Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Yuuya Miyoshi

Tohru Kanno

Atsushi Suzuki

Sho Kamezawa

Masamoto Nakazawa

Shinji Sakaguchi

Yuusuke Kudoh

Isamu Miyanishi

Kenichi Matsumoto

A photoelectric conversion device includes first to fourth pixel columns. Each of the first to fourth pixel columns includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a predetermined direction. Each of the plurality of pixels arranged in the first to fourth pixel columns includes a photoelectric conversion element configured to receive light of a wavelength region and generate a signal charge. Each of the plurality of pixels arranged in the first to fourth pixel columns further includes a circuit configured to convert the signal charge generated by the photoelectric conversion element into a voltage signal. Directions of reading the voltage signals from the first pixel column and the second pixel column are different from directions of reading the voltage signals from the third pixel column and the fourth pixel column.

Photoelectric conversion device and image forming apparatus

A photoelectric conversion device includes: a photoelectric conversion block including two-dimensionally arranged photoelectric converters, each photoelectric converter including a color filter and a photoelectric conversion element configured to perform photoelectric conversion in response to incident light; a signal processing block configured to process data output from the photoelectric conversion block; and a plurality of electrode pads disposed in the signal processing block. The electrode pads are configured to supply power to the photoelectric conversion block and the signal processing block.

Photoelectric conversion device, image reading device and image forming apparatus

A photoelectric conversion device includes a plurality of pixels configured to output analog voltage signals in response to incident light; an analog memory configured to store the analog voltage signals output from the plurality of pixels; and an analog/digital (A/D) converter configured to perform A/D conversion on the analog voltage signal from the analog memory. The plurality of pixels includes N pixels configured to simultaneously output analog voltage signals to the analog memory. The A/D converter includes (N&#x2212;1) or less A/D converters configured to perform A/D conversion on the analog voltage signals that have been simultaneously output from the N pixels and stored in the analog memory.

Photoelectric conversion device, line sensor, image reading device and image forming apparatus

A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a plurality of processing circuits including a sample and hold circuit, and a timing signal generation circuit that receives a reference clock signal and generates a timing signal to control a timing to operate the sample and hold circuit based on the reference clock signal. The plurality of processing circuits serially execute processing in order from the processing circuit at a preceding stage to the processing circuit at a subsequent stage. The timing signal generation circuit is coupled to the plurality of processing circuits so as to supply the timing signal to each of the plurality of processing circuits in order from the processing circuit at the subsequent stage to the processing circuit at the preceding stage.

Semiconductor integrated circuit and clock supply method including a sample and hold circuit

A solid-state imaging device includes a photoelectric converter including a plurality of light receiving elements arranged along one direction in correspondence with each color of received light/each light receiving element generating an electric charge corresponding to an amount of received light, an electric charge storage unit including a plurality of capacitors storing the electric charges generated by the respective light receiving elements, and a signal processing unit configured to process each of the electric charges stored by the plurality of capacitors as a signal. The electric charge storage unit is disposed so as to oppose the signal processing unit across the photoelectric converter.

Solid-state imaging device

A photoelectric conversion device includes a pixel block including a plurality of pixels, a signal generating block, and a signal processing block. Each of the plurality of pixels includes a photoelectric conversion element to photoelectrically convert light striking the photoelectric conversion element into pixel data and output the pixel data; and a reset unit to reset electrical charge of the photoelectrically converted pixel data light and output a reset signal. The signal generating block includes a reference signal generator to generate a reference signal. The signal processing block performs correlated double sampling (CDS) on the reference signal to obtain correction data, and perform CDS on the pixel data and the reset signal to generate an output signal to correct the output signal with the correction data.

Photoelectric conversion device, image capturing device, and photoelectric conversion method

A solid-state image sensor includes a pixel unit having a plurality of pixels arranged in matrix, a read signal processing circuit, a test signal output circuit, a test signal generating circuit, and a control circuit that controls operations of the above mentioned circuits. Each of the plurality of pixels outputs a pixel signal that is obtained by amplifying a photoelectrically converted signal using an output amplifier in one or more pixel units. The read signal processing circuit reads the pixel signal output from the pixel unit in units of one or more pixels to a corresponding signal line and processes the pixel signal. The test signal output circuit, having a test output amplifier for each signal line, outputs a signal from the test output amplifier to the signal line in response to a test signal input to the test output amplifier. The test signal generating circuit generates the test signal.

Solid-state image sensor and imaging apparatus

A photoelectric conversion element includes a plurality of pixels to receive light; and a signal processor to process a signal of the pixels. The signal processor includes: a first element, being a transistor, having a first effective channel width through which a current can effectively pass through in the first element; and a second element, being a transistor, having a second effective channel width through which a current can effectively pass through in the second element. The first effective channel width of the first element is larger than the second effective channel width of the second element.

Photoelectric conversion element and image processing apparatus

A photoelectric conversion device, having a horizontally long rectangular shape, includes a pixel block including pixels; signal processing blocks, arranged along a transverse direction of the photoelectric conversion device, for processing a pixel signal; a power source voltage supply block for supplying a power source voltage. The pixel includes a photoelectric conversion element for performing a photoelectric conversion, and a charge/voltage conversion unit, including a first amplifier, for converting the converted charge into a voltage. In the pixel block, columns are arranged in a longitudinal direction. Each column is set as a unit of signal processing including a predetermined number of pixels. Vertical power feeding wirings for feeding the power source voltage to the columns of the pixel block, from the transverse direction, are arranged. Horizontal power feeding wirings for feeding the power source voltage to the pixel block and the signal processing blocks, from the longitudinal direction, are arranged.

Photoelectric conversion device

A solid-state imaging device includes a photoelectric converter including a plurality of light receiving elements arranged along one direction in correspondence with each color of received light, each light receiving element generating an electric charge corresponding to an amount of received light, an electric charge storage unit including a plurality of capacitors storing the electric charges generated by the respective light receiving elements, and a signal processing unit configured to process each of the electric charges stored by the plurality of capacitors as a signal. The electric charge storage unit is disposed so as to oppose the signal processing unit across the photoelectric converter.

A semiconductor integrated circuit includes multiple signal processing circuits including a constant current source, a first bias source that generates first bias voltage, a second bias source that generates second bias voltage, a first bias circuit that supplies a first reference current to the first bias source, a second bias circuit that supplies a second reference current to the second bias source, a bias wiring that supplies the first bias voltage and the second bias voltage to a plurality of gates of a transistor that constructs the constant current source, a power source wiring that supplies a power source voltage to each of the first bias source, the second bias source, and the constant current source, a first voltage supplying source that applies a first power source voltage to the power source wiring, and a second voltage supplying that applies a second power source voltage to the power source wiring.

Semiconductor integrated circuit and image capturing apparatus

An image capturing device includes a pixel circuit, a programmable-gain amplifier, an analog-to-digital conversion circuit, and a control circuit. The pixel circuit outputs a photoreception signal. The programmable-gain amplifier amplifies the photoreception signal with a first gain. The analog-to-digital conversion circuit further amplifies the amplified signal that has been amplified by the programmable-gain amplifier, with a second gain by having a circuit configuration changeable by control, and digitally converts the resultant signal. The control circuit controls the analog-to-digital conversion circuit.

Image capturing device

A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel circuit including a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements and configured to output a signal level and a reset level, an analog correlated double sampling (CDS) circuit connected to the pixel circuit and configured to perform correlated double sampling in an analog region based on the signal level and the reset level and output a result of the correlated double sampling, an analog-digital (AD) conversion circuit connected to the analog CDS circuit and configured to convert two different analog signals output from the analog CDS circuit into two digital signals, a signal processing circuit connected to the AD conversion circuit and configured to obtain a difference between the two different digital signals output from the AD conversion circuit; and a reference voltage generating circuit to output a first reference voltage that defines a clamp level of the analog CDS circuit.

Solid-state image sensor and image reading apparatus

A signal processing circuitincludes a clock circuitwhich generates a clock signal which has been subjected to spread spectrum modulation and supplies the clock signal to a photoelectric conversion element; a AD converterwhich performs AD conversion on an image signal obtained by the photoelectric conversion element; a noise detecting circuitwhich detects a noise amplitude of a noise signal that is caused by the spread spectrum modulation of the clock signal and is included in the image signal which has been AD converted; and an analog correction circuitand an digital correction circuitthat calculate a correction factor based on the noise amplitude, generate a correction signal by multiplying the digital modulation signal by the correction factor, and superimpose the correction signal onto the image signal at an input side or an output side of the AD converter.

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Osaka, Japan

Yuuya Miyoshi