The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 23, 2019
Filed:
Feb. 09, 2017
Semiconductor Components Industries, Llc, Phoenix, AZ (US);
Richard Scott Johnson, Boise, ID (US);
Ross F. Jatou, San Jose, CA (US);
SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC, Phoenix, AZ (US);
Abstract
An image sensor may include an array of image pixels formed in rows and columns. Each image pixel in the array may include a photodiode and multiple signal readout paths connected to the photodiode. Each readout path may include a separate floating diffusion node and source follower transistor. The number of signal readout paths simultaneously enabled during an image capture operation may be determined by the exposure level such that the pixel operates with either high or low conversion gain. Several such image pixels of like color in the pixel array may be connected via a shared photodiode interconnection line such that image signals from interconnected pixels may either be binned and read out on a single readout path or read out individual on separate readout paths.