Dual pinned diode pixel with shutter
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A pixel, comprising:
- a light sensitive element for generating photo generated charge;
an electronic shutter circuit for receiving charge from said light sensitive element, said electronic shutter circuit comprising;
a pinned diode charge storage element; and
a shutter control element, said shutter control element having a shutter control input coupled to said light sensitive element and an output coupled to said pinned diode charge storage element;
a floating diffusion node;
a transfer control element for transferring charge from said pinned diode charge storage element to said floating diffusion node;
a reset circuit for resetting said floating diffusion node; and
a readout circuit for reading out charges stored at said floating diffusion node.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A pixel having an electronic shutter suitable for use in a pixel array of an imaging device includes a pinned diode and a shutter transistor. The pinned diode is utilized as a storage device while the shutter transistor controls charge transfer from the electronic shutter. The use of a pinned diode as a charge storage device for the electronic shutter permits greater charge transfer efficiency, has lower leakage (or “dark” current), and permits the resulting pixel to have a greater fill factor than pixels utilizing conventional electronic shutter circuits.
34 Citations
33 Claims
-
1. A pixel, comprising:
-
a light sensitive element for generating photo generated charge; an electronic shutter circuit for receiving charge from said light sensitive element, said electronic shutter circuit comprising; a pinned diode charge storage element; and a shutter control element, said shutter control element having a shutter control input coupled to said light sensitive element and an output coupled to said pinned diode charge storage element; a floating diffusion node; a transfer control element for transferring charge from said pinned diode charge storage element to said floating diffusion node; a reset circuit for resetting said floating diffusion node; and a readout circuit for reading out charges stored at said floating diffusion node. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. An imager, comprising:
-
a pixel array, said pixel array comprising a plurality of pixels organized into a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, at least one of said plurality of pixels comprising; a light sensitive element for generating photo generated charge; an electronic shutter circuit for receiving charge from said light sensitive element, said electronic shutter circuit comprising; a pinned diode charge storage element; and a shutter control element, said shutter control element having a shutter control input coupled to said light sensitive element and an output coupled to said pinned diode charge storage element; a floating diffusion node; a transfer control element for transferring charge from said pinned diode charge storage element to said floating diffusion node; a reset circuit for resetting said floating diffusion node; and a readout circuit for reading out charges stored at said floating diffusion node; an image processing circuit for receiving signals from said plurality of pixels; a pixel selecting circuit, coupled to said pixel array, for controllably coupling different ones of said plurality of pixels in said pixel array to said image processing circuitry; and a control circuit, for operating said pixel selecting circuit to transfer signals from each of said pixels to said image processing circuit, and for controlling said electronic shutter circuit of said at least one of said plurality of pixels. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 30)
-
-
15. A method of operating an imager having a plurality of pixels, each pixel of said plurality of pixels including an electronic shutter circuit, the method comprising:
in each pixel of said plurality of pixels; selectively electrically coupling a pinned diode charge storage element to a stream of photo generated charges produced by a light sensitive element exposed to incident light; storing said stream of photo generated charges at said pinned diode charge storage element when said pinned diode charge storage element is electrically coupled to said light sensitive element; selectively electrically coupling said pinned diode charge storage element to a floating diffusion node; storing said stream of photo generated charges at said floating diffusion node when said floating diffusion node is electrically coupled to said pinned diode charge storage element; selectively coupling said floating diffusion node to an output line using readout circuitry; and selectively coupling said floating diffusion node to a reset voltage. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 31)
-
18. A system, comprising:
-
a processing element; and an imager coupled to said processing element, said imager comprising; a pixel array, said pixel array comprising a plurality of pixels organized into a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, each of said pixels comprising; a light sensitive element for generating photo generated charge; an electronic shutter circuit for receiving charge from said light sensitive element, said electronic shutter circuit comprising; a pinned diode charge storage element; and a shutter control element, said shutter control element having a shutter control input coupled to said light sensitive element and an output coupled to said pinned diode charge storage element; a floating diffusion node; a transfer control element for transferring charge from said pinned diode charge storage element to said floating diffusion node; a reset circuit for resetting said floating diffusion node; and a readout circuit for reading out charges stored at said floating diffusion node; an image processing circuit for receiving signals from said plurality of pixels; a pixel selecting circuit, coupled to said pixel array, for controllably coupling different ones of said plurality of pixels in said pixel array to said image processing circuitry; and a control circuit, for operating said pixel selecting circuit to transfer signals from each of said pixels to said image processing circuit, and for controlling said electronic shutter circuit of each of said plurality of pixels. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 32)
-
-
25. An imager, comprising:
-
a pixel array comprising a plurality of pixels arranged into a plurality of rows, each pixel of said plurality of pixels including a light sensitive element, an in-pixel shutter circuit including a pinned diode charge storage element for receiving charge from said light sensitive element, a floating diffusion node, a transfer transistor for transferring charge from said pinned diode charge storage element to said floating diffusion node, a reset circuit for resetting said floating diffusion node, and readout circuitry for reading out charge stored at said floating diffusion node, and a control circuit for controlling said plurality of pixels, wherein said control circuit simultaneously causes the in-pixel shutter circuit in each pixel of said plurality of pixels to conduct, and said control circuit controls a conductivity of said transfer transistor of said pixels on a row-by-row basis. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. A method for fabricating an imaging device, comprising:
-
providing a pixel array comprising a plurality of pixels arranged into a plurality of rows, each pixel of said plurality of pixels including a light sensitive element, an in-pixel shutter circuit including a pinned diode charge storage element for receiving charge from said light sensitive element, a floating diffusion node, a transfer transistor for transferring charge from said pinned diode charge storage element to said floating diffusion node, a reset circuit for resetting said floating diffusion node, and readout circuitry for reading out charge stored at said floating diffusion node; and providing a control circuit for controlling said plurality of pixels, wherein said control circuit simultaneously causes the in-pixel shutter circuit in each pixel of said plurality of pixels to conduct, and said control circuit controls a conductivity of said transfer transistor of said pixels on a row-by-row basis. - View Dependent Claims (33)
-
Specification