An image sensor with improved image quality is provided. An image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of unit pixels. Each of the unit pixels includes a first photoelectric converter configured to convert received light into charges, a first transfer transistor electrically connected between the first photoelectric converter and a first node, a connection transistor disposed connected to a second node and the first node, a dual conversion transistor electrically connected between a third node and the second node, a second transfer transistor electrically connected between a fourth node and the third node, a second photoelectric converter electrically connected to the fourth node and configured to convert the received light into charges, a first switch electrically connected to the second photoelectric converter and the fourth node, a first capacitor electrically connected to the fourth node, and a electrically second capacitor connected to the third node.

An image sensor with improved image quality is provided. An image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of unit pixels. Each of the unit pixels includes a first photoelectric converter configured to convert received light into charges, a first transfer transistor electrically connected between the first photoelectric converter and a first node, a connection transistor disposed connected to a second node and the first node, a dual conversion transistor electrically connected between a third node and the second node, a second transfer transistor electrically connected between a fourth node and the third node, a second photoelectric converter electrically connected to the fourth node and configured to convert the received light into charges, a first switch electrically connected to the second photoelectric converter and the fourth node, a first capacitor electrically connected to the fourth node, and a electrically second capacitor connected to the third node.

A method of removing fixed pattern noise, comprising: S01: performing a single-frame segmented exposure on a pixel array; S02: reading a signal of the pixel array, comprising: S021: performing a soft reset, so as to set the reset signal of the pixel unit to an intermediate voltage, and reading a differential reset signal; S022: performing a hard reset so as to set the reset signal of the pixel unit to a high voltage; S023: turning on a transmission MOS transistor to enable an exposure signal of the photodiode to be transmitted to the floating diffusion area, and reading a differential pixel transmission signal; S03: subtracting the differential reset signal from the differential pixel transmission signal to obtain an exposure signal with fixed pattern noise removed. Another method of removing fixed pattern noise and an image sensor are further provided.

A method of removing fixed pattern noise, comprising: S01: performing a single-frame segmented exposure on a pixel array; S02: reading a of the pixel array, comprising: S021: performing a soft reset, so as to set the reset signal of the pixel unit to an intermediate voltage, and reading a differential reset signal; S022: performing a hard reset so as to set the reset signal of the pixel unit to a high voltage; S023: turning on a transmission MOS transistor to enable an exposure signal of to photodiode to transmitted to the floating diffusion area, and reading a differential pixel transmission signal; S03: subtracting the differential reset signal from the differential pixel transmission signal to obtain an exposure signal with fixed pattern noise removed. Another method is removing fixed pattern noise and an image sensor are further provided.

An imaging device having a pixel including: a photoelectric converter that generates an electric signal through photoelectric conversion of incident light; a first transistor that has a gate coupled to the photoelectric converter and that amplifies the electric signal; and a second transistor that has a gate coupled to the photoelectric converter, one of a source and a drain of the second transistor being coupled to the photoelectric converter. The imaging device further includes a voltage supply circuit configured to supply two or more different voltages to the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor.

An image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of unit pixels arranged along a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns. Each of the unit pixels includes a photoelectric conversion element generating and accumulating photocharges, a charge detection node receiving the photocharges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion element, a readout circuit converting the photocharges accumulated in and output from the charge detection node into an electrical pixel signal, the readout circuit outputting the electrical pixel signal, a capacitive element, and a switching element controlling connection between the charge detection node and the capacitive element. Each of the rows of the pixel array includes first pixels connected to a first conversion gain control line and second pixels connected to a second conversion gain control line.

The present invention relates to an image sensor and to an imaging system comprising the same. The present invention particularly relates to X-ray image sensors and imaging systems. The image sensor according to the invention comprises a pixel array that includes a plurality of active pixels arranged in a matrix of rows and columns, and a plurality of column lines to which outputs of pixels in the same column are coupled for the purpose of outputting pixel signals. The image sensor further comprises readout circuitry that includes a plurality of readout units, each readout unit being configured for reading out a respective column line through an input node of the readout unit. The image sensor is characterized in that the image sensor further comprises capacitive units, such as capacitors, for capacitively coupling each input node to its corresponding column line.

A method of temperature compensation in an optical-fingerprint detection system includes acquiring a first reading associated with one or more pixels of an array. The first reading is a baseline reading. The method further includes acquiring a second reading associated with the one or more pixels of the array. The second reading includes the baseline plus a signal. Producing a temperature compensated signal reading by subtracting the first reading from the second reading. The array is an optical-fingerprint array, and each pixel of the array is coupled to a readout circuit via a pixel switch. The method includes row-based and frame-based schemes and a blind pixel scheme. Readout circuit improvements including multiplexed analog front-end (AFE), charge magnifier with column charge offset compensation and a low-noise gate driver circuit are provided.

An AD conversion circuit provided in a solid-state image sensor includes a counter circuit that performs count processing and a first latch circuit that holds at least one of a discrimination result of a first comparison circuit and a first output result of the counter circuit.

An image sensor is provided. The image sensor includes a counting code generator configured to generate a counting code, a pixel array including at least one pixel, a correlated double sampling (CDS) circuit configured to compare a magnitude of a pixel signal output from the at least one pixel with a magnitude of a ramp signal and to output a corresponding comparison signal, a pulse generator configured to generate a pulse signal synchronized with a first clock signal based on the comparison signal, and a counter circuit configured to latch a value of the counting code to correspond to a transition of a level of the comparison signal based on the pulse signal.