Image sensors with pixel reset

• US 7,525,587 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2006
• Issued: 04/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aptina Imaging Corporation (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aptina Imaging Corporation (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Inventors: Bock, Nikolai E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye; Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): SELBY, GEVELL V
• Application Number:
  US11/473,312
• Publication Number:
  US 20060285001A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 348/294, 348/302, 348/308, 348/309, 348/311, 348/322, 348/323, 250/208.1
• US Class Current: 348/308
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/65 applied to reset noise, e.g. KTC noise related to CMOS structures by techniques other than CDS

Abstract

Techniques for use with image sensors include transferring a signal level from an active sensor pixel to a readout circuit, performing a flushed reset of the pixel, and isolating the pixel from the readout circuit during resetting of the pixel.

Claims

1. A method of operating an imager pixel, the method comprising:

transferring a first voltage from the pixel to the readout circuit, the first voltage representing an amount of light impinging on the pixel during an integration period;

electrically disconnecting the pixel from the readout circuit;

performing a hard reset of the pixel;

performing a soft reset of the pixel;

electrically connecting the pixel to the readout circuit; and

transferring a second voltage from the pixel to the readout circuit, the second voltage representing a soft reset level for the pixel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the soft reset level is substantially the same as additional soft reset levels of the pixel regardless of the amount of light impinging on the pixel.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising preventing a parasitic output capacitance from discharging through a load transistor of the readout circuit during the hard and soft resets.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein electrically disconnecting the pixel comprises disabling a row select transistor before the hard reset.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein electrically connecting the pixel comprises enabling the row select transistor after the soft reset.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the hard reset comprises discharging a power supply capacitance present at a node coupled to a drain of a pixel reset transistor.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein performing the soft reset comprises connecting the power supply to the node coupled to the drain of the pixel reset transistor.

8. An imager device comprising:

a pixel comprising a photosensitive element, a reset switch, storage node and a row select switch;

a first circuit connected to a first source/drain terminal of the reset switch, the first circuit adapted to apply a hard reset voltage level to the first source/drain terminal when a first control signal is applied and adapted to provide a power supply level to the first source/drain terminal when the first control signal is not applied;

a readout circuit connected to a source/drain terminal of the row select switch by an output line, the readout circuit comprising a load transistor adapted to bias the output line and an enabling switch coupled between the output line and the load transistor; and

a controller connected to the pixel and the readout circuit, the controller adapted to provide a row select control signal to enable the row select switch to transfer an image voltage level from the pixel to the readout circuit, the image voltage level representing an amount of light impinging on the pixel during an integration period,

the controller being further adapted to remove the row select control signal after the transfer to isolate the output line from the readout circuit, pulse the first control signal while at substantially the same time provide a reset control signal to the reset switch and a disable control signal to the enable switch, the disable control signal disabling the enable switch to disconnect the load transistor from the output line, and

the reset control signal connecting the hard reset level to the source/drain terminal of the reset switch to perform a hard reset of the pixel when the first control signal is pulsed on and connect the power supply level the source/drain terminal to perform a soft reset of the pixel when the first control signal is pulsed off while the reset control signal is being applied.

9. The imager device of claim 8, wherein the hard reset voltage level is obtained by discharging a power supply capacitance from the first circuit to the source/drain terminal of the reset switch.

10. The imager device of claim 8, wherein the output line is isolated from the readout circuit during an entirety of each period required to perform the hard and soft reset of the pixel.

11. The imager device of claim 8, wherein the soft reset of the pixel achieves a soft reset level that is substantially the same as additional soft reset levels of the pixel regardless of the amount of light impinging on the pixel.

12. The imager device of claim 8, wherein the disabling of the enable switch prevents a parasitic output capacitance from discharging through the load transistor during the hard and soft resets.

13. An imager integrated circuit comprising:

an array of pixels, each pixel being associated with a row and a column in the array, each pixel including a photosensitive element, a source follower transistor coupled to an output of the photosensitive element, a reset switch and a row select switch;

a plurality of readout circuits, each readout circuit being associated with and coupled to a respective column of pixels, each readout circuit including a load transistor associated with source follower transistors in the pixels of the associated column;

means for transferring a first voltage from each pixel in a selected row to the respective readout circuit, each first voltage representing an amount of light impinging on a respective pixel during an integration period;

means for electrically disconnecting the pixels in the selected row from the readout circuits;

means for performing a hard reset of the pixels in the selected row;

means for performing a soft reset of the pixels in the selected row;

means for electrically connecting the pixels in the selected row to the associated readout circuits; and

means for transferring a second voltage from the pixels in the selected row to the readout circuit, the second voltage representing a soft reset level for the pixels.

14. The integrated circuit of claim 13, further comprising means for preventing a parasitic output capacitance from discharging through a load transistor of the readout circuits during the hard and soft resets.

15. The integrated circuit of claim 13, wherein the means for electrically disconnecting the pixels comprises means for disabling row select transistors before the hard resets.

16. The integrated circuit of claim 13, wherein the means for performing the hard reset comprises means for discharging a power supply capacitance present at a node coupled to a drain of a pixel reset transistor.