IMAGE CAPTURING DEVICE, IMAGE CAPTURING SYSTEM, AND METHOD OF DRIVING IMAGE CAPTURING DEVICE

• US 20120026371A1
• Filed: 04/28/2010
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Itano, Tetsuya, Iida, Satoko, Takahashi, Hidekazu, Yoshida, Daisuke
• Granted Patent: US 8,400,546 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/301
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/671 for non-uniformity detection or correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/677 for reducing the column or line fixed pattern noise
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/75 Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/78 Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters

Abstract

An image capturing device comprises a pixel array having a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric conversion portion, a plurality of signal lines connected to the pixel array, a plurality of column amplifiers configured to respectively amplify signals transferred from the pixel array via the signal lines, the column amplifier comprising a first input terminal, a first output terminal, an amplifier having a second input terminal and a second output terminal, a feedback capacitance arranged between the second input terminal and the first output terminal, an input capacitance having an electrode connected to the first input terminal, and an electrode connected to the second input terminal, a first switch arranged between the second input terminal and the second output terminal, a second switch arranged between the first output terminal and the second output terminal, and a third switch arranged between a reference voltage terminal and the first output terminal.

Claims

1. An image capturing device comprising a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric conversion portion are arrayed, a plurality of signal lines connected to the pixel array, and a plurality of column amplifiers configured to respectively amplify signals transferred from the pixel array via the signal lines, wherein the column amplifier comprises:

a first input terminal;

a first output terminal;

an amplifier having a second input terminal and a second output terminal;

a feedback capacitance arranged between the second input terminal and the first output terminal;

an input capacitance having an electrode connected to the first input terminal, and an electrode connected to the second input terminal;

a first switch arranged between the second input terminal and the second output terminal;

a second switch arranged between the first output terminal and the second output terminal; and

a third switch arranged between a reference voltage terminal and the first output terminal.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the amplifier includes a common-source amplifier circuit.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the amplifier includes an operational amplifier including an inverting input terminal serving as the second input terminal, a non-inverting input terminal connected to the reference voltage terminal, and the second output terminal.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein

the column amplifier is in a first state in which the reference voltage terminal is connected to the first output terminal, and the second output terminal is connected to the second input terminal, in a first duration, and is in a second state in which the second output terminal is connected to the first output terminal, in a second duration after the first duration and in a third duration after the second duration, and

the column amplifier generates a first signal in the second duration, and amplifies the signal, which is output from the pixel array and transferred via the signal line, in the third duration, thereby generating a second signal including the amplified signal and the first signal.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the column amplifier is configured to compress the signal output from the second output terminal of the amplifier in the first duration, in accordance with an open-loop gain of the amplifier in the second duration to generate the first signal in the second duration.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the column amplifier is set in the first state by turning on the first switch and the third switch and turning off the second switch in the first duration, and is set in the second state by turning off the first switch and the third switch and turning on the second switch in the second duration.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second switch includes a CMOS switch.

8. The device according to claim 4, further comprising:

a first holding portion configured to hold the first signal; and

a second holding portion configured to hold the second signal,

wherein the first holding portion is configured to hold the first signal in the first duration, the second holding portion holds the second signal in the second duration, and the first signal held in the first holding portion is output and the second signal held in the second holding portion is output in the third duration.

9. An image capturing system comprising:

an image capturing device defined in claim 1;

an optical system configured to form an image on an imaging surface of the image capturing device; and

a signal processing unit configured to process the signal output from the image capturing device to generate image data.

10. A method of driving an image capturing device comprising a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric conversion portion are arrayed, a plurality of signal lines connected to the pixel array, a plurality of column amplifiers configured to respectively amplify signals transferred from the pixel array via the signal lines, and an output amplifier to which a plurality of signals are sequentially transferred from the plurality of column amplifiers,

wherein the column amplifier comprises:

a first input terminal;

a first output terminal;

an amplifier having a second input terminal and a second output terminal;

a feedback capacitance arranged between the second input terminal and the first output terminal;

an input capacitance including an electrode connected to the first input terminal, and an electrode connected to the second input terminal;

a first switch arranged between the second input terminal and the second output terminal;

a second switch arranged between the first output terminal and the second output terminal; and

a third switch arranged between a reference voltage terminal and the first output terminal, and

the driving method comprises the steps of;

connecting the reference voltage terminal to the first output terminal and connecting the second output terminal to the second input terminal;

connecting the second output terminal to the first output terminal to generate a first signal; and

amplifying the signal transferred from the pixel array via the signal line to generate a second signal including the amplified signal and the first signal.