This invention relates generally to the field of optical devices and systems, and more specifically to digital pixel sensors.
Complementary metal-oxide semiconductor active pixel sensors (CMOS APS) were originally developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for sensor applications that require reduced mass, power, and size in comparison to traditional charge coupled device (CCD) sensors. CMOS APS may be fabricated such that the sensor and the read electronics are present on a single silicon chip. The current CMOS sensor technology utilizes a photo diode with reset, transfer, source follower, and address transistors to implement each pixel. Pixels are often arranged as an array. The pixel array is reset, and then exposed to incoming light for a predetermined integration time. At the end of the integration time, the pixel array is transferred and read through an analog signal processing chain, and the serial digital data is then processed through several digital algorithms to create the final image.
Referring now to
In order to read the CMOS APS pixel 100, reset transistor 130 and read transistor 150 are turned on. The reset voltage level is then read using bitline 160. The read transistor 150 and reset transistor 130 are turned off. Transfer gate 140 is then turned on and then off, which transfers any pixel charge stored in photo diode 110 onto floating diffusion 125. Finally, read transistor 150 is turned on, and the pixel level is read. A column decoder uses bitline 160 to present the difference between the reset level and the pixel level to the analog signal processing chain (ASPC).
During the read operation, mismatch on a pixel to pixel level of the reset transistor 130, read transistor 150 and transfer transistor 120 can cause fixed pattern noise in the final image. Also, variations in the column current reference applied to each bit line can cause a column pattern noise in the final image. For this reason, usually, a correlated double sampling (CDS) of the pixels is performed. This CDS is accomplished by reading the reset voltage, reading the pixel voltage, and providing the difference voltage to the analog processing chain, as described above. The CDS approach can significantly reduce the fixed pattern noise in the image.
Another source of noise in the pixel is the charge transfer noise. At the end of the integration time, the charge in photo diode 110 is transferred to the floating diffusion 125 between the reset transistor 130 and the transfer transistor 120.
The goal is to transfer all of the charge from the photo diode 110 to the floating diffusion 125. Since the transfer is dependent on the photo diode voltage at the end of integration, the physical design of the photo diode 110, transfer gate 120, and floating diffusion 125 are very important.
In an APS system, the photo diode is allowed to accumulate charge during the integration time, and at the end of the integration time, the photo diode voltage is read. This voltage is then transformed into a digital signal that represents the incident power of light at the pixel. The relationship between power, time and voltage is given by
where
At the end of the integration time, the power levels can be grouped into two categories, the saturated powers, and the unsaturated powers. Referring now to
Referring now to
There are many processing variations that have been used to try to capture the excess charge before it reaches an adjacent pixel, such as deep implants, trenches, etc. However, for the active pixel sensor, only unsaturated powers can be detected. There is therefore an unmet need in the art for an active pixel sensor that is able to isolate the effects of blooming, and to enable power levels occurring under saturation conditions to be detected.
The features of the invention believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself however, both as to organization and method of operation, together with objects and advantages thereof, may be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of the invention, which describes certain exemplary embodiments of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail specific embodiments, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an example of the principles of the invention and not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments shown and described. In the description below, like reference numerals are used to describe the same, similar or corresponding parts in the several views of the drawings.
Referring now to
During an integration phase, a voltage of photodiode 420 is compared to reference voltage Vref 450. As photodiode 420 reaches reference voltage Vref 450, memory element 440 captures data 445. Because each pixel of the plurality of charge accumulation pixels is able to capture data values independently, effective analog to digital conversion (ADC) occurs at a low speed, thereby saving power and enabling faster read access.
Referring now to
When control signal 542 is low, a voltage level of photodiode 530, which is coupled to the first input of anti-blooming transistor 540, is returned to a clamping voltage, such as supply voltage Vdd 520; the clamping voltage can be any voltage that serves a clamping function, such as a supply voltage or a predetermined voltage level. Supply voltage Vdd 520 is coupled to reset transistor 525, which is coupled to anti-blooming transistor 540 as mentioned previously. The ability of the circuit shown in
It is noted that one of skill in the art will recognize that a single high reference voltage may be used to accomplish the anti-blooming action, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The single reference voltage may be used to determine when the voltage level of photodiode 530 exceeds a saturation level. It is further noted that one of skill in the art will recognize that the functionality of the comparator 555 and control block 550 may be combined without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is further noted that in addition to the preferred embodiment shown in
Referring now to
If the High reference voltage has been set, then the inquiry at Decision Block 660 is whether the photodiode voltage is less than the low reference voltage VREFL. If no, then the flow returns to Block 620. If yes, then the low reference voltage is set at Block 670. The voltage of photodiode 530 is known vis-à-vis the high and low reference voltages and at Block 680, the photodiode 530 is connected to clamping voltage, such as Vdd.
While the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, permutations and variations will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended that the present invention embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the scope of the appended claims.
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