Image pick-up apparatus and image pick-up system

• US 20070069144A1
• Filed: 10/13/2006
• Published: 03/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kameshima, Toshio
• Granted Patent: US 7,705,911 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/370.90
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/20184 Detector read-out circuitry, e.g. for clearing of traps, compensating for traps or compensating for direct hits
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/24 with semiconductor detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14609 Pixel-elements with integrated switching, control, storage or amplification elements scanning details of imagers (circuitry of solid-state image sensors H04N25/00); circuitry of imagers H04N25/70
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14676 X-ray, gamma-ray or corpuscular radiation imagers measuring X-, gamma- or corpuscular radiation G01T1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/617 for reducing electromagnetic interference, e.g. clocking noise
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/677 for reducing the column or line fixed pattern noise
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/745 Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/75 Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/76 Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/32 Transforming X-rays cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from X-rays H04N23/30; circuitry of SSIS for transforming X-rays into image signals H04N25/30

Abstract

An image pick-up apparatus comprising an area sensor in which detecting elements are two-dimensionally arranged on a substrate, and a reference supply circuit, for supplying a reference voltage to the detecting elements, which comprises a regulator for regulating the reference voltage. A low-pass filter is arranged between the regulator and the detecting elements. The reference voltage is supplied through the low-pass filter from the reference supply circuit.

Claims

1-18. -18. (canceled)

19. An image pick-up apparatus comprising;

an area sensor in which detecting elements are two-dimensionally arranged on a substrate;

a read device for reading a signal from the detecting elements;

a power supply circuit, for supplying a reference voltage to the read device, which comprises a regulator for regulating the reference voltage; and

a low-pass filter arranged between the regulator and the read device, wherein the reference voltage is supplied through the low-pass filter from the power supply circuit.

20. The image pick-up apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the read device comprises an amplifier for amplifying the signal, the power supply circuit supplies an amp reset voltage as the reference voltage to the amplifier, and the low-pass filter is arranged between the regulator and the amplifier.

21. The image pick-up apparatus according to claim 19, wherein a cutoff frequency of the low-pass filter is determined according to required response time for the reference voltage.

22. The image pick-up apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the read device comprises a sample hold circuit, and a cutoff frequency of the low-pass filter is lower than a sampling frequency of the sample hold circuit.

23. The image pick-up apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the low-pass filter has a cutoff frequency set to be 3 to 10 times the frame rate of the area sensor.

24. The image pick-up apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the low-pass filter has a cutoff frequency to make an effective value of noise of the reference voltage passed through the low-pass filter, so that an effective value of line noise produced in the area sensor is reduced into a value not more than one tenth of an effective value of random noise produced in the area sensor.

25. The image pick-up apparatus according to claim 19, wherein an amplifier is placed on the output side of the low-pass filter.

26. The image pick-up apparatus according to claim 25, wherein a noise density of the amplifier less than 3.3 nV/√

Hz.

27. The image pick-up apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the area sensor comprises a two-dimensional array of pixels, each having the detecting device and a switching device, wherein the detecting device is a photoelectric conversion device and the switching device is a TFT, and wherein the photoelectric conversion element is coupled to a drain electrode of the TFT, a gate electrode of the TFT to common gate line, a source electrode of the TFT to common data line, the common data line to read device, and the common gate line to a gate drive device, thereby implementing matrix operation.

28. The image pick-up apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the read device has the amplifier coupled to the common data line and being capable of reset operation and an amplifier reset voltage as the reference voltage of the amplifier is supplied thereto from the power supply circuit.

29. The image pick-up apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the photoelectric conversion element and TFT are made of amorphous silicon or polysilicon.

30. The image pick-up apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the area sensor is an X-ray area sensor further comprising a phosphor.

31. The image pick-up apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the substrate is an insulating substrate and the power supply circuit and the low-pass filter are formed on a crystalline substrate.

32. An image pick-up system comprising the image pick-up apparatus as set forth in claim 19, image processing means for processing a signal from the image pick-up apparatus into an image, recording means for recording a signal from the image processing means, display means for displaying a signal from the image processing means, and transmitting means for transmitting a signal from the image processing means.

33. The image pick-up system according to claim 32, further comprising a wavelength conversion element for converting radiation into wavelengths in a sensitive region of the sensor elements.

34. An image pick-up apparatus comprising:

an area sensor in which detecting elements are two-dimensionally arranged on a substrate;

a read device for reading a signal from the detecting elements;

a power supply circuit, for supplying a sensor bias voltage to the detecting elements of the area sensor and for supplying a reference voltage to the read device, which comprises a first regulator for regulating the sensor bias voltage and a second regulator for regulating the reference voltage;

a first low-pass filter arranged between the first regulator and the detecting elements, wherein the sensor bias voltage is supplied through the low-pass filter from the power supply circuit; and

a second low-pass filter arranged between the second regulator and the read device, wherein the reference voltage is supplied through the second low-pass filter from the power supply circuit.

35. The image pick-up apparatus according to claim 34, the read device comprises an amplifier for amplifying the signal, the power supply circuit supplies an amp reset voltage as the reference voltage to the amplifier, and the second low-pass filter is arranged between the second regulator and the amplifier.

36. The image pick-up apparatus according to claim 34, wherein a cutoff frequency of the first low-pass filter and a cutoff frequency of the second low-pass filter are respectively determined according to required response time for the reference voltage.

37. The image pick-up apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the read device comprises a sample hold circuit, and a cutoff frequency of the first low-pass filter and a cutoff frequency of the second low-pass filter are respectively lower than a sampling frequency of the sample hold circuit.

38. The image pick-up apparatus according to claim 34, wherein a cutoff frequency of the first low-pass filter and a cutoff frequency of the second low-pass filter are respectively set to be 3 to 10 times the frame rate of the area sensor.

39. The image pick-up apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the first low-pass filter has a cutoff frequency to make an effective value of noise of the sensor bias voltage passed through the first low-pass filter so that an effective value of line noise produced in the area sensor is reduced into a value not more than one tenth of an effective value of random noise produced in the area sensor, and the second low-pass filter has a cutoff frequency to make an effective value of noise of the reference voltage passed through the second low-pass filter so that an effective value of line noise produced in the area sensor is reduced into a value not more than one tenth of an effective value of random noise produced in the area sensor.

40. The image pick-up apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the area sensor comprises a two-dimensional array of pixels, each consisting of the detecting device and a switching device, wherein the detecting device is a photoelectric conversion device and the switching device is a TFT, and wherein the photoelectric conversion element is coupled to a drain electrode of the TFT, a gate electrode of the TFT to common gate line, a source electrode of the TFT to common data line, the common data line to read device, and the common gate line to a gate drive device, thereby implementing matrix operation.

41. The image pick-up apparatus according to claim 40, wherein the power supply circuit further comprises a third regulator for supplying a TFT off voltage to the gate electrode of the TFT through the drive device, and the third low-pass filter is arranged between the third regulator and to the gate electrode of the TFT.

42. The image pick-up apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the power supply circuit further comprises a fourth regulator for supplying a TFT on voltage to the gate electrode of the TFT through the drive device, and the third low-pass filter is arranged between the third regulator and to the gate electrode of the TFT.

43. The image pick-up apparatus according to claim 40, wherein the read device has the amplifier coupled to the common data line and being capable of reset operation and an amplifier reset voltage as the reference voltage of the amplifier is supplied thereto from the power supply circuit.

44. The image pick-up apparatus according to claim 40, wherein the photoelectric conversion element and TFT are made of amorphous silicon or polysilicon.

45. The image pick-up apparatus according to claim 40, wherein the area sensor is an X-ray area sensor further comprising a phosphor.

46. The image pick-up apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the substrate is an insulating substrate and the power supply circuit and the low-pass filter are formed on a crystalline substrate.

47. An image pick-up system comprising the image pick-up apparatus as set forth in claim 34, image processing means for processing a signal from the image pick-up apparatus into an image, recording means for recording a signal from the image processing means, display means for displaying a signal from the image processing means, and transmitting means for transmitting a signal from the image processing means.

48. The image pick-up system according to claim 47, further comprising a wavelength conversion element for converting radiation into wavelengths in a sensitive region of the sensor elements.