JP2003299111A - Solid state imaging device and camera - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a high speed, high image quality solid state imaging device by eliminating the effect of temporally adjacent signals in different colors. <P>SOLUTION: Among pixel signals of respective rows or columns, the same color signals can be delivered from different output amplifiers and when the same kind of color is present in adjacent rows, the same kind of color can be delivered from the same output section to the adjacent rows. An external circuit is not required to operate a switch for sorting the color at a high speed for each pixel signal of the output signal and can operate the switch at a low speed only at the time of switching the color. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a solid-state image pickup device used for a digital still camera, a moving image camera or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 3 is an example showing a configuration of a conventional MOS type solid-state image pickup device and an external circuit. Pixels 1 arranged two-dimensionally, vertical shift registers 2 for selecting pixels in the column direction, vertical signal lines 3 in the column direction, row memory unit 4 for accumulating signals of each row, and row memory unit are selected. Horizontal shift register 5 and output signal line 6 for outputting each row
And an external circuit 9 for accumulating the signal output of the solid-state image pickup device 8 for each color.

The pixel 1 of the solid-state image pickup device 8 is a Bayer array of three primary colors of red (R), green (G) and blue (B). The signals of the pixels in each row are transferred to the row memory unit 4 for each row, and by the output of the horizontal shift register 5,
Pixel signals in the row memory unit 4 are sequentially transferred to the output signal line 6 and read from the output amplifier 7 in the order of S1, S2, S3, S4, S5 and S6. The read output signal is input to the external circuit 9, is stored in the external memory 10 for each color by the color selection switch 11, and is then subjected to image processing.

[0004]

FIG. 4 shows a conventional MOS.
7 shows an output waveform of an output amplifier of the solid-state imaging device. The output signals of the Nth row are the outputs S1 and S of the horizontal shift register 5.
2, S3, S4, S5, S6 are turned on in order of G1
(N), B1 (n), G2 (n), B2 (n), G3
The signals of (n) and B3 (n) are sequentially output from the amplifier 7, and the output signals of the (N + 1) th row are R1 (n + 1) and G1.
(N + 1), R2 (n + 1), G2 (n + 1), R3
The signals (n + 1) and G3 (n + 1) are sequentially output from the amplifier 7. Since the output signals from the output amplifier 7 are different from each other in adjacent signals, it is necessary to select the colors of the output signals for each color in the external circuit at high speed by using the color selection switch 11 and transfer them to the external memory 10. In the case of FIG. 3, 1
In order to transfer the pixel signals of a row to the external memory 10,
It is necessary to switch the color selection switch 11 six times.

Further, since the output signal is easily influenced by an adjacent signal in terms of time, there is a possibility of color mixing, resulting in deterioration of image quality. In particular, when the signal output speed is increased, it is necessary to increase the speed of the external circuit switch and prevent color mixture.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a solid-state image pickup device in which a switch of an external circuit is slowed down even when a signal is output at a high speed, and color mixing is small. It is to provide a camera equipped with a solid-state imaging device.

[0007]

A solid-state image pickup device according to the present invention has a plurality of unit pixels for photoelectrically converting incident light arranged two-dimensionally on a semiconductor substrate, and the unit pixels have different color arrangements. In a solid-state imaging device having an image pickup unit having an image pickup unit, an output signal line from which a signal of the image pickup unit is read, and an output unit outputting a signal of the output signal line, a first color that is not adjacent in any row is displayed. Output from the first output section in succession, and a second color that is different from the first color and is not adjacent to the first color in the arbitrary row is continuously output from the second output section that is different from the first output section. It is characterized by outputting.

With this structure, different colors can be read in parallel from different output sections in the same row of the solid-state image pickup device, and the signal reading speed can be increased. Further, since the same color signal can be continuously output from each output section, it is possible to reduce the speed of the color selection switch of the external circuit that switches the colors even when the signal output speed is increased. In addition, it is possible to reduce color mixture of adjacent signals and achieve high image quality.

Further, when all the same color signals are continuously output in the same row of the solid-state image pickup device, the speed of the color selection switch can be further reduced, and the color mixture of adjacent signals can be further reduced. Therefore, the output speed of the solid-state imaging device can be increased.

Further, in the solid-state image pickup device of the present invention, when there are a plurality of colors in the same row, the signals of the respective rows are sequentially output from different output units for different colors in the same row. Is characterized by.

According to this structure, different colors can be simultaneously read out to different output signal lines in the same row,
Further, the output of the solid-state imaging device can be speeded up.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a MOS type solid-state image pickup device and an external circuit according to the present invention. Pixels 1 arranged two-dimensionally, vertical shift registers 2 for selecting pixels in the column direction, vertical signal lines 3 in the column direction, row memory unit 4 for accumulating signals of each row, and row memory unit are selected. Horizontal shift register 5 and output signal line 6 for outputting for each row
1 and 6-2, and solid-state imaging device 8 including output amplifiers 7-1 and 7-2, and an external circuit 9 that accumulates the signal output of solid-state imaging device 8 for each color.

A pixel 1 of the solid-state image pickup device 8 is a Bayer array of three primary colors of red (R), green (G) and blue (B), and has the same structure as the conventional one. The difference from the conventional one is that after the signals of the pixels in each row are transferred to the row memory unit 4 for each row, the outputs S1, S2 of the horizontal shift register 5,
In each case of S3, different colors in the same row stored in the row memory unit 4 have different output signal lines 6-.
It is read simultaneously to 1 and 6-2. For example, the output signal line 6-1 reads out green (G) stored in the row memory unit 4, and the output signal line 6-2 reads out blue (B) stored in the memory unit 4. Therefore, since the same color signal is read from the row memory unit 4 to the output signal lines 6-1 and 6-2, respectively, the output amplifier 7-1 and
Different colors can be simultaneously output to 7-2. In this way, two different colors can be output at the same time, and the output speed can be increased.

The read output signal is input to the external circuit 9 and stored in the external memory 10 for each color by the color selection switch 11. In the present invention, first, the output amplifier 7-1 of the output amplifier 7-1. The green (G) color selection switch 11 to which a signal is input is turned on, and all the green (G) output signals are read into the green (G) external memory 10. At the same time, the blue (B) color selection switch 11 to which the signal from the output amplifier 7-2 is input is turned on, and all the blue (B) output signals are read into the blue (B) external memory 10. As a result, the number of times that the color selection switch has been switched, which was conventionally required to read the pixel signals of one row into the external memory 10, was six times.
It can be reduced to once.

FIG. 2 shows an output waveform in the output amplifier of the MOS type solid-state image pickup device of the present invention. The signals of the pixel nth row are output from the output amplifier 7-1 as G1 (n), G2 (n),
G3 (n), B1 (n), B2 from the output amplifier 7-2
(N) and B3 (n) are output, and the signals of the pixel n + 1-th row are output from the output amplifier 7-1 as R1 (n + 1) and R2 (n).
+1), R3 (n + 1), and the output amplifier 7-2 outputs G1 (n + 1), G2 (n + 1), and G3.
(N + 1) are output in this order. Output amplifiers 7-1 and 7
-2, since the same color signals that are not adjacent to each other are continuously output in the same row, when accumulating in the external memory 10 of the external circuit, the color selection switch 11 that sorts and selects the color at high speed is used. It is not necessary to operate in step 1, and only one switching operation at the time of row switching is sufficient. For example, in the nth row and the n + 1th row, the output amplifier 7-
Since the color types of the 1 and 7-2 signals are different, it is only necessary to change the color selection switch 11 at that time, and the speed of the color selection switch 11 can be reduced.

Further, since the output signals are the same in color and are not influenced by the adjacent color signals, color mixture can be prevented and high image quality can be realized. In particular, when the signal output is increased in speed, the effect of reducing the speed of the color selection switch 11 and improving the image quality by preventing color mixture is particularly great.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, each color is continuously read out in each row, and this is most effective, but even when at least two or more identical signals are continuously output. It has the effect of slowing down and improving the image quality.

The embodiment of the present invention is an example in which the signal of each row is input to the row memory unit and read by the output signal line, but the signal of each column is input to the column memory unit and read by the output signal line. Also, the same effect can be realized.

The embodiment of the present invention is an example in which the external circuit has an external memory for each color, but the same effect can be obtained when the external circuit is incorporated in the solid-state image pickup device.

The embodiment of the present invention is an example of R, G and B primary color filters, but complementary color filters such as cyan (Cy), magenta (Mg), yellow (Ye) and green (G). Also, the same effect is obtained in the case of other color arrangements.

Although the present invention does not show optically black pixels (optical and black), a horizontal output signal is generated when there is an optically black pixel area around the image pickup section or in the image pickup section. The same effect can be obtained even when the signal of the optically black pixel is read out in the line in addition to the color signal.

Further, in the present invention, when each row or each column is directly output to the output signal line, the row memory section and the column memory section are not essential.

[0023]

As described above, according to the solid-state image pickup device of the present invention, of the pixel signals of each row or each column, the same color signal can be output from different output amplifiers, and the same color signal can be output to adjacent rows. If there are colors of the same type, it is possible to output the same type of color to the adjacent rows from the same output section,
Since the colors adjacent to each other on the time axis are the same, it is possible to prevent color mixture which is influenced by the mutual colors and realize high image quality.

Further, since parallel output is possible, high-speed output is possible. Further, it is not necessary to operate a switch for distributing and selecting a color of an output signal for each pixel signal in an external circuit at a high speed, and only when a color is switched. Moreover, since the low-speed switching can be performed, the speed of the entire camera system including the solid-state imaging device can be increased.

Further, such a solid-state image pickup device realizes high speed and high image quality of the solid-state image pickup device while meeting the demand for realization of a camera and a camera system using the solid-state image pickup device. Extremely useful.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a MOS solid-state imaging device and an external circuit of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an output waveform in an output amplifier of the MOS type solid-state imaging device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a conventional MOS solid-state imaging device and an external circuit.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an output waveform of an output amplifier of a conventional MOS solid-state imaging device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 pixel 2 Vertical shift register 3 vertical signal lines 4-line memory section 5 Horizontal shift register 6-1 and 6-2 output signal line 7-1, 7-2 output amplifier 8 Solid-state imaging device 9 External circuit 10 External memory 11 color selection switch

Continued front page    F-term (reference) 4M118 AA10 AB01 BA14 FA06 FA38                       GB09 GC08 GC09 GC14                 5C024 CX03 EX52 GY31 GZ41 HX50                 5C065 AA01 AA03 BB19 BB22 BB30                       CC01 DD15 EE03 GG10 GG26

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of unit pixels for photoelectrically converting incident light are two-dimensionally arranged on a semiconductor substrate, and an image pickup unit having rows having different color arrangements of the unit pixels and a signal of the image pickup unit are provided. In a solid-state imaging device having an output signal line to be read out and an output section for outputting a signal of the output signal line, first colors which are not adjacent to each other in any row are consecutively first
Of the first color and the non-adjacent second colors different from the first color in the arbitrary row are continuously output from the second output section different from the first output section. Solid-state imaging device. 2. A solid-state imaging device having a plurality of unit pixels, each of which photoelectrically converts incident light, arranged two-dimensionally on a semiconductor substrate and having rows having different color arrangements of the unit pixels. A solid-state imaging device, wherein when there is a color, the signals of each row are sequentially output from different output units for different colors in the same row. 3. The signals of different color types in the same row are read out to the respective different output signal lines at the same time, and are output from the output units connected to the respective output signal lines. Alternatively, the solid-state imaging device according to claim 2. 4. A plurality of unit pixels for photoelectrically converting incident light are two-dimensionally arranged on a semiconductor substrate, and an image pickup unit having columns having different color arrangements of the unit pixels and a signal of the image pickup unit are provided. In a solid-state imaging device having an output signal line to be read out and an output section for outputting a signal of the output signal line, a first color which is not adjacent in any column is first
Of the first color and the second color that is different from the first color and is not adjacent to the first color is continuously output from the second output section different from the first output section. Solid-state imaging device. 5. A solid-state imaging device comprising a semiconductor substrate, in which a plurality of unit pixels for photoelectrically converting incident light are two-dimensionally arranged, and the unit pixels have columns of different color arrangements. Solid-state imaging device, when different color signals in each column are read, different colors in the same column are sequentially output from different output units. 6. The signals of different color types in the same column are read out to the respective different output signal lines at the same time, and are output from the output units connected to the respective output signal lines. Alternatively, the solid-state imaging device according to claim 5. 7. A camera equipped with the solid-state imaging device according to claim 1. Description: