Active pixel sensor with single pixel reset

• US 5,881,184 A
• Filed: 03/21/1997
• Issued: 03/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Omnivision Technologies Incorporated (Will Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Shanghai)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Guidash, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Boudreau, Leo H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tadayon, Bijan
• Application Number:
  US08/821,550
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 348/302, 348/308, 348/304, 348/241, 348/297, 348/299, 348/294, 348/300, 250/208.1, 250/214.1, 257/291, 257/292, 257/290, 257/448, 257/239, 257/369, 377/60, 382/312, 382/316, 382/317, 382/318, 382/319, 382/321, 382/322, 382/323, 382/324
• US Class Current: 382/321
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14654 Blooming suppression

Abstract

An active pixel image sensing device that provides uniform integration periods and either independent pixel reset, row, pixel reset, or column pixel reset, having a plurality of photodetector elements arranged in a matrix of rows and columns, each of the photodetectors having a transfer gate operatively connecting the photodetectors to a floating diffusion and further including a reset and clamp and sample function. A reset transistor for each row of photodetectors having a gate that can have a predetermined voltage applied to reset each row, and a column reset transistor for each column of photodetectors having a gate that can have a predetermined voltage applied to reset each column. This allows for uniform integration periods and a signal sample and clamp circuit for the entire array of photodetectors.

Claims

1. An active pixel image sensing device having a plurality of photodetector elements arranged in a matrix of rows and columns, each of the photodetectors having a transfer gate operatively connecting the photodetectors to a floating diffusion and a row reset signal that can be applied to reset the floating diffusion for each row, the improvement comprising:

a reset transistor operatively connected to a column reset signal that can be applied in conjunction with the row control signal to reset any individual floating diffusion in a given row.

2. The pixel of claim 1 wherein the reset transistor is part of a reset circuit, the reset circuit has the column reset signal as an input.

3. The pixel of claim 1 wherein the reset circuit further comprises a pair of transistors having a column reset transistor placed in a series with a row reset transistor.

4. The pixel of claim 1 wherein the reset circuit further comprises a single transistor having row and column reset signals to reset the pixel.

5. The pixel of claim 4 further comprising means for antiblooming.

6. The pixel of claim 5 wherein the means for antiblooming further comprises means for controlling antiblooming independent of the column reset signal.

7. The pixel of claim 5 wherein the means for antiblooming further comprises the row select signal is connected to the drain of the reset transistor.

8. The pixel of claim 4 wherein the row select signal is connected to the drain of the reset transistor and the column reset signal is connected to the gate of the reset signal.

9. A method of making an active pixel image sensing device having a plurality of photodetector elements arranged in a matrix of rows and columns, each of the photodetectors having a transfer gate operatively connecting the photodetectors to a floating diffusion and a row reset signal that can be applied to reset the floating diffusion for each row, the improvement comprising the steps of:

providing a reset transistor that is operatively connected to a column reset signal that can be applied in conjunction with the row control signal to reset any individual floating diffusion in a given row.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of providing the reset transistor further comprises providing the reset transistor as part of a reset circuit, the reset circuit has the column reset signal as an input.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of providing the reset circuit further comprises providing a pair of transistors having a column reset transistor placed in series with a row reset transistor.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of providing the reset circuit further comprises providing a single transistor having row and column reset signals to reset the pixel.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of providing the single transistor further comprises providing an antiblooming circuit.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of providing an antiblooming circuit further comprises providing for an antiblooming controlling mechanism independent of the column reset signal.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of providing an antiblooming circuit further comprises providing a row select signal connected to the drain of the reset transistor.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of providing further comprises providing a row select signal that is connected to the drain of the reset transistor and the column reset signal is connected to the gate of the reset signal.