Imaging Sensor Power Supply Lines for Voltage Homogeneity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional CMOS linear image sensors experience unwanted homogeneity in image data due to power supply voltage drops as the distance from the power supply source increases, leading to variations in power supply voltage across pixel rows of different colors.
Innovation Solution
The imaging sensor design includes power supply lines that are substantially identical in shape between the power supply source and light-receiving elements for each color, ensuring homogeneous power distribution by maintaining consistent line impedance and preventing voltage drops across the main-scanning direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If power supply lines are arranged to extend in the direction of pixel rows with power supplied to one end, then device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but power supply voltage homogeneity deteriorates due to voltage drops increasing with distance from the power supply source
Solution Approach 1:
The pixel array is divided into multiple pixel rows corresponding to different colors (e.g., red, green, blue rows), and each pixel row is supplied with power through separate power supply lines. This segmentation allows independent optimization of power distribution for each color channel, ensuring that voltage drops do not affect multiple colors simultaneously and maintaining overall voltage homogeneity across the sensor array.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different power supply line configurations to different pixel rows based on their specific requirements. Each pixel row receives tailored power distribution with identical line shapes and impedance characteristics optimized for that particular color channel, ensuring local voltage homogeneity while accounting for variations in pixel row positions and electrical characteristics.
2Device complexity
If power supply voltage is supplied to one end of pixel rows, then device complexity is reduced, but image data homogeneity deteriorates due to position-dependent voltage drops
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs power supply lines with identical shapes and impedance characteristics for each pixel row, ensuring that all corresponding pixels across different color rows experience equivalent voltage conditions. This equipotential approach maintains consistent power supply voltage levels throughout the sensor array, preventing position-dependent voltage drops from degrading image data homogeneity while keeping the overall device structure relatively simple.
3Adaptability or versatility
If power supply lines have different shapes for different colors, then adaptability to different pixel row configurations is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to variations in line impedance causing voltage drops
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a universal power supply line design where identical line shapes and impedance characteristics are used across all pixel rows regardless of color. This universal configuration ensures consistent voltage distribution while maintaining adaptability to different sensor layouts through the modular nature of the identical line designs, which can be replicated and positioned flexibly to accommodate various pixel array configurations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration maintains consistent power supply voltage across light-receiving elements, reducing variations and ensuring homogeneous image data quality by minimizing position-dependent voltage drops, thereby improving image data homogeneity.
Implementation Method 1
multiple light-receiving elements for multiple colors configured to conduct photoelectric conversion
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging sensor includes multiple light-receiving elements, which are for multiple colors, configured to conduct photoelectric conversion and multiple power supply lines configured to supply a power supply voltage from a power supply source to the light-receiving elements. The light-receiving elements of each of the colors are aligned in one direction. Portions extending between the power supply source and the respective light-receiving elements of the multiple power supply lines are substantially identical in shape on at least a per-color basis.