High-low sensitivity pixel

Details High-low sensitivity pixel High-low sensitivity pixel

2006-04-11

2006-04-11

Porta, David (Department: 2878)

Radiant energy

Photocells; circuits and apparatus

Photocell controlled circuit

C257S440000, C348S310000

Reexamination Certificate

active

07026596

ABSTRACT:
A pixel circuit, and a method for operating a high-low sensitivity (HLS) pixel circuit, to provide increased dynamic range in an imager. The pixel circuit combines a four transistor (“4T”) and a three-transistor plus capacitor (“3TC”) configuration in one pixel, where the 4T portion of the pixel is coupled to a high sensitivity buried photodiode region, and the 3TC portion of the pixel is coupled to a low sensitivity buried photodiode region. The pixel circuit first reads out charge from the high sensitivity photodiode region and compares it to a reset voltage, then reads out charge from the low sensitivity photodiode region. Under an alternate embodiment, multiple HLS pixels are coupled through a common floating diffusion node.

REFERENCES:
patent: 4496788 (1985-01-01), Hamakawa et al.
patent: 6693670 (2004-02-01), Stark

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