Patent ID: 11924569
Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Field: Audio-visual technology (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H | IPC H

Claim 14:
15. An operating method of an image sensor sampling a pixel signal a plurality of times during a readout time, the operating method comprising:
outputting a first digital signal to a data output circuit based on a first sub-ramp signal among a plurality of sub-ramp signals during a first sub readout time within the readout time;
comparing a signal level of a second sub-ramp signal having a maximum signal level less than a maximum signal level of the first sub-ramp signal with a signal level of the pixel signal during a second sub readout time following the first sub readout time;
outputting counting data based on a result of comparison between the signal level of the second sub-ramp signal and the signal level of the pixel signal;
comparing a binary value of a reference code corresponding to the second sub-ramp signal with a binary value of the counting data; and
outputting a digital signal corresponding to the counting data to the data output circuit or controlling the data output circuit to generate, as a second digital signal corresponding to the second sub-ramp signal, the first digital signal, depending on a result of the comparison between the binary values.