Imager pixel with capacitance circuit for boosting reset voltage
First Claim
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1. A pixel circuit comprising:
- a photo-conversion device;
a floating diffusion region for receiving and storing charge from said photo-conversion device;
a reset transistor for resetting said floating diffusion region to a reset voltage state;
a first capacitance circuit coupled to said floating diffusion region for storing charge received from said photo-conversion device;
a readout circuit for reading out a signal based on charges stored at said floating diffusion region; and
a voltage boost circuit operating in response to a switching state of a switching device of said pixel circuit for boosting a reset voltage on said floating diffusion region above said reset voltage state, said voltage boost circuit comprising a second capacitance circuit.
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Abstract
A pixel cell in which a capacitance is coupled between a storage node and a row select transistor and another capacitance is coupled between a storage node and a voltage supply or ground source potential to boost a reset voltage.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A pixel circuit comprising:
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a photo-conversion device; a floating diffusion region for receiving and storing charge from said photo-conversion device; a reset transistor for resetting said floating diffusion region to a reset voltage state; a first capacitance circuit coupled to said floating diffusion region for storing charge received from said photo-conversion device; a readout circuit for reading out a signal based on charges stored at said floating diffusion region; and a voltage boost circuit operating in response to a switching state of a switching device of said pixel circuit for boosting a reset voltage on said floating diffusion region above said reset voltage state, said voltage boost circuit comprising a second capacitance circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of fabricating an integrated circuit comprising:
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forming a photo-conversion device; forming a floating diffusion region for receiving and storing charge from said photo-conversion device; forming a reset transistor for resetting said floating diffusion region to a reset voltage state; forming a first capacitance circuit coupled to said floating diffusion region for storing charge received from said photo-conversion device; forming a readout circuit for reading out a signal based on charges stored at said floating diffusion region; and forming a voltage boost circuit operating in response to a switching state of a switching device of said pixel circuit for boosting a reset voltage on said floating diffusion region above said reset voltage state, voltage boost circuit comprising a second capacitance circuit. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of operating a pixel comprising the steps of:
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receiving light in a photo-conversion device, said photo-conversion device converting said light into electrical charge; resetting a floating diffusion region to a reset voltage state; boosting a voltage on said floating diffusion region above said reset voltage state to a boosted reset voltage with a first capacitance circuit operating in response to a switching state of a switching device; reading out said boosted reset voltage; storing charge from said photo-conversion device in said floating diffusion region and in a second capacitance circuit coupled to said floating diffusion region; and reading out a signal based on stored charge at said floating diffusion region from said photo-conversion device. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification