HDR/AB on multi-way shared pixels
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A pixel array comprising:
- a first photosensor for generating charge in response to applied light;
a second photosensor for generating charge in response to applied light; and
first and second high dynamic range/anti-blooming (“
HDR/AB”
) transistors respectively coupled to the first and the second photosensors for draining the generated charges away from the photosensors to a common drain region, said transistors having a common HDR/ABgate.
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Abstract
The present invention, in the various exemplary embodiments, provides a pixel array architecture having multiple pixel cells with shared pixel cell components. The pixel architecture increases the potential fill factor, and in turn, the quantum efficiency of the pixel array. The common pixel components may be shared by a number of pixels in the array, and may include a shared gate for an providing anti-blooming characteristic of the pixels over conventional pixels. Embodiments include the multi-way sharing of a high dynamic range/anti-blooming gate and methods of operation.
277 Citations
54 Claims
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1. A pixel array comprising:
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a first photosensor for generating charge in response to applied light;
a second photosensor for generating charge in response to applied light; and
first and second high dynamic range/anti-blooming (“
HDR/AB”
) transistors respectively coupled to the first and the second photosensors for draining the generated charges away from the photosensors to a common drain region, said transistors having a common HDR/ABgate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A pixel array comprising a plurality of pixel cells, arranged in a plurality of rows and columns, wherein a first row comprises:
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a pixel pair comprising two pixel cells, each comprising a photosensor, the two pixel cells sharing common pixel components including;
a storage node for storing charges generated by the photosensors;
a reset transistor for resetting the charge at the storage node;
at least one transistor for reading out a value from the storage node; and
a HDR/AB gate electrically connected to the photosensors on a first side for draining charges away from the photosensors to a drain region on a second side of the HDR/AB gate. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An array of pixel cells comprising:
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a plurality of pixels arranged into rows and columns, the plurality including;
first, second, third, and fourth pixels having respective first, second third and fourth photosensors for generating photo-charges;
first, second, third, and fourth HDR/AB transistors for draining excess photo-charges from the first, second, third, and fourth photosensors into a drain region;
a common storage node for storing the generated photo-charges; and
at least one common transistor for reading out a signal from the common storage node representing an amount of generated photo-charges onto a column line. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An imager comprising:
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an array of pixels comprising;
first and second pixels having a respective first and second photosensors for generating charge in response to applied light; and
first and second HDR/AB transistors respectively coupled to the first and the second photosensors for draining the generated charges away from the photosensors to a common drain region, said transistors having a common HDR/ABgate. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A processing system comprising:
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a processor; and
an imager comprising an array of pixels, the array of pixels comprising;
first and second pixels having a respective first and second photosensors for generating charge in response to applied light; and
an HDR/AB gate electrically connected at a first side to the first and the second photosensors for draining the generated charges away from the photosensors to a drain region on a second side of the gate. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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37. A method of operating a pixel array comprising:
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initiating a reset of first and second photosensors by activating a first shared HDR/AB transistor gate of respective first and second HDR/AB transistors, so that residual charges on the first and second photosensors are drained away from the photosensors into a first shared drain region; and
simultaneously initiating a reset of a third and fourth photosensors by activating a second shared HDR/AB transistor gate of respective third and fourth HDR/AB transistors, so that residual charges on the third and fourth photosensors are drained away from the photosensors into a second shared drain region. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method of operating a pixel array comprising:
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initiating a first integration period for each of a plurality of pixels in the array by operating a plurality of HDR/AB gates of a plurality of HDR/AB transistors simultaneously, wherein each of the HDR/AB gates is shared by at least two of the plurality of HDR/AB transistors respectively for at least two adjacent pixels;
allowing photosensors formed in the plurality of pixels to integrate photo-charges during the first integration period; and
ending the first integration period for the plurality of pixels by transferring the photo-charges generated by the photosensors into a respective storage region. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A method of operating a pixel array comprising:
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integrating charge at first and second photosensors during a first charge integration period;
allowing excess generated charges to drain to a common drain region for the first and second photosensors during the first integration period; and
transferring the generated charges from the first and second photosensors to at least one storage node at the end of the first integration period. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54)
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Specification