CMOS image sensor having a pixel array in a wider dynamic range

• US 6,791,612 B1
• Filed: 06/25/1999
• Issued: 09/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cedar Lane Technologies Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Incorporated (SK Hynix Inc.)
• Inventors: Hwang, Gyu Tae
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ye, Lin
• Application Number:
  US09/344,606
• Time in Patent Office: 1,908 Days
• Field of Search: 348/241, 348/308, 348/302, 250/208.1, 257/291, 257/292, 257/293, 257/294
• US Class Current: 348/308
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/00 Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/51 Control of the gain
• 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 3/155 Control of the image-sensor operation, e.g. image processing within the image-sensor

Abstract

The present invention relates to a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor; and, more particularly, to a pixel array of the CMOS image sensor in a wider dynamic range. A CMOS image sensor based on a correlated double sampling comprises a single common node, a plurality of unit pixels in parallel connected to the single common node, an amplifying means coupled to the single common node for amplifying a voltage of the single common node and outputting the amplified voltage, and an output means for receiving the amplified voltage from the amplifying means and outputting a data voltage level and a reset voltage level.

Claims

1. A CMOS image sensor based on a correlated double sampling, the CMOS image sensor comprising:

a) a single common node;

b) a plurality of unit pixels in parallel connected to the single common node;

c) an amplifying component coupled to the single common node for amplifying a voltage of the single common node and outputting the amplified voltage;

d) an output component for receiving the amplified voltage from the amplifying component and outputting a data voltage level and a reset voltage level,

wherein the unit pixel includes;

a generating component for receiving light from an object and for generating and integrating photoelectric charges,

a transfer component for transferring the photoelectric charges generated in the generating component to a first node,

a reset component for resetting the first node, and

an addressing component for receiving address signals from an external controller,

wherein a gain of the amplifying component is given by

2. The CMOS image sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein the generating component is a photodiode.

3. The CMOS image sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein the transfer component is a NMOS transistor.

4. The CMOS image sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein the reset component is a NMOS transistor.

5. The CMOS image sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein the generating component is a photodiode, the transfer component is a transfer transistor, the reset component is a reset transistor, the addressing component is a select transistor,

wherein a first terminal of the transfer transistor is coupled to the photodiode to receive an output from the photodiode and transmit the output to the select transistor via a second terminal of transfer transistor, a first terminal of the select transistor being coupled to the second terminal of the transfer transistor to receive the output from the photodiode, a second terminal of the select transistor being coupled to the common node,

wherein a first terminal of the reset transistor is coupled to a node between the second terminal of the transfer transistor and the first terminal of the select transistor.

6. The CMOS image sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein the select transistor is the addressing component, wherein each addressing component of the plurality of unit pixels is connected to the single common node.

7. The CMOS image sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein the output component includes:

a source follower component for outputting the output of the unit pixel in response to the amplified signal from the amplifying component;

a biasing component for performing a biasing operation of the source follower in response to a biasing signal.

8. The CMOS image sensor as recited in claim 7, wherein the source follower means is a NMOS transistor connected between a power supply voltage and an common output terminal of the CMOS image sensor.

9. The CMOS image sensor as recited in claim 7, wherein the biasing component is a NMOS transistor connected between the common output terminal and a ground level voltage.