1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to solid-state imaging devices. More particularly, the present invention is related to a method of obtaining a read-out signal with a large dynamic range on an imaging device with a pixel structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Solid-state image sensors are well known. Virtually all solid-state imaging sensors have a photosensitive element as a key element, for example, a photoreceptor, a photo-diode, a photo-transistor, a CCD gate, or the like. Typically, the signal of such a photosensitive element is a current that is proportional to the amount of electromagnetic radiation (light) falling onto the photosensitive element.
A structure with a photosensitive element included in a circuit having accompanying electronics is called a pixel. Such pixel can be arranged in an array of pixels so as to build focal plane arrays.
Commonly such solid-state image sensors are implemented in a CCD-technology or in a CMOS- or MOS-technology. Solid-state image sensors find a widespread use in devices such as camera systems. In such systems, a matrix of pixels comprising light sensitive elements constitutes an image sensor, which is mounted in the camera system. The signal of said matrix is measured and multiplexed to a so-called video-signal.
Of the image sensors implemented in a CMOS- or MOS-technology, CMOS or MOS image sensors with passive pixels and CMOS or MOS image sensors with active pixels are distinguished. An active pixel is configured with means integrated in the pixel to amplify the charge that is collected on the light sensitive element. Passive pixels do not have said means and require a charge sensitive amplifier that is not integrated in the pixel. For this reason, active pixel image sensors are potentially less sensitive to noise fluctuations than passive pixels. Due to the additional electronics in the active pixel, an active pixel image sensor may be equipped to execute more sophisticated functions, which can be advantageous for the performance of the camera system. Said functions can include filtering, operation at higher speed, or operation in more extreme illuminations conditions.
Examples of such imaging sensors are disclosed in EP-A-0739039, EP-A-0632930, and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,608,204. The imaging devices based on the pixel structures as disclosed in these European patent applications and U.S. patent however are still subject to deficiencies in the image quality of the devices.
There is an ongoing effort to increase the performance of CMOS or MOS image sensors such that a comparable image quality is obtained as the one obtained with high-end CCD imagers. Due to the miniaturization of the technology of CMOS based electronic circuits, it is further possible to realize complex CMOS- or MOS-based pixels as small as CCD-based pixels. It is a main advantage of CMOS- or MOS-based image sensors that CMOS technology is being offered by most foundries whereas CCD-technology is rarely offered and a more complex and expensive technology option.
In the co-pending patent applications and patents EP-A-0739039, EP-A-0858111, EP-A-094003 1, EP-A-0773669, EP-A-0858212, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,933,190, and 5,953,060, pixel structures and methods of addressing them are described which address the issues summarized here-above. The contents of these patent applications are incorporated herein by reference.
In general, it must be recognized that for an imaging device, three specifications that are difficult to match are to be met:
Image sensors having a non-linear response such as a logarithmic response are known from, e.g., EP-A-0739039.
However, most of the image sensors with passive or active pixels have a linear voltage-to-light response. This means that their dynamic range is limited by the dynamic range of the linear response. For instance, if the linear output voltage has an S/N (signal-to-noise) ratio of about 250, which is a typical value, the corresponding dynamic range will be the same.
Image sensors with a double linear response or multiple linear responses are known. In such sensors, two or more linear pieces of optical response are combined in one electrical output signal, outside the pixel. Presently, the classical image sensors can be used to obtain such double linear response image by capturing two images with different sensitivity and combining them.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,832 discloses a CCD-circuit having a response curve that has two sensitivity ranges. The CCD circuit has a clipping gate that is in a parallel configuration on the CCD. In order to obtain a response curve, the light integration period is split in a first and second integration periods. During the first integration period, the clipping gate is set to a specific DC voltage that removes the signals being generated by a high light intensity impinging on the CCD. During the second integration period, this limitation is removed. The high signals will add to the result during the second period only, low signals will add all the time.
The collected photocharge during the first period of the integration time is limited; during the second period, the limitation is removed. This limitation that can be removed is obtained with a clipping gate that is set to one DC voltage during the first period, and to another during the second period. This said gate continuously removes charge that is in excess.
Certain embodiments provide a method for obtaining a read-out signal of a pixel, for example a MOS-based pixel, having at least a photosensitive element and a charge storage node, e.g. an output node of the photosensitive element or a parasitic capacitor of the photosensitive element. The method comprises, while acquiring charge carriers on said charge storage node during an integration period, said charge carriers being converted from radiation impinging on the photosensitive element, during a first time period of said integration period applying at least one reset pulse with a predetermined amplitude on said charge storage node, said pulse resetting incompletely the charge carriers acquired at the moment of applying said pulse; and after each of said at least one reset pulse further acquiring charge carriers on said charge storage node. The method further comprises driving said pixel in weak inversion during a second time period after the last incomplete reset pulse of said integration period and further acquiring charge carriers on said charge storage node during said second time period. The voltage/power response of a pixel read-out according to certain embodiments shows at least one piece-wise linear piece and a final logarithmic saturation behavior. Certain such embodiments improve the dynamic range of the image sensor.
During the first time period, a plurality of reset pulses may be applied on the charge storage node, thus obtaining a voltage-to-light/radiation response with multiple linear response regions. At least two of said plurality of reset pulses may have different amplitudes.
The method according to certain embodiments may further comprise applying a reference signal on said charge storage node whereon said at least one reset pulse is superimposed.
Said at least one reset pulse in certain embodiments is delivered by a reset transistor, said reset transistor being in series with said photosensitive element.
In certain embodiments, the read-out signal may be function of a combination of charges acquired prior and after application of said reset pulses.
Certain embodiments provide a pixel comprising a photosensitive element, a charge storage node for storing a signal from the photosensitive element at a moment in time, and a reset terminal on a reset transistor, said reset terminal equipped for applying a pulsed reset signal to the reset transistor, wherein said pixel further comprises driving means for driving the reset transistor in weak inversion.
The reset transistor may be coupled in series with said photosensitive element.
The photosensitive element may have an output node, said charge storage node being the output node of said photosensitive element. Alternatively, the photosensitive element may have a parasitic capacitor and the charge storage node may be the parasitic capacitor of the photosensitive element.
A pixel according to certain embodiments further comprises an amplifying element directly or indirectly connected to said charge storage node, the amplifying element amplifying or buffering the signal on said charge storage node for further signal processing.
A pixel according to certain embodiments is implemented in a MOS technology.
Certain embodiments described herein aim to disclose an active or passive pixel of an imaging device such that with one single pixel, a multiple voltage-to-light/radiation response can be obtained, having at least one or multiple linear response regions and a logarithmic response region.
Certain embodiments described herein further aim to disclose a method of reading out an active or passive pixel of an imaging device such that a multiple voltage-to-light/radiation response, having at least one or multiple linear response regions and a logarithmic response region, can be obtained in one single image or read-out scan.
The present invention is described with respect to particular embodiments and with reference to certain drawings but the invention is not limited thereto but only by the claims. The drawings described are only schematic and are non-limiting. In the drawings, the size of some of the elements may be exaggerated and not drawn on scale for illustrative purposes. Where the term “comprising” is used in the present description and claims, it does not exclude other elements or steps.
Furthermore, the terms first, second, third and the like in the description and in the claims, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequential or chronological order. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that the embodiments of the invention described herein are capable of operation in other sequences than described or illustrated herein.
Moreover, the terms top, bottom, over, under and the like in the description and the claims are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for describing relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that the embodiments of the invention described herein are capable of operation in other orientations than described or illustrated herein.
The invention is described herein through a detailed description of several embodiments of the invention. It is obvious that other embodiments of the invention can be configured according to the knowledge of persons skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit of the invention, the invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims.
In certain embodiments, a method obtains a read-out signal of a pixel having at least a photosensitive element with a charge storage node, the method comprising the steps of while acquiring charge carriers on said charge storage node during an integration period, said charge carriers being converted from radiation impinging on the photosensitive element, during a first time period of said integration period applying at least one pulsed reset signal with a predetermined amplitude on said-charge storage node, said amplitude being within the range of read-out signal acquisition and resetting incompletely the charge carriers acquired at the moment of applying said pulse, and after each of said at least one reset pulses further acquiring charge carriers on said charge storage node. During a second time period of the integration period, after the last incomplete reset pulse of the integration period, the pixel is driven in weak inversion and charge carriers are further acquired on said charge storage node during said second time period. The read-out signal thereby is a combination of signals acquired prior to and after the application of said pulsed reset signal. Depending on the relative amplitudes of the pulsed reset signal and of the actual signal resulting directly from the charge carrier acquisition, the resulting read-out signal obtained during the first time period can be different or identical to a signal acquisition method wherein said pulsed reset signal is not applied. Both possible resulting signals are denoted as a combination of signals acquired prior to and after the application of said pulsed reset signal. The voltage/power response of a pixel read-out according to the present invention shows at least one piece-wise linear piece and a final logarithmic saturation behavior. In certain embodiments, the method also comprises the step of applying a prior pulsed reset signal on said charge storage node, prior to the step of acquiring charge carriers on said charge storage node. During the time of application of said prior pulsed reset signal and during the time of application of said pulsed reset signal on said charge storage node, acquisition of charge carriers is blocked.
Certain embodiments of the method described herein can be applied to a pixel, for example, the classic 3-transistor (3T) integrating active pixel of an imaging device as disclosed in the paper “A Random Access Photodiode Array for Intelligent Image Capture,” IEEE Transactions E1. Dev. 38 (8), 1772 (1991). Persons skilled in the art can convert the teaching of U.S. Pat. No. 5,933,190 to an integrating pixel structure and certain embodiments of the method described herein can be applied to the 3-transistor (3T) pixel disclosed therein. The patent application EP-0858111 also discloses a 3T pixel to which certain embodiments of the method described herein can be applied. The teaching of above-referenced documents is incorporated by reference in the present patent application. A 3T-pixel is shown in
Exemplary embodiments for reading the signal of the pixel in order to obtain the linear, possibly multiple linear, and logarithmic slope, as applied to a 3T-pixel as in
According to certain embodiments, the voltage/power response of a pixel shows at least one linear portion, possibly a multiple piece-wise linear portion, and a final logarithmic saturation behavior. This allows further improvement of the dynamic range of the image sensor and can be obtained in the above mentioned pixel structure, if it is equipped with driving means for driving the pixel in weak inversion.
In
V=log(P)·kT/q. (1)
The transitions between the different linear pieces 21 thus are smooth transitions.
The above response curve, consisting of multiple piece-wise linear pieces 21 and a final logarithmic saturation behavior 22 can be obtained by pulses applied to terminal or transistor reset (11), thus pulsing the reset gate voltage to different amplitudes, and by driving the pixel in weak inversion. An example of the pulsing of the reset gate is shown in
Each of the lower amplitude reset pulses VR1, VR2, . . . (reset pulses with a lower amplitude than the prior reset pulse) will partially discharge the photodiode node (17), and resets the photodiode node (17) to a value that is each time less high. In between the high levels, the reset gate is on low levels VL1 . . . VL4, which may all be at the same level, but which may also be at different levels, as illustrated in
wherein I is the instantaneous photocurrent and Voffset is a voltage that is a direct function of the reset gate voltage during the sample moment. This allows certain embodiments to obtain logarithmic saturation behaviour in the detector. For a reset pulsetrain of the reset gate as shown in
In
Other exemplary embodiments are described below.
In accordance with certain embodiments, the method also uses a fixed amplitude reset pulse, and a second reference voltage (
Other alternate embodiments of pixel configurations are shown in
In certain embodiments corresponding to
In certain embodiments described above, at least two different reset levels are used thus obtaining a response with multiple piece-wise linear pieces 21 and a final logarithmic saturation behavior. It is a straightforward extension to apply 3, more than 3, or even a continuously varying level for the reset pulses.
An exemplary image sensor in accordance with certain embodiments described herein is shown in
In certain embodiments which allow a choice between the left (110) or right circuit (120) to take action, switches are present between the reset line drivers and the reset lines. In
It is to be understood that although preferred embodiments, specific constructions and configurations, as well as materials, have been discussed herein for devices according to the present invention, various changes or modifications in form and detail may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/460,473, filed Dec. 14, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,106,373 which is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein, and which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/021,011, filed Feb. 9, 1998, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,011,251, which is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein.
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Child | 11030721 | US | |
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Child | 09460473 | US |