Image sensor and its readout circuit, pixel structure

Abstract

An image sensor, its readout circuit, and a pixel structure. The readout circuit includes: an analog-to-digital conversion circuit coupled to the pixel circuit of the CMOS image sensor, adapted to quantify the output signal of the pixel circuit to obtain a corresponding digital signal; a conversion gain control circuit connected to the pixel circuit The pixel circuit is coupled, adapted to generate a corresponding pixel circuit control signal based on the swing of the pixel circuit output signal to control the conversion gain of the pixel circuit when the signal output by the pixel circuit is an image signal. By applying the above solution, the dynamic range of the image sensor can be improved.

Description

Technical field [0001] The present invention relates to image sensors, and more particularly relates to an image sensor and a circuit structure of a pixel readout. Background technique [0002] CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor, CMOS) image sensor is a semiconductor device an optical signal into an electric signal. Typically, CMOS image sensors comprises an array of pixels, the readout circuit array, and a digital processing circuit coupled to the pixel array. Wherein the pixel circuit of the pixel array consisting of several distributed in an array configuration, a pixel readout circuit by a plurality of circuit arrays distributed in an array configuration. [0003] Pixel circuits in the same column of the output from the same bit line, and with a readout circuit is coupled. The pixel array of the received optical signal into an analog electrical signal, the array readout circuit analog electrical signal into a digital electrical signal, and then output to the digita...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0005] However, the dynamic range of existing CMOS image sensors is still low and cannot meet the requirements for image quality

Images