Patent ID: 8089544
Filing Date: 2012-01-03
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An image sensor comprising: an imaging area including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix on a semiconductor substrate and detecting an incident light; a plurality of row selection lines each connected to the pixels arranged in the row direction; and a plurality of column signal lines each connected to the pixels arranged in a column direction, wherein each of the pixels or each of a plurality of pixel blocks including the pixels includes: a photodiode carrying a current according to the incident light; a capacitor connected to one end of the photodiode at a first node, and applying a potential to the first node; a reset transistor connected between the first node and a first power supply, and resetting a potential of the first node to a potential of the first power supply; a comparator comparing the potential of the first node with a reference voltage, and outputting a comparison result to a gate of the reset transistor; a counter connected to an output end of the comparator, counting an inversion count of an output signal from the comparator, and outputting a digital value according to the inversion count, the output signal being generated from the comparator when the potential of the first node reaches the potential of the first power supply; and a selection transistor connected between an output of the counter and one of the plurality of column signal lines, and having a gate connected to one of the plurality of row selection lines.