Solid-state imaging device, method for driving solid-state imaging device, and electronic apparatus

• US 8,493,489 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2011
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Oike, Yusuke, Kato, Akihiko, Takatsuka, Takafumi, Sakakibara, Masaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Sinh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peterson, Christopher K
• Application Number:
  US13/064,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20120026370A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 348302-308, 348/241
• US Class Current: 348/308
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/60 Noise processing, e.g. detecting, correcting, reducing or removing noise
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/63 applied to dark current
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/75 Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/778 comprising amplifiers shared between a plurality of pixels, i.e. at least one part of the amplifier must be on the sensor array itself

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a solid-state imaging device, including: a pixel array unit configured to be formed by two-dimensionally arranging unit pixels each having a photoelectric converter, a charge-voltage converter, a reset transistor to set the charge-voltage converter to a predetermined potential, and an amplification transistor to read out a signal converted by the charge-voltage converter; a signal processor configured to process a signal output from the unit pixel by using a reference voltage; and a setter configured to set a reset level obtained from a second unit pixel from which a signal level has been already read out as the reference voltage of the signal processor before readout of a signal level based on a signal charge accumulated or retained in the charge-voltage converter from a first unit pixel.

Claims

1. A solid-state imaging device, comprising:

a pixel array unit configured to be formed by two-dimensionally arranging unit pixels each having a photoelectric converter, a charge-voltage converter, a reset transistor to set the charge-voltage converter to a predetermined potential, and an amplification transistor to read out a signal converted by the charge-voltage converter;

a signal processor configured to process a signal output from the unit pixel by using a reference voltage; and

a setter configured to set a reset level obtained from a second unit pixel from which a signal level has been already read out as the reference voltage of the signal processor before readout of a signal level based on a signal charge accumulated or retained in the charge-voltage converter from a first unit pixel.

2. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein

in the first unit pixel, after a signal charge accumulated or retained in the charge-voltage converter is read out as the signal level, the charge-voltage converter is set to the predetermined potential by the reset transistor and the predetermined potential is read out as the reset level.

3. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein

the signal processor executes signal processing of taking difference between the signal level and the reset level.

4. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein

the second unit pixel is a unit pixel having high correlation physically with the first unit pixel.

5. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 4, wherein

the second unit pixel is a unit pixel located near the first unit pixel on the two-dimensional arrangement.

6. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 4, wherein

the second unit pixel has the same layout shape as a layout shape of the first unit pixel.

7. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 4, wherein

the second unit pixel is a unit pixel that has the same layout shape as a layout shape of the first unit pixel and is disposed closest physically to the first unit pixel.

8. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 4, wherein

the second unit pixel is a unit pixel from which a signal level and a reset level are read out immediately before the first unit pixel.

9. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein

the setter sets the charge-voltage converter to the predetermined potential by the reset transistor in readout of a reset level set as the reference voltage from the second unit pixel.

10. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein

the signal processor is an analog-digital conversion circuit that converts the signal level and the reset level output by an analog signal from the unit pixel to a digital signal, and

the reference voltage is a voltage serving as a basis of a range of an input voltage that is capable of being converted by the analog-digital conversion circuit.

11. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein

the signal processor is an amplifier circuit that amplifies the signal level and the reset level output by an analog signal from the unit pixel, and

the reference voltage is a voltage serving as a basis of a range of an input voltage that is capable of being amplified by the amplifier circuit.

12. A method for driving a solid-state imaging device including a pixel array unit formed by two-dimensionally arranging unit pixels each having a photoelectric converter, a charge-voltage converter, a reset transistor to set the charge-voltage converter to a predetermined potential, and an amplification transistor to read out a signal converted by the charge-voltage converter, and a signal processor to process a signal output from the unit pixel by using a reference voltage, the method, comprising the step of

setting a reset level obtained from a second unit pixel from which a signal level has been already read out as the reference voltage of the signal processor before readout of a signal level based on a signal charge accumulated or retained in the charge-voltage converter from a first unit pixel.

13. An electronic apparatus having a solid-state imaging device, comprising:

a pixel array unit configured to be formed by two-dimensionally arranging unit pixels each having a photoelectric converter, a charge-voltage converter, a reset transistor to set the charge-voltage converter to a predetermined potential, and an amplification transistor to read out a signal converted by the charge-voltage converter;

a signal processor configured to process a signal output from the unit pixel by using a reference voltage; and

a setter configured to set a reset level obtained from a second unit pixel from which a signal level has been already read out as the reference voltage of the signal processor before readout of a signal level based on a signal charge accumulated or retained in the charge-voltage converter from a first unit pixel.

14. A solid-state imaging device, comprising:

pixel array means for being formed by two-dimensionally arranging unit pixels each having a photoelectric converter, a charge-voltage converter, a reset transistor to set the charge-voltage converter to a predetermined potential, and an amplification transistor to read out a signal converted by the charge-voltage converter;

signal processing means for processing a signal output from the unit pixel by using a reference voltage; and

setting means for setting a reset level obtained from a second unit pixel from which a signal level has been already read out as the reference voltage of the signal processing means before readout of a signal level based on a signal charge accumulated or retained in the charge-voltage converter from a first unit pixel.