US-12627903-B2 - Imaging element having pixels, signal lines, and comparison units

Abstract

An imaging element includes a first photoelectric conversion unit and a second photoelectric conversion unit that generates electric charges by photoelectric conversion, a first comparison unit that outputs a first signal based on a result of comparing a signal based on electric charges generated by the first photoelectric conversion unit and a reference signal, a first storage unit that stores a signal based on the first signal that is output by the first comparison unit, a second comparison unit that outputs a second signal based on a result of comparing a signal based on electric charges generated by the second photoelectric conversion unit and a reference signal, a second storage unit that stores a signal based on the second signal that is output from the second comparison unit, and a connection unit that connects or disconnect the first comparison unit and the second storage unit.

Inventors

• Shigeru Matsumoto

Assignees

• NIKON CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20240501

Priority Date

20190329

Claims (20)

1. 1 . An imaging element comprising: a first pixel having a first photoelectric converter that converts light into an electric charge; a second pixel having a second photoelectric converter that converts light into an electric charge and is arranged in line with the first photoelectric converter in a row direction; a first signal line that is electrically connected to the first pixel; a second signal line that is electrically connected to the second pixel; a first comparison unit having (i) a first input terminal that is electrically connected to the first signal line and (ii) a first output terminal; a second comparison unit having (i) a second input terminal that is electrically connected to the second signal line and (ii) a second output terminal; a first storage unit that is electrically connected to the first output terminal; a second storage unit that is electrically connected to the first output terminal and the second output terminal; a first data line that is electrically connected to the first storage unit; a second data line that is electrically connected to the second storage unit; a first selection unit for electrically connecting the first storage unit and the first data line; and a second selection unit for electrically connecting the second storage unit and the second data line.
2. 2 . The imaging element according to claim 1 , further comprising a first connection unit including a first switch that electrically connects the first output terminal and the second storage unit.
3. 3 . The imaging element according to claim 2 , further comprising: a second connection unit including a second switch that electrically connects the first output terminal and the first storage unit; and a third connection unit including a third switch that electrically connects the second output terminal and the second storage unit.
4. 4 . The imaging element according to claim 1 , further comprising a signal processing unit that is electrically connected to the first data line and the second data line.
5. 5 . The imaging element according to claim 4 , wherein the signal processing unit performs correlation double sampling processing using a signal output to the first data line and a signal output to the second data line.
6. 6 . The imaging element according to claim 1 , wherein: the first storage unit includes a first latch circuit and a second latch circuit; the second storage unit includes a third latch circuit and a fourth latch circuit; the first selection unit controls an electrical connection between the first latch circuit and the first data line and controls an electrical connection between the second latch circuit and the first data line; and the second selection unit controls an electrical connection between the third latch circuit and the second data line and controls an electrical connection between the fourth latch circuit and the second data line.
7. 7 . The imaging element according to claim 1 , wherein: the first pixel includes a first floating diffusion to which the electric charge converted by the first photoelectric converter is transferred; and the second pixel includes a second floating diffusion to which the electric charge converted by the second photoelectric converter is transferred.
8. 8 . The imaging element according to claim 7 , further comprising a connection unit for electrically connecting the first floating diffusion and the second floating diffusion.
9. 9 . The imaging element according to claim 8 , wherein the connection unit includes a first switch that electrically connects the first floating diffusion and the second floating diffusion.
10. 10 . The imaging element according to claim 9 , wherein: the connection unit includes a second switch that electrically connects the first floating diffusion and the second floating diffusion; and the second switch is connected in series with the first switch between the first floating diffusion and the second floating diffusion.
11. 11 . The imaging element according to claim 10 , wherein: the connection unit includes a third switch that electrically connects the first floating diffusion and the second floating diffusion; and the third switch is connected in series with the first switch and the second switch between the first floating diffusion and the second floating diffusion.
12. 12 . The imaging element according to claim 1 , wherein: the first photoelectric converter and the second photoelectric converter are arranged on a first substrate; and the first storage unit and the second storage unit are arranged on a second substrate laminated with the first substrate.
13. 13 . The imaging element according to claim 12 , wherein the first comparison unit and the second comparison unit are arranged on the second substrate.
14. 14 . The imaging element according to claim 1 , wherein the first comparison unit includes a third input terminal to which is input a reference signal for comparison with a signal value of a signal input to the first input terminal.
15. 15 . The imaging element according to claim 14 , wherein a ramp signal whose signal value changes with an elapse of time is input to the third input terminal as the reference signal.
16. 16 . The imaging element according to claim 1 , wherein the second photoelectric converter is arranged next to the first photoelectric converter in the row direction.
17. 17 . The imaging element according to claim 1 , further comprising: a third pixel including a third photoelectric converter that converts light into an electric charge and is arranged in line with the first photoelectric converter in a column direction; a third signal line that is electrically connected to the third pixel; a third comparison unit having (i) a third input terminal electrically connected to the third signal line and (ii) a third output terminal; and a third storage unit that is electrically connected to the third output terminal.
18. 18 . The imaging element according to claim 17 , further comprising a first connection unit including a first switch that electrically connects the first output terminal and the second storage unit.
19. 19 . The imaging element according to claim 18 , further comprising: a second connection unit including a second switch that electrically connects the first output terminal and the first storage unit; a third connection unit including a third switch that electrically connects the second output terminal and the second storage unit; and a fourth connection unit including a fourth switch that electrically connects the third output terminal and the third storage unit.
20. 20 . The imaging element according to claim 17 , wherein the first data line is electrically connected to the first storage unit and the third storage unit.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/442,911, filed Nov. 18, 2021, which is a national stage entry of PCT/JP2020/014103, filed Mar. 27, 2020. The contents of those prior applications are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an imaging element and an imaging device. BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, an imaging element having a storage unit that stores a digital value corresponding to the amount of light received by a pixel and a storage unit that temporarily stores a digital value for signal processing and horizontal transfer control is known (for example, refer to Patent Literature 1). CITATION LIST Patent Literature Patent Literature 1 PCT International Publication No. WO 2017/18215 SUMMARY OF INVENTION According to a first aspect of the present invention, an imaging element includes a first photoelectric conversion unit and a second photoelectric conversion unit that generates electric charges by photoelectric conversion, a first comparison unit that outputs a first signal based on a result of comparing a signal based on electric charges generated by the first photoelectric conversion unit and a reference signal, a first storage unit that stores a signal based on the first signal that is output by the first comparison unit, a second comparison unit that outputs a second signal based on a result of comparing a signal based on electric charges generated by the second photoelectric conversion unit and a reference signal, a second storage unit that stores a signal based on the second signal that is output from the second comparison unit, and a first connection unit that connects or disconnect the first comparison unit and the second storage unit. According to a second aspect of the present invention, an imaging device includes the imaging element according to the first aspect, and a generation unit that generates image data on the basis of a signal output from the imaging element. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagram which shows a configuration example of an imaging device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram which shows a configuration example of an imaging element according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram which shows a configuration example of a part of the imaging element according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram which describes reading processing of the imaging element according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram which describes an example of a method of adding pixel signals in the imaging element according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram which describes another reading processing of the imaging element according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram which describes another reading processing of the imaging element according to the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a diagram which describes another reading processing of the imaging element according to the first embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram which describes another reading processing of the imaging element according to the first embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram which performs a comparison in reading processing of the imaging element according to the first embodiment. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a diagram which shows a configuration example of a camera 1 that is an example of an imaging device according to a first embodiment. The camera 1 includes an image capturing optical system (an image forming optical system) 2, an imaging element 3, a control unit 4, a memory 5, a display unit 6, and an operation unit 7. The image capturing optical system 2 has a plurality of lenses including a focus adjusting lens (a focus lens) and an aperture diaphragm, and forms an image of a subject on the imaging element 3. The image capturing optical system 2 may also be detached from the camera 1. The imaging element 3 is an imaging element such as a CMOS image sensor or a CCD imaging sensor. The imaging element 3 receives a luminous flux that has passed through the image capturing optical system 2 and captures a subject image formed by the image capturing optical system 2. In the imaging element 3, a plurality of pixels having a photoelectric conversion unit are arranged in a two-dimensional shape (a row direction and a column direction). The photoelectric conversion element is configured by a photodiode (PD). The imaging element 3 generates a signal by performing photoelectric conversion on the received light, and outputs the generated signal to the control unit 4. The memory 5 is a recording medium such as a memory card. Image data, a control program, and the like are recorded in the memory 5. Writing data to the memory 5 and reading data from the memory 5 are controlled by the control unit 4. The display unit 6 displays an image based on the image data, information regarding photographing such as a shutter speed and a diaphragm value,