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:
Oct. 24, 2023
Filed:
Jul. 26, 2022
Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation, Kanagawa, JP;
Shin Kitano, Kanagawa, JP;
Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation, Kanagawa, JP;
Abstract
In a solid-state image sensor that transfers electric charges to a floating diffusion layer, exposure is started before transferring the electric charges to the floating diffusion layer. A photodiode generates electric charges by photoelectric conversion. An electric charge accumulation unit accumulates electric charges. The floating diffusion layer converts electric charges into a signal level corresponding to the amount of the electric charges. An exposure end transfer transistor transfers the electric charges from the photodiode to the electric charge accumulation unit when a predetermined exposure period ends. A reset transistor initializes a voltage of the floating diffusion layer to a predetermined reset level when the exposure period ends. When a new exposure period is started after the electric charges are transferred to the electric charge accumulation unit, a discharge transistor discharges electric charges newly generated in the photodiode. When processing of converting a predetermined reset level into a digital signal ends, a conversion end transistor transfers the electric charges from the electric charge accumulation unit to the floating diffusion layer.