Patent ID: 7375751

Claim:
A CMOS image sensor comprising a photodiode, a reset switch for removing a photo-induced charge accumulated on the photodiode, an amplifier for detecting a pixel output voltage based on the photo-induced charge accumulated on the photodiode, and a selection switch for outputting the voltage detected by the amplifier, wherein the photodiode, the reset switch, the amplifier, and the selection switch are formed on a substrate through a CMOS manufacturing process, the CMOS image sensor further comprising: a current source for regularly decreasing a node voltage of the photodiode; a comparator for comparing an output voltage of the amplifier with a reference voltage for controlling the current source to reset the photodiode; and a memory for storing a digital value corresponding to the reference voltage, wherein the current source comprises: a buffer transistor with a constant gate voltage being applied thereto; a capacitor having one end connected to a source of the buffer transistor; a voltage source for supplying a regularly varying voltage, the voltage source being connected to the other end of the capacitor; and a current on/off switch for controlling the buffer transistor based on an output value of the comparator, the current on/off switch being connected to the source of the buffer transistor.