MOS active pixel sensor unit with a shutter

• US 6,043,479 A
• Filed: 07/09/1998
• Issued: 03/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Chiang, Ming-Cheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Westin, Edward P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PYO, KEVIN K
• Application Number:
  US09/112,488
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 250/208.1, 250/214.1, 250/214 R, 348/296, 348/297, 348/294, 348/307, 348/308, 257/239, 257/290, 257/291, 257/282
• US Class Current: 250/208.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14609 Pixel-elements with integrated switching, control, storage or amplification elements scanning details of imagers (circuitry of solid-state image sensors H04N25/00); circuitry of imagers H04N25/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/621 for the control of blooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/77 Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components

Abstract

A MOS active pixel sensor unit is disclosed which comprises: A first MOS transistor, a second MOS transistor, a third MOS transistor, and a fourth MOS transistor, wherein the third and fourth transistors are connected in series and both are provided between a variable voltage source and an output terminal, and the first and second transistors are connected in series and both are provided between the variable voltage source and the gate of the third transistor; and a photodiode connected with the second transistor in parallel, wherein the cathode of the photodiode is coupled to a node that connects the second and third transistors, and the anode of the photodiode is connected to a node that connects the first and second transistors. The variable voltage source switches its voltage level in association with the on/off control of the first and second transistors whereby the photodiode senses and transforms light intensity into a response signal and the response signal is outputted from the output terminal connected to the fourth transistor.

Claims

1. A MOS active pixel sensor unit comprising:

a first MOS transistor, a second MOS transistor, a third MOS transistor, and a fourth MOS transistor, wherein said third and fourth transistors are connected in series and both are provided between a variable voltage source and an output terminal, and said first and second transistors are connected in series and both are provided between said variable voltage source and the gate of said third transistor; and

a photodiode connected with said second transistor in parallel, wherein the cathode of said photodiode is coupled to a node that connects said second and third transistors, and the anode of said photodiode is connected to a node that connects said first and second transistors;

wherein said variable voltage source switches its voltage level in association with the on/off control of said first and second transistors, whereby said photodiode senses and transforms light intensity into a response signal and said response signal is outputted from said output terminal connected to said fourth transistor.

2. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein when said first and second transistors are turned on, and the voltage of said variable voltage source is switched to a high voltage, said high voltage charges the node at the cathode of said photodiode to an initial voltage;

when said first transistor is turned on, said second transistor is turned off, and the voltage of said variable voltage source is switched to a low voltage, said low voltage charges the anode of said photodiode to a reference voltage which is less than said initial voltage, wherein an induced current flowing through said photodiode in response to the light intensity sensed by said photodiode such that said initial voltage is changed to a light-sensing voltage;

when said first transistor is turned off and said second transistor is turned off, said light-sensing voltage is held at the cathode of said photodiode; and

when the voltage of said variable voltage source is switched to said high voltage and said fourth transistor is turned on, said light-sensing voltage is outputted from said output terminal connected to said fourth transistor.

3. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein after obtaining said light-sensing voltage, and keeping said fourth transistor turned-on,

when said first and second transistor are turned on, the voltage of said variable voltage source is switched to said high voltage, said high voltage charges the node at the cathode of said photodiode to an first voltage;

when said first transistor is turned on, said second transistor is turned off, and the voltage of said variable voltage source is switched to said low voltage, said low voltage charges the node at the anode of said photodiode to a second voltage which is less than said first voltage, wherein an induced current flowing through said photodiode in response to light intensity sensed by said photodiode such that said first voltage is changed to a third voltage; and

when said first transistor is turned off and said second transistor is turned on, said third voltage is outputted from said output terminal of said fourth transistor as a basic voltage, wherein the difference between said light-sensing voltage and said third voltage correspond to the light intensity.

4. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein said high voltage of said variable voltage source is 5 V, and said low voltage of said variable voltage source is 3 V.