CMOS image sensors implementing full frame digital correlated double sampling with global shutter

• US 8,953,075 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2012
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Pixim, Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ayers, Thomas, Brady, Frederick Thomas, Kang, Jinsuk, Wong, Ping Wah
• Primary Examiner(s): Haskins, Twyler
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, QUANG V
• Application Number:
  US13/435,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20130258151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 348/302, 348/308, 348/312
• US Class Current: 348/302
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/57 Control of the dynamic range
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/616 involving a correlated sampling function, e.g. correlated double sampling [CDS] or triple sampling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/622 by controlling anti-blooming drains
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/75 Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/77 Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/78 Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters

Abstract

An active pixel CMOS image sensor implements full frame digital correlated double sampling (CDS) with global shutter where all the pixels in the image sensor are reset at substantially the same time and all the pixels in the image sensor integrate incident light at substantially the same time and for substantially the same time duration and correlated double sampling cancellation is performed in the digital domain. In one embodiment, the image sensing device includes an array of light sensing elements, a timing and control circuit and analog-to-digital converters. The timing and control circuit is operative to reset the light sensing elements in the array and to control the array of light sensing elements to integrate incident light. The pixel reset values are cancelled from the corresponding light dependent pixel values for each of the light sensing elements to generate correlated double sampling (CDS) corrected digital output pixel values.

Claims

1. An image sensing device comprising:

a two-dimensional array of light sensing elements, each light sensing element comprising a photodiode and a plurality of control transistors, each photodiode generating an output signal indicative of an intensity level of light impinging on the photodiode, and the plurality of control transistors being configured to control reset, charge transfer and row select operations of the array of light sensing elements;

a timing and control circuit configured to generate control signals for the plurality of control transistors in each light sensing element in the array, the control signals controlling reset, light integration, charge transfer and readout operations of the array of light sensing elements;

one or more analog-to-digital converters respectively coupled to columns of the array of light sensing elements and configured to digitize output signals read out from the array of light sensing elements to generate digital output pixel values; and

a memory configured to store at least one frame of digital output pixel reset values,

wherein the timing and control circuit is configured to reset the light sensing elements in the array at substantially the same time and to read out respective pixel reset values associated with the light sensing elements, the pixel reset values being stored in the memory; and

the timing and control circuit is further configured to control the array of light sensing elements to integrate incident light at substantially the same time and for substantially the same time duration and to read out light dependent pixel values associated with the light sensing elements; and

wherein the pixel reset values are cancelled from the corresponding light dependent pixel values for each of the light sensing elements in the array to generate correlated double sampling (CDS) corrected digital output pixel values.

2. The image sensing device of claim 1, wherein the reset pixel value for each light sensing element is subtracted from the light dependent pixel value of the corresponding light sensing element to generate the CDS corrected digital output pixel value for that light sensing element.

3. The image sensing device of claim 1, wherein the reset pixel value for each light sensing element and the light dependent pixel value of the corresponding light sensing element are used as two points on a straight line representing voltage of the photodiode as a function of time, and wherein the CDS corrected digital output pixel value is calculated based on interpolation or extrapolation along the straight line.

4. The image sensing device of claim 1, further comprising:

a correlated double sampling control and cancellation circuit configured to generate control signals to the memory to retrieve stored digital output pixel reset values and to perform cancellation of the pixel reset values from the light dependent pixel values to generate the CDS corrected digital output pixel values.

5. The image sensing device of claim 4, wherein the array of light sensing elements, the memory and the correlated double sampling control and cancellation circuit are formed on a same integrated circuit.

6. The image sensing device of claim 4, wherein the array of light sensing elements is formed on a first integrated circuit separate from a second integrated circuit on which the correlated double sampling control and cancellation circuit and the memory are formed.

7. The image sensing device of claim 1, wherein the array of light sensing elements and the memory are formed on a same integrated circuit.

8. The image sensing device of claim 1, wherein the array of light sensing elements is formed on a first integrated circuit separate from a second integrated circuit on which the memory is formed.

9. The image sensing device of claim 1, wherein each light sensing element comprises four control transistors including a transfer gate transistor configured to transfer charges on the photodiode to a floating diffusion when asserted, a reset transistor configured to reset the light sensing element when both the reset transistor and the transfer gate transistor are asserted, a third transistor to pass the output signal of the floating diffusion to a row select transistor, and the row select transistor configured to control readout of the pixel values to an output node of the light sensing element.

10. The image sensing device of claim 1, wherein each light sensing element comprises five control transistors including a transfer gate transistor configured to transfer charges on the photodiode to a floating diffusion when asserted, a reset transistor configured to reset the light sensing element when both the reset transistor and transfer gate transistor are asserted, an anti-blooming transistor configured to reset the photodiode when asserted, a fourth transistor to pass the output signal of the floating diffusion to a row select transistor, and the row select transistor configured to control readout of pixel values to an output node of the light sensing element.

11. The image sensing device of claim 1, wherein the CDS corrected digital output pixel values are stored in the memory.

12. The image sensing device of claim 11, wherein the memory stores the CDS corrected digital output pixel values for multi-frame image processing.

13. The image sensing device of claim 1, wherein the light sensing elements in the array are coated with a color filter pattern to generate output signals indicative of a color filter.

14. The image sensing device of claim 1, wherein the timing and control circuit is configured to maintain substantially the same integration time for resetting the light sensing elements in the array.

15. The image sensing device of claim 1, further comprising:

a two dimensional array of selectively transmissive filters superimposed and in registration with each of said light sensing elements, the array of selectively transmissive filters includes a first group of filters associated with a first group of photodiodes for capturing a first color spectrum of visible light and a second group of filters associated with a second group of photodiodes for capturing a second color spectrum of visible light.

16. The image sensing device of claim 1, wherein the timing and control circuit is operative to implement an active reset, in which the control circuit monitors the reset level of each light sensing element, and changes a bias condition of the reset transistor to minimize reset level variations between light sensing elements.

17. A method in an image sensing device, comprising:

providing a two-dimensional array of light sensing elements, each light sensing element comprising a photodiode and a plurality of control transistors, each photodiode generating an output signal indicative of an intensity level of light impinging on the photodiode, and the plurality of control transistors being configured to control reset, charge transfer and row select operations of the array of light sensing elements;

resetting the array of light sensing elements at substantially the same time;

reading out the pixel reset values associated with the light sensing elements;

storing the pixel reset values;

integrating charges at the photodiodes of the array of light sensing elements indicative of incident light at substantially the same time and for substantially the same time duration;

reading out the light dependent pixel values associated with the light sensing elements; and

cancelling the pixel reset values from the corresponding light dependent pixel values for each of the light sensing elements in the array to generate correlated double sampling (CDS) corrected digital output pixel values.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein resetting the array of light sensing elements at substantially the same time comprises:

resetting the photodiodes of the light sensing elements at substantially the same time; and

resetting a floating diffusion associated with each light sensing elements.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the integration time for resetting the array of light sensing elements is substantially the same for each light sensing element in the array.