Solid-state image pickup device, a method of driving the same, a signal processing method for the same, and image pickup apparatus
First Claim
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1. A solid-state image pickup device, comprising:
- a pixel array portion constituted by arranging unit pixels each including a photoelectric conversion element, a transfer transistor for transferring signal charges obtained through photoelectric conversion in said photoelectric conversion element to a floating diffusion capacitor, a reset transistor connected between said floating diffusion capacitor and an output node, a capacitive element having a minuter capacitance than that of said floating diffusion capacitor, said capacitive element being connected between said floating diffusion capacitor and said output node, and an amplification transistor for reading out a voltage signal obtained through conversion in said capacitive element;
a dummy pixel having characteristics equal to those of said unit pixel, said dummy pixel being provided every pixel column of said pixel array portion;
a differential circuit composed of said unit pixel and said dummy pixel;
reset voltage supplying means for supplying a reset voltage to said reset transistor through said output node, said reset voltage supplying means being adapted to adjust a voltage value of the reset voltage; and
a common phase feedback circuit for controlling a current source for said differential circuit so that a center of a difference between differential outputs from said differential circuit becomes a control voltage adjusted by an external voltage source after completion of a reset operation by said reset transistor.
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Abstract
Disclosed herein is a solid-state image pickup device including: a pixel array portion; a dummy pixel; a differential circuit; a reset voltage supplying section; and a common phase feedback circuit.
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Citations
5 Claims
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1. A solid-state image pickup device, comprising:
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a pixel array portion constituted by arranging unit pixels each including a photoelectric conversion element, a transfer transistor for transferring signal charges obtained through photoelectric conversion in said photoelectric conversion element to a floating diffusion capacitor, a reset transistor connected between said floating diffusion capacitor and an output node, a capacitive element having a minuter capacitance than that of said floating diffusion capacitor, said capacitive element being connected between said floating diffusion capacitor and said output node, and an amplification transistor for reading out a voltage signal obtained through conversion in said capacitive element; a dummy pixel having characteristics equal to those of said unit pixel, said dummy pixel being provided every pixel column of said pixel array portion; a differential circuit composed of said unit pixel and said dummy pixel; reset voltage supplying means for supplying a reset voltage to said reset transistor through said output node, said reset voltage supplying means being adapted to adjust a voltage value of the reset voltage; and a common phase feedback circuit for controlling a current source for said differential circuit so that a center of a difference between differential outputs from said differential circuit becomes a control voltage adjusted by an external voltage source after completion of a reset operation by said reset transistor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method of driving a solid-state image pickup device including a pixel array portion constituted by arranging unit pixels each including a photoelectric conversion element, a transfer transistor for transferring signal charges obtained through photoelectric conversion in said photoelectric conversion element to a floating diffusion capacitor, a reset transistor connected between the floating diffusion capacitor and an output node, a capacitive element having a minuter capacitance than that of said floating diffusion capacitor, said capacitive element being connected between said floating diffusion capacitor and said output node, and an amplification transistor for reading out a voltage signal obtained through conversion in said capacitive element;
- a dummy pixel having characteristics equal to those of said unit pixel, said dummy pixel being provided every pixel column of said pixel array portion; and
a differential circuit composed of said unit pixel and said dummy pixel, said driving method comprising the steps of;making a voltage value of a reset voltage supplied to said reset transistor through said output node variable; and controlling a current source for said differential circuit so that a center of a difference between differential outputs from said differential circuit becomes a control voltage adjusted by an external voltage source after completion of a reset operation by said reset transistor.
- a dummy pixel having characteristics equal to those of said unit pixel, said dummy pixel being provided every pixel column of said pixel array portion; and
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5. An image pickup apparatus, comprising:
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a solid-state image pickup device, having a pixel array portion constituted by arranging unit pixels each including a photoelectric conversion element, a transfer transistor for transferring signal charges obtained through photoelectric conversion in said photoelectric conversion element to a floating diffusion capacitor, a reset transistor connected between said floating diffusion capacitor and an output node, a capacitive element having a minuter capacitance than that of said floating diffusion capacitor, said capacitive element being connected between said floating diffusion capacitor and said output node, and an amplification transistor for reading out a voltage signal obtained through conversion in said capacitive element; and an optical system for focusing an incident light onto an imaging area of said solid-state image pickup device; wherein said solid-state image pickup device includes a dummy pixel having characteristics equal to those of said unit pixel, said dummy pixel being provided every pixel column of said pixel array portion, a differential circuit composed of said unit pixel and said dummy pixel, reset voltage supplying means for supplying a reset voltage to said reset transistor through said output node, said reset voltage supplying means being adapted to adjust a voltage value of said reset voltage, and a common phase feedback circuit for controlling a current source for said differential circuit so that a center of a difference between differential outputs from said differential circuit becomes a control voltage adjusted by an external voltage source after completion of a reset operation by said reset transistor.
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Specification