, the second row being different from the first row, and a column line connected to both the first pixel and the second pixel, and during a first time period, a floating diffusion node of the first pixel is reset, and during a second time period, the second select transistor is turned on, and a first voltage is applied to the column line through the second select transistor, the second time period is included in the first time period, and the first voltage is determined based on a voltage of a reset floating diffusion node of the second pixel.

Image sensor device and operation method thereof

An image sensor device includes a first image pixel connected to a first data line, a second image pixel connected to the first data line, an analog-to-digital converter that generates a digital signal based on a ramp signal and a voltage level of the first data line, and a clamp signal generator that generates a clamp signal depending on an analog gain of the analog-to-digital converter. While a data voltage is provided from the first image pixel to the first data line, the second image pixel provides a clamp voltage to the first data line based on the clamp signal.

Provided is an image sensor and an operation method of the image sensor. The image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of white pixels, a plurality of color pixels, and a plurality of auto focus (AF) pixels, a first shared pixel including the plurality of white pixels and the plurality of color pixels includes a first conversion gain transistor and a second conversion gain transistor configured to control a conversion gain of the first shared pixel, and a second shared pixel including some of the plurality of white pixels and the plurality of color pixels and at least one AF pixel includes a third conversion gain transistor and a fourth conversion gain transistor configured to control a conversion gain of the second shared pixel. The first conversion gain transistor, the second conversion gain transistor, the third conversion gain transistor, and the fourth conversion gain transistor are connected to different conversion gain control lines, respectively.

Image sensor and operation method of the image sensor

An image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of pixels connected to row lines extending in a first direction and to column lines extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction, a ramp voltage generator configured to output a ramp voltage, a plurality of comparators, each of the plurality of comparators including a first input terminal to which the ramp voltage is input, and a second input terminal connected to one of the column lines, and a replica circuit having a same structure as a structure of a portion of the comparators. Each of the comparators includes a plurality of transistors, a first auto-zero transistor connected to the first input terminal, a second auto-zero transistor connected to the second input terminal, and wirings connected to the plurality of transistors, the first auto-zero transistor, and the second auto-zero transistor.

Image sensor

A semiconductor device may include a plurality of banks; and a control unit configured to receive a command from an external device and independently control the plurality of banks according to the received command. Each bank comprises a pixel array including a plurality of pixels; a row decoder configured to activate word lines connected to the plurality of pixels under control of the control unit; a column decoder configured to activate bit lines connected to the plurality of pixels under control of the control unit; a sense amplifier and write driver configured to control and detect respective voltages of the activated bit lines to provide respective amplified voltages; and an input/output buffer configured to output data states of the pixels based on the respective amplified voltages. Related methods of operation are also discussed.

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Seoul, South Korea

Seokyong Hong