IMAGE SENSOR AND ROW AVERAGING METHOD FOR IMAGE SENSOR

• US 20130082164A1
• Filed: 02/08/2012
• Published: 04/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DB HiTek Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Dongbu HiTek Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kwon, Jeongmi, Oh, Hack Soo
• Granted Patent: US 9,006,631 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/208.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14641 Electronic components shared by two or more pixel-elements, e.g. one amplifier shared by two pixel elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/46 by combining or binning pixels
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/713 Transfer or readout registers; Split readout registers or multiple readout registers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/75 Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array

Abstract

An image sensor and a row averaging method for an image sensor capable of simultaneously selecting the pixels of the same color in the same column of different rows in a pixel array and performing a signal process, thereby preventing an increase in an area and a decrease in the sensing speed of the pixels in the sub-sampling mode and the binning mode of the image sensor.

Claims

1. An image sensor having a pixel array with a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns, the image sensor comprising:

a plurality of light-receiving units which are respectively formed in the pixels in the pixel array;

a signal processing unit configured to read pixel signals generated by the light-receiving units to perform a signal process; and

a timing control unit configured to control a switching timing of the signal processing unit such that pixels of a same color in a same column of different rows in the pixel array are simultaneously selected and subjected to the signal process.

2. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein an average value of the pixel signals of the pixels of the same color is output through the signal processing unit.

3. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the timing control unit is further configured to perform control such that selection transistors of different rows are turned on to select different rows.

4. The image sensor of claim 3, wherein the timing control unit is further configured to perform control such that reset transistors of the pixels in the same column are simultaneously turned on/off to simultaneously initialize the pixels in the same column of different rows.

5. The image sensor of claim 4, wherein the timing control unit is further configured to perform control such that transfer transistors of the pixels in the same column are simultaneously turned on/off to simultaneously transfer the signals of the pixels in the same column to a signal detection unit.

6. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the signal processing unit comprises:

selection transistors configured to simultaneously selecting different rows having a same color arrangement in the pixel array.

7. The image sensor of claim 6, wherein the timing control unit is configured to perform control such that selection transistors of different rows are simultaneously turned on to select different rows.

8. The image sensor of claim 6, wherein the signal processing unit further comprises:

reset transistors configured to simultaneously initialize the pixels in the same column of different rows to be selected.

9. The image sensor of claim 8, wherein the timing control unit is configured to perform control such that reset transistors of the pixels in the same column are simultaneously turned on/off to simultaneously initialize the pixels in the same column of different rows.

10. The image sensor of claim 8, wherein the signal processing unit further comprises:

transfer transistors configured to simultaneously transfer the pixel signals of the pixels in the same column to a signal detection unit in the corresponding column.

11. The image sensor of claim 10, wherein the timing control unit is configured to perform control such that transfer transistors of the pixels in the same column are simultaneously turned on/off to simultaneously transfer the signals of the pixels in the same column to a signal detection unit.

12. The image sensor of claim 10, wherein the timing control unit is configured to perform control such that selection transistors of different rows are simultaneously turned on to select different rows, reset transistors of the pixels in the same column are simultaneously turned on/off to simultaneously initialize the pixels in the same column of different rows, and transfer transistors of the pixels in the same column are simultaneously turned on/off to simultaneously transfer the signals of the pixels in the same column to a signal detection unit.

13. A row averaging method for an image sensor having a pixel array with a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns, the method comprising:

simultaneously performing a signal process on pixel signals of pixels of a same color in a same column of different rows in the pixel array and outputting an average value of the pixel signals of the pixels.

14. The row averaging method of claim 13, wherein the outputting the average value comprises:

simultaneously selecting different rows having a same color arrangement in the pixel array.

15. The row averaging method of claim 14, wherein the outputting the average value further comprises:

simultaneously initializing the pixels in the same column of different rows.

16. The row averaging method of claim 14, wherein the outputting the average value further comprises:

simultaneously outputting the pixel signals of the pixels in the same column of different rows.

17. The row averaging method of claim 15, wherein the outputting the average value further comprises:

simultaneously outputting the pixel signals of the pixels in the same column of different rows.

18. A row averaging method for an image sensor having a pixel array with a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns, the method comprising:

simultaneously selecting pixels of a same color in a same column of different rows in the pixel array;

performing a signal process on respective pixel signals of the selected pixels of the same color.

19. The row averaging method of claim 18, further comprising:

outputting an average value of the pixel signals.

20. The row averaging method of claim 19, wherein the outputting the average value comprises:

simultaneously selecting different rows having a same color arrangement in the pixel array;

simultaneously initializing the pixels in the same column of different rows; and

simultaneously outputting the pixel signals of the pixels in the same column of different rows.