CMOS image sensor with shared sensing node
DCFirst Claim
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1. A method, comprising:
- generating photocharge at a first pixel of an image sensor, the first pixel having a transfer transistor and a first sensing node for storing the photocharge connected to the transfer transistor, the image sensor also having a second pixel having a second sensing node for storing photocharge;
electrically coupling the first sensing node and the second sensing node;
transferring the photocharge generated at the first pixel to the first sensing node of the first pixel via the transfer transistor and to the second sensing node of the second pixel of the image sensor, wherein the first pixel is in a first line and the second pixel is in a second line adjacent to the first line; and
generating, based on the photocharge transferred to the first sensing node and the second sensing node, an output signal that is indicative of the photocharge generated at the first pixel.
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Abstract
A CMOS image sensor has a pixel array provided with a plurality of unit pixels arranged in a matrix shape of rows and columns. Each of the unit pixels includes a photocharge generation means for generating photocharges by absorbing an external light; and a sensing node for receiving the photocharges transferred from the photocharge generation means, wherein the sensing node of the unit pixel in a previous scan line is shared with a sensing node of a unit pixel in a current scan line in response to a line select signal of the current line.
12 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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generating photocharge at a first pixel of an image sensor, the first pixel having a transfer transistor and a first sensing node for storing the photocharge connected to the transfer transistor, the image sensor also having a second pixel having a second sensing node for storing photocharge; electrically coupling the first sensing node and the second sensing node; transferring the photocharge generated at the first pixel to the first sensing node of the first pixel via the transfer transistor and to the second sensing node of the second pixel of the image sensor, wherein the first pixel is in a first line and the second pixel is in a second line adjacent to the first line; and generating, based on the photocharge transferred to the first sensing node and the second sensing node, an output signal that is indicative of the photocharge generated at the first pixel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method, comprising:
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producing photocharge with a first pixel of an image sensor in response to receiving light with the first pixel, the first pixel having a transfer transistor and a first sensing node connected to the transfer transistor; selectively electrically coupling the first sensing node of the first pixel to a second sensing node of a second pixel of the image sensor, wherein the first pixel is in an nth line and the second pixel is in an n−
1th line; andreceiving the photocharge at the first sensing node and the second sensing node. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method, comprising:
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integrating photocharge with a pixel array that includes a plurality of sensing pixels arranged in a matrix of rows and columns; selecting a first row of sensing pixels from the plurality of sensing pixels in response to a select signal; connecting a first sensing node of a first sensing pixel in the first row with a second sensing node of a second sensing pixel in a second row of sensing pixels in response to the select signal; transferring photocharge from a photodiode of the first sensing pixel to both the first sensing node and the second sensing node; and generating an output signal indicative of the photocharge transferred to the first sensing node and the second sensing node. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method, comprising:
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integrating photocharge with a pixel array that includes a plurality of sensing pixels arranged in a matrix of rows and columns; selecting a first row of sensing pixels from the plurality of sensing pixels by activating an addressing unit; selectively electrically coupling a first sensing node of a first sensing pixel in the first row with a second sensing node of a second sensing pixel in a second row of sensing pixels by activating a switching device; transferring photocharge from a photodiode of the first sensing pixel to both the first sensing node and the second sensing node; and generating an output signal indicative of the photocharge transferred to the first sensing node and the second sensing node. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An imaging system comprising:
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an image sensor; and an external system in communication with the image sensor, wherein the external system comprises a control interface and a data interface, the external system configured to generate signals that control the operation of said image sensor via the control interface; wherein said image sensor comprises; an interface unit in communication with said external system to control operation of the image sensor; and a pixel array having a first pixel with a first sensing node for receiving photocharge, the first sensing node being coupled to a transfer transistor, and a second pixel with a second sensing node for receiving photocharge, the second sensing node being coupled to the transfer transistor, wherein the first pixel is in a first line and the second pixel is in a second line adjacent to the first line, wherein the pixel array is configured to; generate photocharge at the first pixel, transfer the photocharge generated at the first pixel to the first sensing node and to the second sensing node via at least the transfer transistor; and generate, based on the photocharge transferred to the first sensing node and the second sensing node, an output signal that is indicative of the photocharge generated at the first pixel. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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Specification