JP2010268529A - Solid-state imaging apparatus and electronic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To satisfy both high resolution and high speed reading in an imaging apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: A unit pixel group 3 is defined in which a plurality of pixels 2a, 2b are shared for one pixel signal generating section 5 comprised of a floating diffusion 38, and an amplification transistor 42. In a pixel shared structure, after the pixel signal Sa of one pixel 2a is acquired, when acquiring the pixel signal Sb of another pixel 2b, non-destructive read is performed not to lose the signal charge of the pixel 2a that is read first, thereby acquiring a pixel signal Sab which are obtained by combining signal charges of the plurality of pixels 2a, 2b with each other. The pixel signal Sb of the other pixel 2b to be read later is determined by a difference processing between the combined pixel signal Sab and the pixel signal Sa of the one pixel 2a. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a physical information acquisition method, a physical information acquisition device, and a semiconductor device, a program, and an imaging module for physical quantity distribution detection in which a plurality of unit components are arranged. More specifically, for example, a plurality of unit components that are sensitive to electromagnetic waves input from the outside such as light and radiation are arranged, and the physical quantity distribution converted into an electric signal by the unit components is converted into an electric signal. The present invention relates to a technique for reading out a signal and acquiring information for a predetermined purpose, which is suitable when using a semiconductor device with physical quantity distribution detection such as a solid-state imaging device. In particular, it relates to reading speed and resolution.

  For example, physical quantities formed by arranging multiple unit components (for example, pixels) that are sensitive to changes in physical quantities, such as electromagnetic waves input from outside such as light and radiation, or pressure (contact etc.) Distribution detection semiconductor devices are used in various fields.

  For example, in the field of video equipment, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) type, MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor) or CMOS (Complementary Metal-oxide) that detects changes in light (an example of an electromagnetic wave), which is an example of a physical quantity. A solid-state imaging device using a semiconductor (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) type imaging device (imaging device) is used.

  In the field of computer equipment, fingerprint authentication devices that detect fingerprint images based on changes in electrical characteristics based on pressure and changes in optical characteristics are used. These read out, as an electrical signal, a physical quantity distribution converted into an electrical signal by a unit component (a pixel in a solid-state imaging device).

  Further, in some solid-state imaging devices, an amplifying solid-state imaging device (APS; Active Pixel Sensor) that has a driving transistor for amplification in a pixel signal generation unit that generates a pixel signal corresponding to the signal charge generated in the charge generation unit. There is an amplification type solid-state imaging device including a pixel having a configuration (also called a gain cell). For example, many CMOS solid-state imaging devices have such a configuration.

  In such an amplification type solid-state imaging device, in order to read out a pixel signal to the outside, address control is performed on a pixel unit in which a plurality of unit pixels are arranged, and signals from individual unit pixels are assigned to a predetermined address. The data is read out in order or arbitrarily. That is, the amplification type solid-state imaging device is an example of an address control type solid-state imaging device.

  For example, an amplification type solid-state imaging device which is a kind of XY address type solid-state imaging device in which unit pixels are arranged in a matrix form an active element (MOS transistor) such as a MOS structure in order to give the pixel itself an amplification function. ) To form a pixel. That is, signal charges (photoelectrons and holes) accumulated in a photodiode which is a photoelectric conversion element are amplified by the active element and read out as image information.

US Pat. No. 6,423,994 JP-A-10-136391 JP 2001-285717 A

  Here, as a trend of recent solid-state imaging devices, pixel miniaturization and speeding-up are remarkable (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3). One common problem is sensitivity. The former miniaturization relates to a decrease in the amount of incident light per pixel due to a reduction in the light receiving portion. The latter increase in speed is related to a decrease in the amount of incident light due to a decrease in exposure time.

  As for the former, for example, in Patent Document 1, a part of a circuit held in each pixel cell is shared by a plurality of pixels to reduce the area occupied by the circuit, and the area of the photoelectric conversion unit is reduced. A mechanism to ensure is proposed.

  The mechanism described in Patent Document 1 has an effect of suppressing the shielding of the optical path by the metal wiring by widening the opening. However, in a current solid-state imaging device, a microlens is usually formed for each pixel, and although there is a difference in transmittance depending on a condensing design, the sensitivity is almost determined by the aperture of the lens. Therefore, the area of the photoelectric conversion unit is not an absolute factor that determines sensitivity.

  On the other hand, in Patent Document 2, in the rows of light receiving elements adjacent to each other, the arrangement of the light receiving elements in one row is relative to the arrangement of the light receiving elements in the other row by approximately ½ of the arrangement interval. The column direction charge transfer devices for two columns are arranged between the light receiving elements adjacent to each other in the row direction, and the column direction charge transfer device for one column is disposed between the light receiving elements adjacent to each other in the oblique direction. By adopting a configuration in which the column direction charge transfer device is formed on the semiconductor substrate so as to meander between the light receiving elements (hereinafter also referred to as a configuration in which pixels are arranged obliquely), A mechanism to increase sensitivity has been proposed. In this configuration, when the spatial frequency in the vertical and horizontal directions is constant, the number of pixels can be halved, so that the pixel area can be increased.

  However, in the mechanism described in Patent Document 2, the resolution in the oblique direction is lowered as can be seen from the fact that the total number of pixels is reduced. In other words, purely, the same resolution is not obtained. In addition, while the pixels are arranged obliquely, reading is performed by driving in the vertical and horizontal directions, so that design is difficult.

  On the other hand, as another method for increasing the sensitivity, for example, in Patent Document 3, in a solid-state imaging device configured to share a charge-voltage conversion unit, signal charges are simultaneously read from a plurality of photoelectric conversion units and added. A mechanism for increasing the light receiving area has been proposed. This method is suitable for speeding up because the number of readout pixels is reduced.

  However, in the mechanism described in Patent Document 3, since the signal charges are simply added, the number of output pixels is reduced and the resolution is lowered.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to propose a technique capable of high-speed reading. Moreover, it aims at proposing the technique which suppresses the fall of the resolution.

  The physical information acquisition method according to the present invention is provided so as to be shared by a plurality of detection units that detect changes in physical quantities and the plurality of detection units, and based on changes in physical quantities detected by the respective detection units. A unit signal generation unit that outputs a unit signal in a unit component, uses a semiconductor device for physical quantity distribution detection in which the unit components are arranged in a predetermined order, and uses a predetermined detection condition for the physical quantity. Is a physical information acquisition method for acquiring physical information for a predetermined purpose based on the unit signal acquired in step 1, wherein a plurality of detection units shared by the unit signal generation unit are detected by one detection unit. After acquiring the unit signal according to the change of the physical quantity, when acquiring the unit signal according to the change of the physical quantity detected by the other detection unit, the change of the physical quantity detected by each of the one and other detection units Synthetic ingredients It was decided to perform the drive control to the unit component to obtain a unit signal corresponding.

  In short, in the pixel sharing structure, when acquiring the other unit signal, that is, for the detection unit to be read later, non-destructive so that the unit signal reflecting the change in the physical quantity of one of the detection units read first is not lost. That is, the combined unit signal is acquired by reading. About the unit signal of the detection part read out later, it can obtain | require by simple arithmetic processing.

  The physical information acquisition apparatus according to the present invention is an apparatus suitable for carrying out the physical information acquisition method according to the present invention, wherein one of the plurality of detection units shared by the unit signal generation unit is selected. After acquiring the unit signal according to the change in the physical quantity detected by the detection unit, when acquiring the unit signal according to the change in the physical quantity detected by the other detection unit, each of the one and other detection units A drive control unit that performs drive control on the unit component so as to obtain a unit signal corresponding to the composite component of the detected change in the physical quantity is provided.

  A semiconductor device according to the present invention is a semiconductor device used when the physical information acquisition method and apparatus according to the present invention is implemented, and the unit signal generation unit detects a plurality of detection units that meet a predetermined condition. For a plurality of shared detection units, a unit signal corresponding to a change in physical quantity detected by one detection unit is acquired and then detected by the other detection unit. When a unit signal corresponding to a change in physical quantity is acquired, the unit component is driven so as to acquire a unit signal corresponding to a composite component of a change in physical quantity detected by one of the other detection units. A drive control unit that performs control is provided.

  The imaging module according to the present invention is an imaging module that receives light, which is an example of physical information, to obtain a pixel signal, and is suitable for performing the physical information acquisition method according to the present invention. An imaging lens that captures the optical image of the image, a plurality of detection units on which an optical image of the subject captured by the imaging lens is formed, and a pixel signal generation unit that acquires a pixel signal corresponding to the signal charge detected by the detection unit In response to changes in physical quantities detected by one of the detectors, including solid-state image sensors that are included in the components and in which unit components are arranged in a predetermined order, and multiple detectors that are shared by the unit signal generator After acquiring the unit signal, when acquiring the unit signal according to the change in the physical quantity detected by the other detection unit, it depends on the composite component of the change in the physical quantity detected by each of the one and other detection units. Simply It was assumed and a drive controller for performing drive control to the unit component to obtain a signal.

  Further, the invention described in the dependent claims defines a further advantageous specific example of the physical information acquisition method and apparatus or the semiconductor device or the imaging module according to the present invention. Furthermore, the program according to the present invention is suitable for realizing the physical information acquisition apparatus according to the present invention by software using an electronic computer (computer). Note that the program may be provided by being stored in a computer-readable storage medium, or may be provided by distribution via wired or wireless communication means.

  For example, it is good to acquire the unit signal about the other by performing the arithmetic processing which takes the difference of the unit signal according to a synthetic component, and the unit signal about one already acquired.

  Or it is good to aim at noise reduction by further averaging between the unit signal about the detecting part to which attention is paid, and the unit signal about the detecting part arranged around the detecting part to which attention is paid. However, since simple averaging causes a decrease in contrast, it is preferable to suppress the decrease in contrast by performing averaging so that the weighting ratio of the target detection unit to the unit signal is increased.

  Or it is good to suppress the fall of contrast by adjusting the unit signal about at least one of one and the other based on the unit signal according to a synthetic component, and the difference of the unit signal about one and the other. In this case, the addition / subtraction process is performed between the unit signal corresponding to the synthesized component and the difference between the unit signals for one and the other, and in this case, the larger the difference, the higher the ratio of addition / subtraction to the difference. It is preferable to adjust the unit signal by changing the specific gravity of the weight according to the signal displacement amount.

  Alternatively, acquisition of the unit signal for one detection unit and acquisition of the unit signal according to the combined component are performed a plurality of times, respectively, and the unit signal corresponding to the combined component acquired a plurality of times and the unit signal for one of the units Based on the above, noise reduction may be achieved by performing a process of obtaining an average value of the difference between the synthesized component and the unit signal for one side to obtain the unit signal for the other.

  According to the present invention, when acquiring each unit signal for a plurality of detection units shared by the unit signal generation unit, a unit signal corresponding to a change in physical quantity detected by one detection unit is acquired. At the time of acquiring the other unit signal later, the synthesized component is acquired by performing nondestructive reading so that one unit signal is not lost.

  This makes it possible to reduce the number of times the drive pulse is applied to the unit component by nondestructive reading compared to the case where a unit signal corresponding to a change in physical quantity is acquired independently from each of the plurality of detection units, and at high speed. Reading can be performed, and the frame rate can be increased without reducing the output resolution.

  The other unit signal can be obtained by performing an arithmetic process for obtaining a difference between the unit signal corresponding to the synthesized component and the unit signal for one unit, and this arithmetic process is extremely simple.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a CMOS solid-state imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a circuit diagram of one structural example of the unit pixel group which consists of a combination of a plurality of pixels. It is a timing chart explaining the drive and calculation method of the first embodiment. It is a figure explaining the problem in the drive and calculation method of 1st Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the drive and calculation method of 2nd Embodiment which eliminates the problem in the drive and calculation method of 1st Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the drive and the calculation method (an example of 3 pixel addition) of 3rd Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the addition unit in the drive and calculation method (an example of 3 pixel addition) of 3rd Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the drive and calculation method (double weighting / 3 pixel addition) of 4th Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the drive and the calculation method (double weighting / 2 pixel addition) of 4th Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the addition unit in the drive and calculation method (double weighting / 2 pixel addition) of 4th Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the drive and the calculation method of 5th Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the drive and calculation method of 6th Embodiment. FIG. 14 is a circuit diagram of a configuration example of a unit pixel group corresponding to the color coding shown in FIG. 12A or 12B in the sixth embodiment. It is a figure explaining the example of a system configuration which paid its attention to the arrangement position of the functional block which performs arithmetic processing. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the camera system which is one Embodiment of the electronic device provided with one Embodiment of the semiconductor device which concerns on this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following, a case where a CMOS image sensor, which is an example of an XY address type solid-state imaging device, is used as a device will be described as an example. The CMOS image sensor will be described on the assumption that all pixels are made of NMOS.

  However, this is merely an example, and the target device is not limited to a MOS imaging device. All of the semiconductor devices for physical quantity distribution detection in which a plurality of unit components having a detection unit that is sensitive to electromagnetic waves input from outside such as light and radiation are arranged in a line shape or a matrix shape, Embodiments to be described later can be similarly applied.

<Configuration of solid-state imaging device>
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a CMOS solid-state imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The solid-state imaging device 1 is applied as, for example, an electronic still camera or an FA (Factory Automation) camera that can capture a color image.

  The solid-state imaging device 1 includes an imaging unit in which pixels including light receiving elements that output a signal corresponding to the amount of incident light are arranged in rows and columns (that is, in a two-dimensional matrix), and a signal output from each pixel is a voltage. This is a signal and is a column type in which a CDS (Correlated Double Sampling) processing function section and other function sections are provided for each vertical column.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the solid-state imaging device 1 includes an imaging unit (pixel unit) 10 in which a plurality of pixels 2 are arranged in rows and columns (in a two-dimensional matrix), and outside the imaging unit 10. The drive control unit 7 is provided, and a column processing unit 26 having column signal processing circuits (referred to as column circuits in the figure) 26a arranged in each vertical column. As the drive control unit 7, for example, a horizontal scanning circuit 12 and a vertical scanning circuit 14 are provided.

  On the signal path between the column processing unit 26 and the horizontal scanning circuit 12, a load transistor unit including a load MOS transistor (not shown) having a drain terminal connected to each vertical signal line 19 is arranged. A load control unit (load MOS controller) for driving and controlling the load MOS transistor is provided.

  In FIG. 1, some of the rows and columns are omitted for the sake of simplicity, but in reality, tens to thousands of pixels 2 are arranged in each row and each column of the imaging unit 10. Although illustration is omitted, the imaging unit 10 is formed with a color separation filter having a predetermined color coding for each pixel. Although not shown, each pixel 2 of the imaging unit 10 typically includes a charge generation unit made up of a light receiving element such as a photodiode, and an in-pixel amplifier having an amplification semiconductor element (for example, a transistor). (See FIG. 2 described later).

  As the in-pixel amplifier, for example, a floating diffusion amplifier (Floating Diffusion Amp) configuration is used. As an example, with respect to the charge generation unit, a read selection transistor that is an example of a charge readout unit (transfer gate unit / read gate unit), a reset transistor that is an example of a reset gate unit, a vertical selection transistor, and a floating diffusion As a CMOS sensor having a source follower-amplifying transistor, which is an example of a detection element for detecting a change in potential, a sensor composed of four general-purpose transistors can be used.

  Alternatively, as described in Japanese Patent No. 2708455, an amplifying transistor connected to a drain line (DRN) for amplifying a signal voltage corresponding to the signal charge generated by the charge generating unit, and the charge generating unit It is also possible to use a transistor composed of three transistors, each having a reset transistor for resetting and a read selection transistor (transfer gate portion) scanned from a vertical shift register via a transfer wiring (TRF). .

  The solid-state imaging device 1 also provides a control pulse at a predetermined timing to each functional unit of the solid-state imaging device 1 such as the horizontal scanning circuit 12, the vertical scanning circuit 14, or the column processing unit 26 as another component of the drive control unit 7. A communication / timing generation unit (an example of a read address control device) 20 is provided.

  Each element of the drive control unit 7 is integrally formed in a semiconductor region such as single crystal silicon together with the imaging unit 10 using a technique similar to the semiconductor integrated circuit manufacturing technique, and is a solid-state imaging that is an example of a semiconductor system. It is configured as an element (imaging device).

  The pixel 2 is connected to the vertical scanning circuit 14 via the vertical control line 15 for selecting a vertical column and to the column processing unit 26 via the vertical signal line 19. The horizontal scanning circuit 12 and the vertical scanning circuit 14 are configured to include, for example, a shift register, and start a shift operation (scanning) in response to a drive pulse given from the communication / timing generation unit 20. The vertical control line 15 includes various pulse signals for driving the pixel 2.

  The horizontal scanning circuit 12 defines a horizontal readout column (horizontal address) (selects each column signal processing circuit 26a in the column processing unit 26), and a horizontal address setting unit 12a. The horizontal drive circuit 12b guides each signal of the column processing unit 26 to the horizontal signal line 18 in accordance with the read address defined in FIG. Although not shown, the horizontal address setting unit 12a includes a shift register or a decoder. The horizontal address setting unit 12a sequentially selects pixel information from the column signal processing circuit 26a, and selects the selected pixel information from the horizontal signal line 18. It has a function as a selection means to output to

  The vertical scanning circuit 14 defines a vertical readout row (vertical address) and a horizontal readout column (horizontal address) (selects a row of the imaging unit 10), and a vertical address setting unit 14a. A vertical drive circuit 14b that drives by supplying a pulse to the control line for the pixel 2 on the read address (in the horizontal direction) defined by the address setting unit 14a.

  Although not shown in the figure, the vertical address setting unit 14a has a shutter shift register that controls a row for an electronic shutter in addition to a vertical shift register or a decoder that performs basic control of a row from which a signal is read.

  The vertical shift register is used for selecting each pixel in units of rows when reading out pixel information from the imaging unit 10, and constitutes a signal output row selection unit together with the vertical drive circuit 14b of each row. The shutter shift register is for selecting each pixel in units of row when performing the electronic shutter operation, and constitutes an electronic shutter row selection means together with the vertical drive circuit 14b of each row.

  Although not shown, the communication / timing generation unit 20 is input via a terminal 1a and a functional block of a timing generator TG (an example of a read address control device) that supplies a clock signal required for the operation of each unit and a pulse signal of a predetermined timing. A communication interface functional block that receives data instructing a clock CLK0, an operation mode, and the like and outputs data DATA including information of the solid-state imaging device 1 via a terminal 1b. In addition, the horizontal address signal is output to the horizontal address setting unit 12a and the vertical address signal is output to the vertical address setting unit 14a, and each address setting unit 12a, 14a receives it and selects a corresponding row or column.

  Note that the communication / timing generation unit 20 may be provided as a separate semiconductor integrated circuit independent of other functional elements such as the imaging unit 10 and the horizontal scanning circuit 12. In this case, an imaging device that is an example of a semiconductor system is constructed by the imaging device including the imaging unit 10 and the horizontal scanning circuit 12 and the communication / timing generation unit 20. This imaging device may be provided as an imaging module in which peripheral signal processing circuits, power supply circuits, and the like are also incorporated.

  The column processing unit 26 is configured to include a column signal processing circuit 26a for each vertical column, and receives signals from pixels for one row and processes the signals. For example, the column processing unit 26 has a function of noise removal means using a CDS (Correlated Double Sampling) process, such as a sample pulse SHP and a sample pulse SHD given from the communication / timing generation unit 20. Based on the two sample pulses, the difference between the signal level immediately after the pixel reset (noise level: 0 level) and the true signal level is obtained for the voltage mode pixel information input via the vertical signal line 19. By performing processing, noise signal components called fixed pattern noise (FPN) and reset noise due to fixed variation for each pixel are removed.

  The column processing unit 26 may be provided with an AGC (Auto Gain Control) circuit or an ADC (Analog Digital Converter) circuit having a signal amplification function, if necessary, after the CDS processing function unit.

  A voltage signal indicating pixel information processed by the column processing unit 26 is read out at a predetermined timing via a horizontal selection switch (not shown) driven by a horizontal selection signal from the horizontal scanning circuit 12 and applied to the horizontal signal line 18. The signal is transmitted and input to the output circuit 29 connected to the rear end of the horizontal signal line 18.

  The output circuit 29 amplifies the signal of each pixel output from the imaging unit 10 through the horizontal signal line 18 with an appropriate gain, and then supplies it to the external circuit (not shown) via the terminal 1c as the imaging signal S0. For example, the output circuit 29 may perform only buffering, or may perform black level adjustment, column variation correction, signal amplification, color-related processing, or the like before that.

  That is, in the column-type solid-state imaging device 1 of the present embodiment, the output signal (voltage signal) from the pixel 2 is output in the order of the vertical signal line 19 → the column processing unit 26 → the horizontal signal line 18 → the output circuit 29. Is done. The drive is such that the pixel output signals for one row are sent in parallel to the column processing unit 26 via the vertical signal line 19, and the signal after CDS processing is serially output via the horizontal signal line 18.

  As long as the drive for each vertical column or horizontal column is possible, each pulse signal is arranged in the horizontal direction or the vertical column direction with respect to the pixel 2, that is, a drive clock for applying the pulse signal. The physical wiring method is free.

  The external circuit may be configured on a different substrate (printed substrate or semiconductor substrate) from the solid-state imaging device in which the imaging unit 10, the drive control unit 7, and the like are integrally formed in the same semiconductor region. A circuit configuration corresponding to the driving mode is adopted. A solid-state imaging device 1 is configured by a solid-state imaging device (an example of a semiconductor device or a physical information acquisition device according to the present invention) including an imaging unit 10 and a drive control unit 7 and an external circuit.

  The drive control unit 7 is separated from the imaging unit 10 and the column processing unit 26, and the imaging unit 10 and the column processing unit 26 constitute a solid-state imaging device (an example of a semiconductor device according to the present invention). An example of a semiconductor device according to the present invention and a separate drive control unit 7 may be configured as a solid-state imaging device (an example of a physical information acquisition device according to the present invention).

  For example, the external circuit converts an analog image signal S0 output from the output circuit 29 into digital image data D0, and an image digitized by the A / D converter. A digital signal processor (DSP) that performs digital signal processing based on the data D0.

  The digital signal processing unit has a function of a digital amplifier unit that appropriately amplifies and outputs a digital signal output from the A / D conversion unit, for example. Further, for example, color separation processing is performed to generate image data R, G, and B representing R (red), G (green), and B (blue) images. Other signal processing is performed to generate image data D2 for monitor output. Further, the digital signal processing unit is provided with a functional unit that performs signal compression processing for storing imaging data in a recording medium.

  The external circuit also includes a D / A (Digital to Analog) converter that converts the image data D2 digitally processed by the digital signal processor into an analog image signal S1. The image signal S1 output from the D / A converter is sent to a display device such as a liquid crystal monitor. The operator can perform various operations such as switching the imaging mode while viewing the menu and images displayed on the display device.

  In the solid-state imaging device 1 having such a configuration, the horizontal scanning circuit 12 and the vertical scanning circuit 14 and the communication / timing generation unit 20 that controls them are sequentially selected for each pixel of the imaging unit 10 in a horizontal unit. Thus, a CMOS image sensor of a type that simultaneously reads out information of one horizontal parallel pixel is configured.

  Although an example in which the external circuit in charge of the signal processing of the subsequent stage of the solid-state image sensor is performed outside the solid-state image sensor (chip) is shown here, all or part of the external circuit (for example, an A / D converter or a digital amplifier) May be configured to be incorporated in the chip of the solid-state imaging device. In other words, an external circuit is configured on the same semiconductor substrate as the solid-state image pickup element in which the image pickup unit 10 and the drive control unit 7 are integrally formed in the same semiconductor region, and is substantially the same as the solid-state image pickup device 1 physically. The information acquisition apparatus may be the same.

  The physical information acquisition apparatus according to the present invention only needs to include at least the drive control unit 7, and the drive control unit 7 is integrally formed in the same semiconductor region as the imaging unit 10. is not. In addition, the drive control unit 7 and the external circuit may be formed on a circuit board different from the imaging unit 10 (which means not only another semiconductor substrate but also a general circuit board).

<Circuit configuration example of unit pixel group>
FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a configuration example of the unit pixel group 3 including a combination of a plurality of pixels 2. The unit pixel group 3 adopts an FDA configuration in which a floating diffusion (FD) that is a diffusion layer having a parasitic capacitance is used as a charge storage unit, and has a four-transistor pixel configuration (four transistors type TRansistor). (Hereinafter referred to as a 4TR configuration).

  As shown in the figure, the unit pixel group 3 includes a charge generation unit 32 such as a photodiode (PD) having both a photoelectric conversion function for converting light into charges and a charge storage function for storing the charges. For the charge generation unit 32, a read selection transistor 34 as an example of a charge transfer unit (charge readout unit / transfer gate unit / read gate unit), a reset transistor 36 as an example of a reset gate unit, and a vertical selection The transistor 40 and the amplifying transistor 42 having a source follower configuration, which is an example of a detection element that detects a potential change of the floating diffusion 38, are included. In this example, the charge generator 32 is shown as an example in which two charge generators 32a and 32b are provided, but the number is not limited to two and may be three or more.

  The amplifying transistor 42 constituting the pixel 2 is connected to each vertical signal line 53 (corresponding to the vertical signal line 19 in FIG. 1), and the vertical signal line 53 is a load MOS that forms a constant current source In for each vertical column. A load control signal LOAD from a load control unit (not shown) is commonly input to the drain terminals of the transistors 27 and to the gate terminals of the load MOS transistors 27, and is connected to the amplifying transistors 42 at the time of signal reading. The load MOS transistor 27 is configured to keep a predetermined constant current flowing. That is, the load MOS transistor 27 causes the signal output to the vertical signal line 53 by assembling the amplifying transistor 42 and the source follower in the selected row.

  The horizontal wiring is common to pixels in the same row, and is driven and controlled by a vertical drive circuit 14b of a vertical scanning circuit 14 (not shown). For example, a transfer drive buffer 150, a reset drive buffer 152, and a selection drive buffer 154 are accommodated in the vertical drive circuit 14b.

  The read selection transistor 34 is driven by the transfer drive buffer 150 via a transfer wiring (read selection line) 55. The reset transistor 36 is driven by the reset driving buffer 152 via the reset wiring 56. The vertical selection transistor 40 is driven by the selection drive buffer 154 via the vertical selection line 52.

  The pixel 2 includes a pixel signal generation unit 5 having an FDA configuration including a floating diffusion 38 which is an example of a charge injection unit having a function of a charge storage unit. The floating diffusion 38 is a diffusion layer having parasitic capacitance. The pixel signal generation unit 5 functions as a unit that generates a potential corresponding to the amount of charge transferred from the charge generation unit 32 to the floating diffusion 38 and transmits the potential to the vertical signal line 53.

  The reset transistor 36 in the pixel signal generation unit 5 has a source connected to the floating diffusion 38 and a drain connected to the power supply VDD, and a reset pulse RST is input from the reset drive buffer 152 to the gate (reset gate RG).

  Here, the pixel 2 is a 4TR configuration pixel that includes a selection transistor inserted in series with the amplification transistor 42 and selects a pixel. Of the amplification transistor 42 and the vertical selection transistor 40, the pixel 2 is vertical. The type of the selection transistor 40 is on the vertical signal line 53 side.

  That is, the amplifying transistor 42 has a drain connected to the power supply VDD (for example, 2.5 V), a source connected to the drain of the vertical selection transistor 40, and a gate connected to the floating diffusion 38. The vertical selection transistor 40 has a gate (in particular, a vertical selection gate SELV) connected to the vertical selection line 52 and a source connected to the vertical signal line 53 via the pixel line 51. A vertical selection signal is applied to the vertical selection line 52 from the selection drive buffer 154.

  Here, in the configuration of the unit pixel group 3 of the present embodiment, as described above, the charge generation unit 32 that detects a change in light, which is an example of a physical quantity, and generates a signal charge according to the change in the amount of light is 2 Two charge generation units 32a and 32b are provided, and a common pixel signal generation unit 5 is provided for the two charge generation units 32a and 32b. The pixel signal generation unit 5 is provided so as to be shared by the plurality of charge generation units 32a and 32b, and a pixel signal which is an example of a unit signal based on a change in the amount of light detected by each of the charge generation units 32a and 32b. A unit pixel group 3 which is a unit component is configured including a pixel signal generation unit 5 as a unit signal generation unit to output.

  For this reason, the readout selection transistor 34 is used so that the readout selection transistor 34 functions as means for transferring the signal charges accumulated in a plurality of (two in this example) charge generation units 32 to the common pixel signal generation unit 5. The transfer drive buffer 150 is also provided with read selection transistors 34a and 34b and transfer drive buffers 150a and 150b, and independently transfers signal charges from the charge generation units 32a and 32b to the floating diffusion 38.

  The charge generation unit 32a, the readout selection transistor 34a, and the pixel signal generation unit 5 constitute one pixel 2a, and the charge generation unit 32b, the readout selection transistor 34b, and the pixel signal generation unit 5 constitute the other pixel 2b. Can be seen when done. That is, in such a configuration, the unit pixel group 3 is configured by five transistors as a whole, but when viewed from the respective charge generation units 32a and 32b, the pixel 2 is configured by four transistors. 4TR configuration.

  In such a 4TR configuration, the reset transistor 36 resets the floating diffusion 38. Specifically, the floating diffusion 38 is reset by sweeping signal charges (here, electrons) of the floating diffusion to the power supply wiring (Vdd).

  The read selection transistor (transfer transistor) 34 transfers the signal charge generated by the charge generation unit 32 to a floating diffusion 38 which is an example of a charge storage unit.

  Since the floating diffusion 38 is connected to the gate of the amplifying transistor 42 which is an example of the unit signal generation unit, the amplifying transistor 42 is a signal corresponding to the potential of the floating diffusion 38 (hereinafter also referred to as FD potential) (in this example). Voltage signal) is output to the vertical signal line 53, which is an example of an output signal line, via the pixel line 51 when the vertical selection transistor 40 is on.

  That is, a large number of pixels are connected to the vertical signal line 53. To select a pixel, the vertical selection transistor 40 is turned on only for the selected pixel. Then, only the selected pixel is connected to the vertical signal line 53, and the signal of the selected pixel is output to the vertical signal line 53.

  Although not shown, the amplification transistor 42 may be of the type in which the amplification transistor 42 is on the vertical signal line 53 side of the amplification transistor 42 and the vertical selection transistor 40.

<First Embodiment>
FIG. 3 is a timing chart illustrating a driving / calculating method according to the first embodiment in which the pixel 2 illustrated in FIG. 2 is driven to obtain a pixel signal (unit signal output from the unit pixel group 3). The driving / calculation method according to the first embodiment reads one signal charge and performs non-destructive reading when the other signal charge is acquired after acquiring the corresponding pixel signal. It is characterized in that charges are synthesized and read out, and thereafter a pixel signal corresponding to the other signal charge is obtained by arithmetic processing.

  In the imaging unit 10, a color separation filter having a predetermined color coding is formed in each pixel, but first, color coding is not considered in order to explain the basic operation (considered as a monochrome sensor). The case of having color coding will be described in a sixth embodiment to be described later.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the unit pixel group 3 includes two charge generation units 32 a and 32 b and shares a single pixel signal generation unit 5 including a floating diffusion 38 and an amplification transistor 42. Yes. Note that the pixels to be shared are adjacent to each other, and the adjacent direction is either the vertical direction or the horizontal direction of the screen, or both (ie, diagonal) when the pixels 2 are arranged in a square lattice pattern. It may be. Alternatively, as described in Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-136391), when a configuration in which pixels are arranged obliquely is adopted, pixels adjacent in the oblique direction to the screen are shared. .

  By changing the timing of the pulse signal given to each pixel 2 from the communication / timing generator 20, the normal imaging mode and the high-speed drive mode are switched.

  First, in the normal imaging mode, although not shown in the figure, the same operation as the conventional one is performed, and readout is individually performed from each of the charge generation units 32a and 32b provided in each pixel 2 (for example, FIG. 6 of Patent Document 3). And see the high resolution mode in FIG. 7).

  On the other hand, in the high-speed drive mode, as shown in the timing chart of FIG. 3, the two read pulses (transfer gate pulses) TRG1 and TRG2 become active (high level in this example) at different timings, and the read selection transistors 34a, The signal charges generated by the photoelectric conversion of the light incident on the two charge generation units 32a and 32b are transferred to the floating diffusion 38 functioning as an accumulation node and read out.

  Here, in the first embodiment, a pixel signal corresponding to a signal charge (a signal charge corresponding to a change in light, which is an example of a physical quantity) detected by one charge generation unit 32 a is output to the vertical signal line 19. Thereafter, when a pixel signal corresponding to the signal charge detected by the other charge generation unit 32b is read out via the vertical signal line 19, the combined component of the signal charges detected by the two charge generation units 32a and 32b is used. The communication / timing generation unit 20 performs drive control on the pixel 2 so as to output a corresponding pixel signal.

  That is, when the pixel signal corresponding to the signal charge detected by the other charge generation unit 32b is read, the signal charges detected by the two charge generation units 32a and 32b are transferred to the floating diffusion 38 functioning as an accumulation node. Add and read. This will be specifically described below.

  The signal charges generated by photoelectric conversion of the light incident on the charge generation units 32a and 32b are accumulated in the charge generation units 32a and 32b until the read selection transistor 34a is turned on. First, in the horizontal scanning line blanking period, the vertical selection pulse SEL is activated (high level in this example) to turn on the vertical selection transistor 40 (t10), and the amplification transistor 42 charges the floating diffusion 38. Can be detected, the vertical signal line 53, the current source In (load MOS transistor 27), and the amplifying transistor 42 constitute a source follower circuit. As a result, only the potential determined by the gate potential of the amplifying transistor 42 corresponding to the charge amount of the floating diffusion 38 is transmitted to the vertical signal line 53.

  In addition, the reset gate pulse RG is activated (high level in this example) at the start of the horizontal scanning line blanking period, and the reset transistor 36 is turned on to discharge the dark current integrated value accumulated in the floating diffusion 38. . As a result, the floating diffusion 38 is set to the power supply voltage value (Vdd).

  At this time, a sample pulse SHP is output from the communication / timing generation unit 20 and supplied to the gate of the shift transistor forming the CDS function unit in the column processing unit 26, and each shift transistor is turned on.

  Next, the pixel signal generator 5 is first reset to the reference voltage in a state where the signal charges QA and QB are accumulated in the charge generators 32a and 32b. That is, the clamp pulse SHD is supplied from the communication / timing generation unit 20 and supplied to the gate of the clamp transistor forming the CDS function unit in the column processing unit 26, and each clamp transistor is turned on to detect the reset level Srst. (T10).

  Next, the readout selection transistor 34a for one charge generation unit 32a is driven, and the pixel signal Sa corresponding to the signal charge QA is read from the one charge generation unit 32a. That is, one transfer gate pulse TRGa is set to high level (t12), one read selection transistor 34a is turned on, and the signal charge QA stored in one charge generation unit 32a is transferred to the floating diffusion 38. The charge amount of the signal charge QA transferred to the floating diffusion 38 is detected by the amplification transistor 42, and a potential corresponding to the charge amount is generated and transmitted to the vertical signal line 53.

  Thereafter, the clamp pulse SHD is supplied from the communication / timing generator 20 (t13), the clamp transistor is turned on, and the pixel signal level SA corresponding to the signal charge QA detected by the charge generator 32a is detected. By taking the difference from the reset level Srst, the offset component is removed and the true signal component Sa can be detected.

  Next, when reading the pixel signal Sb corresponding to the signal charge QB detected by the other charge generation unit 32b, the read selection transistor 34b for the other charge generation unit 32b is driven without resetting. Thus, the signal charge QB is read from the other charge generation unit 32b. That is, the transfer gate pulse TRGb is set to the high level (t14), the read selection transistor 34b is turned on, and the signal charge QB stored in the charge generation unit 32b is transferred to the floating diffusion 38, and is already transferred to the floating diffusion 38. The signal charge QA detected by the accumulated charge generation unit 32a is added.

  Therefore, the floating diffusion 38 is in a state where the combined charge QAB of the signal charges QA and QB detected by the two charge generation units 32a and 32b is accumulated. That is, in the pixel signal generation unit 5, the signal charge QA in one charge generation unit 32 a (general pixel) and the signal charge QB in the other charge generation unit 32 b (general pixel) are added by the floating diffusion 38. The signal charge amount for two pixels is accumulated. The charge amount of the combined charge QAB transferred to the floating diffusion 38 and synthesized is detected by the amplifying transistor 42, and a potential corresponding to the charge amount is generated and transmitted to the vertical signal line 53.

  Thereafter, the clamp pulse SHD is supplied from the communication / timing generator 20 (t15), the clamp transistor is turned on, and the pixel signal level SB corresponding to the signal charge QB detected by the charge generator 32b is detected. However, at this time, as described above, the floating diffusion 38 is in a state where the combined charge QAB of the signal charges QA and QB detected by the two charge generation units 32a and 32b is accumulated. Detects the pixel signal level SAB corresponding to the combined charge QAB. By taking the difference from the reset level Srst, the offset component is removed, and the true combined component Sab corresponding to the combined charge QAB of the signal charges QA and QB detected by the two charge generation units 32a and 32b can be detected.

  That is, in the first embodiment, when reading out the signal charges QA and QB from the two charge generation units 32a and 32b in each pixel 2 in the high-speed drive mode, first, the signal charge from only one charge generation unit 32a. After reading QA, the signal charge QB is read from the other charge generation unit 32b in a non-destructive state without resetting the floating diffusion 38.

  Since the signal charge QA and the signal charge QB2 are continuously read out to the shared floating diffusion 38 (that is, the pixel signal generation unit 5) for each reset signal, the number of times the reset signal is driven is reduced. Time is reduced for one reset operation. Compared to the normal imaging mode, the operation time ratio is approximately 3/4, and high-speed readout is possible. This is effective when it is desired to increase the frame rate without reducing the number of output pixels.

  Since the reading operation can be speeded up by switching the driving method, the driving control unit 7 can control the normal driving and the driving method of the first embodiment according to the situation. Accordingly, the normal imaging mode is selected when the exposure amount is sufficient, and the high-speed driving mode to which the driving method of the first embodiment is applied when high sensitivity is required, such as moving image imaging, according to the user's preference. Imaging is possible.

  It should be noted that it is easy to estimate the signal amount in the other charge generation unit 32b by signal processing. That is, the pixel signal Sb corresponding to the signal charge QB detected by the charge generation unit 32b can be obtained by taking the difference between the composite component Sab and the pixel signal Sa in the external circuit, as shown by Expression (1).

<Second Embodiment>
4 and 5 are diagrams for explaining a driving / calculating method of the second embodiment for driving the pixel 2 shown in FIG. 2 and reading out a pixel signal. Here, FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a problem in the driving / calculating method of the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the driving / calculating method of the second embodiment that solves the problems in the driving / calculating method of the first embodiment. The drive / calculation method of the second embodiment is characterized in that the same signal is detected a plurality of times and averaged while employing the drive / calculation method of the first embodiment.

  In the driving / calculation method of the first embodiment, when the signal voltage amplitude is considered separately for each pixel (charge generation unit 32a, 32b), each signal charge amount is set to satisfy the operation range of the floating diffusion 38. The signal voltage amplitude assigned to each is halved. For this reason, there is a problem that the dynamic range decreases and the SNR (signal / noise ratio; S / N ratio) deteriorates. Further, compared with the case where the pixel signals Sa (= Qa + Na) and Sb (= Qb + Nb) are read out alone (reset operation for each pixel signal), the noise ratio is increased by setting Sb = Sab−Sa.

  For this, there is no problem if it is limited to use at low illuminance and short exposure time, but S / N degradation remains as a problem due to a decrease in signal amplitude. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, when the pixel signal Sb (= Qb + Nb) is obtained by calculating the difference between the pixel signal Sab (= Qab + Nab) and Sa (= Qa + Na) when compared with the same light quantity, Qab−Qa + Nab−Na = Qb + Nab-Na. Therefore, the noise component Nb is multiplied by √2, and the total noise component Ntotal is increased by √ (3/2) times compared to the case of single pixel readout in which a reset signal is acquired for each signal readout, The S / N ratio (SNR) decreases to √ (2/3) times. That is, in the driving / calculation method of the first embodiment, although the high speed is improved, the noise characteristics are deteriorated.

  However, for this problem, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, the reset level Srst and the signal levels SA and SAB are detected and averaged multiple times, that is, the same signal is detected and averaged multiple times. By adopting the calculation method, it is possible to improve noise characteristics (ie, SNR) without reducing resolution at all. When detected multiple times, the noise component is averaged. Therefore, when detected and averaged n times for each, the averaged noise component Nave can be 1 / √n times the noise component N. .

  As a result, based on the addition signal Sab and the one pixel signal Sa each acquired a plurality of times, a process for obtaining an average value of the difference Sab−Sa between the addition signal Sab and the pixel signal Sa is performed. What is necessary is just to obtain the pixel signal Sb, and the calculation procedure is not limited. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the average values Sabave and Saave may be first obtained for each of the addition signal Sab and the pixel signal Sa, and then the difference between the average values Sabave and Saave may be taken. Alternatively, the difference Sbi = Sabi−Sai for each number of times i may be first obtained and the average may be obtained. That is, either the averaging process or the difference process may be first.

<Third Embodiment>
6 and 7 are diagrams illustrating a driving / calculating method according to the third embodiment that drives the pixel 2 shown in FIG. 2 and reads out a pixel signal. The drive / calculation method of the third embodiment is characterized in that addition processing with neighboring pixels is performed while adopting the drive / calculation method of the first embodiment.

  As in the second embodiment, the noise component can be reduced by adopting a driving method in which the same signal is detected and averaged a plurality of times. However, with this driving method, the number of detections and the circuit scale and power tend to be linked, so an increase in power and circuit scale cannot be avoided. Therefore, when these problems are emphasized, that is, when it is necessary to arrange a circuit in a narrow space or when the power is saved, it is difficult to employ the driving / calculation method of the second embodiment.

  On the other hand, when the increase in power or circuit size is regarded as a problem, in order to reduce the noise component, addition averaging with neighboring pixels (typically neighboring pixels) (here, simple addition averaging with uniform weighting) Is effective). In this case, by using the driving / calculating method of the first embodiment and averaging with surrounding pixels, the noise ratio is reduced compared to pixel addition after single pixel readout (reset operation for each pixel signal). Is possible.

  For example, FIG. 6 shows an example of 3-pixel addition. As shown in FIG. 7, the addition unit sequentially moves the target pixel and the surrounding pixels. As shown in FIG. 6, in the case of three pixel addition after single pixel readout (reset operation for each pixel signal), the signal component Sb ′ of the added pixel is the signal component Sa (= Qa + Na), Sb (= Qb + Nb), Sc. (= Qc + Nc) and the signal component Sc ′ of the added pixel is the sum of the signal components Sb (= Qb + Nb), Sc (= Qc + Nc), and Sd (= Qd + Nd). The total noise component Ntotal increases by a factor of √3 compared to the case of single pixel readout to be acquired. However, since the signal component is tripled, the S / N ratio (SNR) is √3 (≈1.73). ) Doubled.

  On the other hand, if the driving / calculating method of the third embodiment is employed, the signal component Sb ′ of the addition pixel is the sum of the signal components Sa (= Qa + Na), Sb (= Qb + Nb), and Sc (= Qc + Nc). Although the same, the sum of Sa and Sb can be read out as Sab. Therefore, it can be obtained by the sum of Sab (= Qab + Nab = Qa + Qb + Nab) and Sc (= Qc + Nc), and the noise component Nb ′ is √2 times. Become.

Further, the signal component Sc ′ of the addition pixel is the same in that it is the sum of the signal components Sb (= Qb + Nb), Sc (= Qc + Nc), and Sd (= Qd + Nd), but the sum of Sc and Sd is read as Scd. Sb (= Sab−Sa = Qb + Nab−Na), Sc
(= Qc + Nc), and the noise component Nc ′ becomes √3 times.

  Therefore, the total noise component Ntotal increases by √ (5/2) times as compared with the case of single pixel reading in which a reset signal is acquired for each signal reading, but the signal component is tripled. The / N ratio (SNR) is 3 / √ (5/2) (≈1.9) times.

  That is, if the driving / calculating method of the third embodiment is adopted, the noise characteristic (that is, SNR) can be improved by about 10% as compared with the addition of three pixels after single pixel reading. This is because Sab has a noise ratio of 1/2 compared to Sa, and the average of addition using this signal reduces the number of noise additions compared to the case of adding and averaging single pixel signals. It is to do. In other words, in the case of averaging, reading with the driving / calculating method of the embodiment has a feature that the SNR is better than the method of reading and averaging each surface element independently.

<Fourth embodiment>
8 to 10 are diagrams illustrating a driving / calculating method according to the fourth embodiment that drives the pixel 2 illustrated in FIG. 2 and reads out a pixel signal. When the driving / calculating method of the fourth embodiment employs the driving / calculating method of the third embodiment, the weighting / adding process is performed so that the weighting (weighting) ratio of the pixel of interest to the pixel signal is high. It has the characteristics.

  In the driving / calculation method of the third embodiment, since the S / N is doubled only for the addition signal, the noise ratio is lowered by the addition averaging with this signal. That is, it can be performed at a higher speed and with lower noise than reading out a single pixel signal. However, this addition averaging process causes a problem that the contrast deteriorates. However, since noise is a problem in a scene where there is little change in the signal, image quality can be improved by edge enhancement processing. Alternatively, it is also effective to employ weighted addition processing as in the driving / calculation method of the fourth embodiment.

  For example, FIG. 8 shows an example of 3-pixel addition in which the pixel of interest has a double weighting with respect to the surrounding pixels. As shown in the figure, in the case of adding three weighted pixels after single pixel readout (reset operation for each pixel signal), the signal component Sb ′ of the added pixel is a signal component Sa (= Qa + Na), 2 * Sb (= Qb + Nb). , Sc (= Qc + Nc), and the signal component Sc ′ of the added pixel is the sum of the signal components Sb (= Qb + Nb), 2 * Sc (= Qc + Nc), Sd (= Qd + Nd). The total noise component Ntotal is increased by √6 times compared to the case of single pixel readout in which a reset signal is acquired at the same time. However, since the signal component is increased by 4 times, the S / N ratio (SNR) is 4 / √. 6 (≈1.63) times.

  On the other hand, if the driving / calculating method of the fourth embodiment is adopted, the signal component Sb ′ of the addition pixel is the sum of the signal components Sa (= Qa + Na), 2 * Sb (= Qb + Nb), Sc (= Qc + Nc). Although the point is the same, the sum of Sa and Sb can be read out as Sab. Therefore, it can be obtained by subtracting Sa from the sum of 2 * Sab (= Qab + Nab = Qa + Qb + Nab) and Sc (= Qc + Nc). The noise component Nb ′ is √6 times.

  Further, the signal component Sc ′ of the addition pixel is the same in that it is the sum of the signal components Sb (= Qb + Nb), 2 * Sc (= Qc + Nc), Sd (= Qd + Nd), but the sum of Sc and Sd is Scd. Can be obtained as the sum of Sb (= Sab−Sa = Qb + Nab−Na), Sc (= Qc + Nc), Scd (= Qcd + Ncd = Qc + Qd + Ncd), and the noise component Nc ′ is doubled. .

  Therefore, the total noise component Ntotal increases by √5 times compared to the case of single pixel readout in which a reset signal is acquired for each signal readout, but the signal component becomes four times, so that the S / N ratio ( SNR) is 4 / √5 (≈1.79) times. Compared to the addition of three weighted pixels after single pixel readout, the noise characteristic (ie, SNR) can be improved by about 10%.

  FIG. 9 shows an example of two-pixel addition in which the pixel of interest is doubled with respect to the surrounding pixels. As shown in FIG. 10, the addition unit in this case is every two pixels which are nondestructive readout units.

  As shown in FIG. 9, in the case of weighted two-pixel addition after single pixel readout (reset operation for each pixel signal), the signal component Sa ′ of the added pixel is represented by signal components 2 * Sa (= Qa + Na) and Sb (= Qb + Nb), and the signal component Sb ′ of the added pixel is the sum of the signal components Sa (= Qa + Na) and 2 * Sb (= Qb + Nb), so that the reset signal is acquired for each signal readout. Compared to the case, the total noise component Ntotal is increased by √5 times, but the signal component is tripled, so the S / N ratio (SNR) is 3 / √5 (≈1.34) times. .

  On the other hand, if the driving / calculating method of the fourth embodiment is adopted, the signal component Sa ′ of the addition pixel is the same in that it is the sum of the signal components 2 * Sa (= Qa + Na) and Sb (= Qb + Nb). Since the sum of Sa and Sb can be read as Sab, it can be obtained as the sum of Sa (= Qa + Na) and Sab (= Qab + Nab = Qa + Qb + Nab), and the noise component Na ′ is doubled. The signal component Sb ′ of the addition pixel is the same in that it is the sum of the signal components Sa (= Qa + Na) and 2 * Sb (= Qb + Nb), but the sum of Sa and Sb can be read as Sab, It can be obtained by subtracting Sa (= Qa + Na) from 2 * Sab (Sab−Sa = Qb + Nab−Na), and its noise component Nb ′ becomes √5 times.

  Therefore, the total noise component Ntotal increases by √ (7/2) times as compared with the case of single pixel readout in which a reset signal is acquired for each signal readout, but the signal component is tripled. The / N ratio (SNR) is 3 / √ (7/2) (≈1.6) times. Compared to the weighted two-pixel addition after single pixel readout, the noise characteristic (ie, SNR) can be improved by about 20%.

  As described above, when the driving / calculating method of the fourth embodiment is employed, noise characteristics (that is, SNR) can be improved as compared with weighted addition after single pixel readout. Although the noise characteristic (ie, SNR) is slightly deteriorated compared to the driving / calculating method of the third embodiment that performs simple addition averaging, deterioration of contrast can be suppressed. Similar to the first embodiment, the driving / calculation method according to the fourth embodiment can achieve higher speed and lower noise than reading the surface element signal alone.

<Fifth Embodiment>
FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining a driving / calculating method according to the fifth embodiment for driving the pixel 2 shown in FIG. 2 and reading out a pixel signal. When the driving / calculating method of the fifth embodiment adopts the driving / calculating method of the fourth embodiment, adjustment is made to at least one pixel signal of the adjacent pixel according to the signal change amount between the adjacent pixels. In other words, it is characterized in that an averaging process is performed in which the weighting specific gravity is changed in accordance with the signal change amount between adjacent pixels.

  When the averaging process is performed between the peripheral pixel signals as in the third embodiment, noise becomes inconspicuous, but the contrast decreases as described above. Here, when noise is conspicuous when the signal change between pixels is small, considering the feature that is not noticeable where the signal change is large, when the signal change amount is small, the output value is small, and when the signal change amount is large, By adjusting the weighting according to the signal change amount so as to increase the output value, it is possible to acquire an image with less noticeable noise and contrast.

  For example, in FIG. 11, when performing weighted addition averaging processing between two adjacent pixels, the pixel values of the two adjacent pixels are adjusted according to the signal change amount between the two pixels. An example is shown.

  When the pixel signal Sa is subtracted from the addition signal Sab, Sb-Sa is obtained. Accordingly, the relationship between the addition signal Sab and the double value 2Sa of the one pixel signal Sa and the double value 2Sb of the other pixel signal Sb is as shown in FIG. As can be seen from the figure, the difference between the addition signal Sab and the double value 2Sa is the difference (Sb−Sa) between the pixel signal Sb and the pixel signal Sa. Therefore, the double value 2Sa is a difference between the addition signal Sab and the difference (Sb−Sa).

  Here, in order to obtain the doubled pixel values 2Sa ′ and 2Sb ′ of the peripheral pixels a and b with respect to the addition signal Sab by adjusting the weighting according to the signal change amount, as shown in Expression (2), The function f (Sb−Sa) having a different weight depending on the amount of change may be multiplied by the difference (Sb−Sa) and then subtracted or added from the addition signal Sab.

  The method of adjusting weighting is greatly affected by noise, and makes noise difficult to see by increasing the degree of averaging at a point where the signal change is small. In this case, the resolution is halved. On the other hand, the degree of averaging is weakened at the point where the influence of noise is small and the signal change is large. Thereby, since contrast is maintained, there is no reduction in resolution.

  Here, the function f (Sb−Sa) of the equation in FIG. 11 may be linear or non-linear, continuous or non-continuous. As shown in Expression (3), the output value is small when the signal change amount | Sb−Sa | between two pixels is small, and the output value is large when the signal change amount | Sb−Sa | value is large. If it is.

  In the above-described example, addition / subtraction processing is performed between the addition signal Sab corresponding to the composite component of two adjacent pixels and the difference (Sb−Sa) between the pixel signals Sa and Sb of the two adjacent pixels, and the difference ( Weighting is performed according to the difference (Sb-Sa) that is the signal change amount for both the double pixel values 2Sa 'and 2Sb' so that the ratio of addition / subtraction to the difference (Sb-Sa) increases as Sb-Sa) increases. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In this case, depending on the signal change amount, the output value is small when the signal change amount is small and the output value is large when the signal change amount is large. The weighting is adjusted, so that noise is not noticeable and a contrast image can be acquired. Of course, it goes without saying that it is preferable to process both.

  In the above-described example, the difference (Sb−) in the addition / subtraction process between the addition signal Sab corresponding to the composite component of the two adjacent pixels and the difference (Sb−Sa) between the pixel signals Sa and Sb of the two adjacent pixels. The weighting on Sa) was adjusted according to the difference (Sb−Sa), but based on the addition signal Sab and the difference (Sb−Sa), when the signal change amount is small, the output value is small and the signal change amount If it is large, it is only necessary to adjust at least one of the pixel signals Sa and Sb so that the output value becomes large, and the arithmetic expression is not limited to that by the addition / subtraction process, and Sab and the difference (Sb− As long as the functions are given by Sa), various functions can be used.

<Sixth Embodiment>
FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a driving / calculating method according to the sixth embodiment that reads the pixel signal by driving the pixel 2 illustrated in FIG. 2. The driving / calculating method of the sixth embodiment is characterized in that the driving / calculating method of the first embodiment is applied to a single-plate image sensor having a color filter.

  The imaging unit 10 includes, for example, a large number of sensor units (photosensitive units; photocells) each including a photodiode as an example of a light receiving element corresponding to a pixel (unit cell) on a semiconductor substrate. They are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix in the vertical (column) direction. These sensor units convert incident light incident from the light receiving surface into signal charges having a charge amount corresponding to the amount of light, and accumulate the signal charges.

  The imaging unit 10 is of a single plate type, and the sensor unit includes a combination of a plurality of color filters for imaging a color image on a light receiving surface such as a photodiode on which light is incident for color image imaging. Any one of the color separation filters is provided.

  For example, sensor units (pixels) arranged in a square lattice pattern are arranged so as to correspond to three color filters (primary color filters) of red (R), green (G), and blue (B). Or it is good also as a thing of the complementary color filter structure which combined four colors, cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and green (G). Furthermore, a filter configuration in which emerald (E) is arranged as the fourth color in addition to red (R), green (G), and blue (B) may be used.

  The example shown in FIG. 12 uses a basic color filter of a so-called Bayer arrangement, and the charge generation unit 32 (so-called pixel) such as a photodiode (PD) arranged in a square lattice is red (R ), Green (G), and blue (B) corresponding to the three color filters, the color separation filter repeat unit is arranged by 2 pixels × 2 pixels to constitute the imaging unit 10.

  For example, a first color pixel for sensing a first color (red; R) is arranged in an odd-numbered row and an odd-numbered column, and a second color (green; G; ) Is arranged, and the third color pixel for sensing the third color (blue; B) is arranged in the even-numbered row and the even-numbered column, and is different for each row. Further, two color pixels of R / G or G / B are arranged in a checkered pattern. In the color arrangement of the basic color filter in such a Bayer arrangement, two colors of R / G or G / B are repeated every two in both the row direction and the column direction.

  Instead of the second color pixel for sensing the second color (green; G) arranged in the odd rows and even columns, a fourth color pixel for sensing the fourth color (emerald; E) is provided. It may be arranged. Even in this case, two color pixels of R / E or G / B which are different for each row are arranged in a checkered pattern. Such a color arrangement is the same as the basic form of the Bayer arrangement in that two colors of R / E or G / B are repeated every two in the row direction and the column direction.

  As described above, the imaging unit 10 (so-called single plate image sensor) in which the color filter is provided as a wavelength separation unit that separates electromagnetic waves (here, light), which is an example of a physical quantity, into predetermined wavelength components is used in the first embodiment. When the driving / calculation method is applied, the pixel signal generation unit 5 including the floating diffusion 38 and the amplifying transistor 42 is shared by a plurality of pixels of the same color, and the unit pixel group 3 is configured by a plurality of the same color pixel pairs to be shared However, since the signal change rate between the shared pixels becomes low, the change in contrast becomes small. For this reason, the error of the image signal due to the deterioration of the high frequency signal can be reduced.

  For example, when a commonly used Bayer color filter is used, a shared configuration as shown in FIG. 12A and 12B show a case where the pixels 2 are arranged in a square lattice pattern with respect to the screen, FIG. 12A is a vertical direction, and FIG. 12B is a horizontal direction. This is a case where a charge-voltage conversion unit (that is, the pixel signal generation unit 5) having an FDA configuration including the floating diffusion 38 and the amplification transistor 42 is shared, and two blocks in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction are connected by wiring. In FIG. 12A, the R / G column and the G / B column are arranged, and in FIG. 12B, the four pixels of the R / G row and the G / B row are wired so as to share one pixel signal generation unit 5. Has been given.

  FIG. 12C shows the row direction and the row in the case where a configuration in which the pixels 2 are arranged obliquely with respect to the screen as described in Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-136391). The pixels adjacent to each other in the column direction orthogonal to the direction, that is, the pixels adjacent to each other in the oblique direction share the FDA configuration charge-voltage conversion unit (that is, the pixel signal generation unit 5) including the floating diffusion 38 and the amplifying transistor 42. In this case, two vertical blocks are connected by wiring. The four G pixels share one signal generation unit 5, and the two R pixels and two B pixels share one signal generation unit 5.

  In any case, a plurality of colors may exist as the pixel 2 to be shared. However, when one signal charge is read and the other signal charge of the same color is acquired after acquisition of the corresponding pixel signal, the non-between colors are not used. By performing destructive readout, the signal charges detected in both colors are synthesized and read out, and thereafter, a pixel signal corresponding to the other signal charge is obtained by arithmetic processing.

  If the averaging process is performed, the contrast is lowered. Therefore, when processing is performed between different colors, the same effect as the mixed color occurs. However, as in the sixth embodiment, when applying the driving / calculating method of the first embodiment, the signal charges detected by a plurality of pixels of the same color are combined and read out, and then the other pixel signal is obtained by calculation. By processing in this way, the above-mentioned problem can be solved.

<Circuit configuration example of unit pixel group>
FIG. 13 is a circuit diagram of a configuration example of the unit pixel group 3 corresponding to the color coding shown in FIG. 12A or 12B in the sixth embodiment. The unit pixel group 3 has a 4TR configuration employing an FDA configuration in which a floating diffusion that is a diffusion layer having a parasitic capacitance is used as a charge storage unit.

  The configuration of the unit pixel group 3 corresponding to the color coding shown in FIG. 12 includes four pixels so that the charge-voltage conversion unit (specifically, the pixel signal generation unit 5) having the FDA configuration is shared among the four pixels. 2 constitutes one unit pixel group 3. That is, as the charge generation unit 32, four charge generation units 32a, 32b, 32c, and 32d are provided, and a common pixel signal generation unit 5 is provided for the four charge generation units 32a, 32b, 32c, and 32d. Is provided.

  For this reason, the read selection transistor 34 functions so as to transfer the signal charges accumulated in a plurality of (four in this example) charge generation units 32 to the common pixel signal generation unit 5. The transfer drive buffer 150 is also provided with read selection transistors 34a, 34b, 34c, and 34d and transfer drive buffers 150a, 150b, 150c, and 150d independently of each other, and signals from the charge generation units 32a, 32b, 34c, and 34d are provided. The charge is transferred to the floating diffusion 38 independently.

  The first pixel 2a is composed of the G color charge generation unit 32a, the read selection transistor 34a, and the pixel signal generation unit 5, and the R color or B color charge generation unit 32b and the read selection transistor 34b. The pixel signal generation unit 5 forms a second pixel 2b, and the G color charge generation unit 32c, the read selection transistor 34c, and the pixel signal generation unit 5 form a third pixel 2c. Alternatively, it can be considered that the fourth pixel 2d is configured by the B color charge generation unit 32d, the read selection transistor 34d, and the pixel signal generation unit 5.

  That is, in such a configuration, the unit pixel group 3 is composed of seven transistors as a whole, but when viewed from the respective charge generation units 32a, 32b, 34c, and 34d, four transistors are used. This is a 4TR configuration in which the pixel 2 is configured.

  When the unit pixel group 3 corresponding to the color coding shown in FIG. 12C is used, all the charge generation units 32a, 32b, 32c, and 32d are used for G color, or two charge generation units (for example, 32a, 32c). ) For the R color and two charge generation units (for example, 32b and 32d) for the B color.

  In the configuration shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, one unit pixel group 3 is configured by four pixels 2. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, one unit pixel group 3 is configured by eight pixels. Also good. For example, it may be modified so that four blocks are connected by wiring in the vertical direction with respect to FIGS. 12A and 12C and in the horizontal direction with respect to FIG. Alternatively, by combining FIG. 12A and FIG. 12B, one unit pixel in all the pixels (8 pixels) in two blocks for two columns in the vertical direction or two rows in the horizontal direction Group 3 may be configured.

  In the configurations shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the charge-voltage conversion unit (pixel signal generation unit 5) of the FDA configuration is shared not only by the same color pixels but also by a plurality of colors. A charge-voltage conversion unit (pixel signal generation unit 5) having an FDA configuration may be shared only by pixels of the same color.

  For example, for FIG. 12A and FIG. 12B, two pixels of only G color and two pixels of only R color or two pixels of only G color in two blocks in the vertical direction or horizontal direction. The connection wiring may be modified so that only one pixel signal generation unit 5 is shared by two pixels of only the B color. In addition, with respect to FIG. 12C, within one block in the vertical direction, only one pixel signal generator 5 is shared by four pixels of only G color, and only two pixels of R color and only B color are shared. The connection wiring may be modified so that two pixels share one pixel signal generation unit 5 respectively.

<Seventh embodiment>
FIG. 14 illustrates arithmetic processing such as processing for obtaining a difference between the composite component Sab and the pixel signal Sa and addition averaging processing (including both simple addition and weighted addition) described in the first to sixth embodiments. It is a figure explaining the example of a system configuration which paid its attention to the arrangement position of the functional block which performs.

  These arithmetic processing function units are arranged in an external circuit provided in the subsequent stage of the imaging unit 10. Here, as described above, the external circuit may be configured on the same semiconductor substrate as the solid-state imaging device in which the imaging unit 10 and the drive control unit 7 are integrally formed in the same semiconductor region. Alternatively, the imaging unit 10, the drive control unit 7, and the like may be configured on a different substrate (printed substrate or semiconductor substrate) from the solid-state imaging element integrally formed in the same semiconductor region.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 14A, an arithmetic processing unit 804 is also mounted on an image sensor chip 802 having an imaging unit 810 as a main part. With this configuration, the image output signal can be the same as that of a conventional image sensor. However, this configuration also has adverse effects such as an increase in design cost and area of the image sensor chip 802.

  On the other hand, as another method, for example, as shown in FIG. 14B, a configuration in which the arithmetic processing unit 804 is mounted on a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) chip 803 different from the image sensor chip 802 is adopted. Can do. The output signal of the image pickup unit 810 (image sensor) is generally processed by a processing chip in order to perform pixel interpolation of a color signal. For this reason, it is not particularly difficult to incorporate the arithmetic processing unit 804 that performs the arithmetic processing described in the first to sixth embodiments into such a DSP chip 803.

  In the case of a configuration in which a general-purpose processor (general-purpose computer) such as a personal computer is mounted, processing by software is possible. That is, a system can be configured in software using a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and memory, that is, the system can be realized in software using the function of a computer (electronic computer) such as a personal computer.

  A program suitable for realizing the physical information acquisition method and the physical information acquisition apparatus according to the present invention to which the driving method described in the first to sixth embodiments is applied by software using an electronic computer (computer) or A computer-readable storage medium storing this program can also be extracted as an invention. By adopting a mechanism for executing processing by software, it is possible to enjoy the advantage that the processing procedure and the like can be easily changed without changing hardware.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 14C, a general-purpose processor 820 having the function of a computer (electronic computer) can be written and read at any time by a CPU 822, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 823 which is a read-only storage unit. And a RAM (Random Access Memory) 825, which is an example of a volatile storage unit, and a RAM (denoted as NVRAM) 826, which is an example of a nonvolatile storage unit.

  In the above description, the “volatile storage unit” means a storage unit in a form in which the stored contents are lost when the image processing terminal 6 is powered off. On the other hand, the “non-volatile storage unit” means a storage unit in a form that keeps stored contents even when the main power of the image processing terminal 6 is turned off. Any memory device can be used as long as it can retain the stored contents. The semiconductor memory device itself is not limited to a nonvolatile memory device, and a backup power supply is provided to make a volatile memory device “nonvolatile”. You may comprise as follows. Further, the present invention is not limited to a semiconductor memory element, and may be configured using a medium such as a magnetic disk or an optical disk.

  Although not shown, the general-purpose processor 820 includes an instruction input unit having operation keys and the like as a function unit that forms a user interface, and a display output unit that presents predetermined information such as a guidance screen and a processing result at the time of operation to the user. And an interface unit that performs an interface function with each functional unit.

  In such a configuration, the CPU 822 controls the entire system via a system bus (not shown). The ROM 823 stores a control program for the CPU 822 and the like. The RAM 825 is configured by an SRAM (Static Random Access Memory) or the like, and stores program control variables, data for various processes, and the like. The RAM 825 includes an area for temporarily storing a captured image acquired by the imaging unit 810 and other data in conjunction with a predetermined application program.

  When the electronic computer causes the series of arithmetic processing functions described in the first to sixth embodiments to be executed by software, a computer (such as an embedded microcomputer) in which a program constituting the software is incorporated in dedicated hardware ) Or, install SOC (System On a Chip) or various programs to implement a desired system by mounting functions such as CPU 822, logic circuit, and storage device on one chip. And installed on a general-purpose personal computer capable of executing various functions from the recording medium.

  The recording medium causes a change state of energy such as magnetism, light, electricity, etc. to the reading device provided in the hardware resource of the computer according to the description content of the program, and in the form of a signal corresponding thereto. The program description can be transmitted to the reader.

  Note that a program constituting the software may be provided via a wired or wireless communication network.

  Since general-purpose processors in recent years can perform very high-speed processing, and the arithmetic processing described in the first to sixth embodiments is a simple arithmetic operation, software processing should be performed unless high-resolution images are processed as moving images. Is sufficient. With this configuration, the components of the camera unit can be reduced, and cost can be reduced.

  Further, instead of performing all the arithmetic processing function parts by software, a processing circuit for performing a part of these function parts by dedicated hardware may be provided. Although the mechanism performed by software can flexibly cope with parallel processing and continuous processing, the processing time becomes longer as the processing becomes complicated, so that a reduction in processing speed becomes a problem. On the other hand, it is possible to construct an accelerator system with a higher speed by using a hardware processing circuit. Even if the processing is complicated, the accelerator system can prevent the processing speed from being lowered, and high throughput can be obtained.

<< Overall configuration of digital still camera >>
FIG. 15 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a camera system which is an embodiment of an electronic apparatus including a solid-state imaging device which is an embodiment of a semiconductor device according to the present invention. The camera system shown in FIG. 15 uses a solid-state imaging device 902 which is an embodiment of a semiconductor device as imaging means, and a peripheral circuit is connected to a subsequent stage of the solid-state imaging device (device) 910 and accommodated in a housing. Therefore, the digital still camera 901 can capture a color image. The digital still camera 901 is an example of an electronic device that uses the solid-state imaging device 902 as an imaging unit.

  As shown in the figure, a digital still camera 901 includes an imaging module 903 having a solid-state imaging device 910 whose main part is a CMOS type imaging unit, an imaging lens 950, and a driving unit 996 for driving the solid-state imaging device 910, and an imaging module. The digital still camera 901 includes a main body unit 904 that generates a video signal based on an image pickup signal obtained in 903 and outputs the video signal to a monitor or stores an image in a predetermined storage medium.

  The processing system of the digital still camera 901 is roughly divided into an optical system 905, a signal processing system 906, a recording system 907, a display system 908, and a control system 909. Needless to say, the imaging module 903 and the main unit 904 are accommodated in an exterior case (not shown), and an actual product (finished product) is finished.

  The driving unit 996 in the imaging module 903 receives a timing signal generation unit 940 that generates various pulse signals for driving the solid-state imaging device 910 and the pulse signal from the timing signal generation unit 940 to receive solid-state imaging. A scanning unit 942 that converts a drive pulse for driving the element 910 and a control signal generation unit 946 that generates a control signal for extracting an output signal from the solid-state imaging device 910 are provided. Note that the timing signal generation unit 940 and the control signal generation unit 946 are collectively referred to as a timing control unit.

  The optical system 905 photoelectrically converts the collected light image into an electrical signal by photoelectrically converting the collected light image, and a shutter 952, a lens 954 that collects a light image of the subject, and a diaphragm 956 that adjusts the light amount of the light image. It comprises a solid-state image sensor 910 for conversion. Light L from the subject Z passes through the shutter 952 and the lens 954, is adjusted by the diaphragm 956, and enters the solid-state image sensor 910 with moderate brightness. At this time, the lens 954 adjusts the focal position so that an image composed of the light L from the subject Z is imaged on the solid-state imaging device 910.

  The signal processing system 906 includes an amplification amplifier that amplifies an analog imaging signal from the imaging unit of the solid-state imaging device 910, a preamplifier unit 961 having a CDS function that reduces noise by sampling the amplified imaging signal (column processing). The A / D (Analog / Digital) conversion unit 964 that converts the analog signal output from the preamplifier unit 961 into a digital signal, and the digital signal input from the A / D conversion unit 964 is subjected to predetermined image processing. The image processing unit 966 is configured by a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) to be applied.

  The recording system 907 encodes an image signal processed by the image processing unit 966 and a memory (recording medium) 972 such as a flash memory that stores the image signal, records the encoded image signal in the memory 972, and reads and decodes the image signal. CODEC (Compression / Decompression) 974 to be supplied to 966.

  The display system 908 includes a D / A (Digital / Analog) conversion circuit 982 that converts the image signal processed by the image processing unit 966 into an analog, and a liquid crystal that functions as a finder by displaying an image corresponding to the input video signal ( A video monitor 984 such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and the like, and a video encoder 986 that encodes an analog image signal into a video signal of a format suitable for the video monitor 984 in the subsequent stage.

  First, the control system 909 controls a drive (drive device) (not shown) to read a control program stored in a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, or a semiconductor memory, and from the read control program or a user. A central portion 992 made up of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) for controlling the entire digital still camera 901 based on the above command is provided.

  In addition, the control system 909 controls from the exposure controller 994 that controls the shutter 952 and the diaphragm 956 so that the brightness of the image sent to the image processing unit 966 is moderate, and from the solid-state imaging device 910 to the image processing unit 966. It has a drive unit 996 having a timing signal generation unit (timing generator; TG) 940 for controlling the operation timing of each functional unit, and an operation unit 998 for a user to input shutter timing and other commands. The central unit 992 controls the image processing unit 966, the CODEC 974, the memory 972, the exposure controller 994, and the timing signal generation unit 940 connected to the bus 999 of the digital still camera 901.

  In the digital still camera 901, processing such as flicker correction, γ correction, shading correction, and color balance is performed in the digital region with the image processing unit 966 as the center. Similarly to the digital still camera 901 shown in FIG. 14B, the DSP chip (image processing unit 966) different from the solid-state imaging device 910, which is an image sensor chip, is connected to the first to sixth embodiments described above. A configuration in which an arithmetic processing unit that performs the arithmetic processing described in the embodiment is mounted is employed.

  The digital still camera 901 also includes automatic control devices such as auto focus (AF), auto white balance (AWB), and automatic exposure (AE). These controls are processed using an output signal obtained from the solid-state imaging device 902. For example, the exposure controller 994 has its control value set by the central portion 992 so that the brightness of the image sent to the image processing unit 966 is moderate, and controls the aperture 956 according to the control value.

  The timing signal generation unit 940 is controlled by the central unit 992, and generates timing pulses necessary for the operations of the solid-state imaging device 910, the preamplifier unit 961, the A / D conversion unit 964, and the image processing unit 966, and Supply. The operation unit 998 is operated when the user operates the digital still camera 901.

  The solid-state imaging device 902 is configured by the solid-state imaging device 910, the preamplifier unit 961, the A / D conversion unit 964, and the driving unit 996 in the imaging module 903. The solid-state imaging device 902 includes a solid-state imaging device 910, a preamplifier unit 961, an A / D conversion unit 964, and a driving unit 996 arranged on one circuit board or formed on one semiconductor substrate. It should be provided as a thing.

  Note that the configuration shown here is an example, and for example, an imaging module that incorporates an arithmetic processing unit that performs the arithmetic processing described in the above first to sixth embodiments on a semiconductor chip including a solid-state imaging device 910. 903 may be configured, and the preamplifier unit 961, the A / D conversion unit 964, or the drive unit 996 (each may be the whole or a part thereof) may be different from the semiconductor chip including the solid-state imaging device 910. Various modifications such as a circuit board (including a semiconductor chip) are possible.

  For example, in the illustrated example, the preamplifier unit 961 and the A / D conversion unit 964 of the signal processing system 906 are built in the imaging module 903. However, the configuration is not limited to such a configuration, and the preamplifier unit 961 and the A / D conversion unit are included. A configuration in which 964 is provided in the main body unit 904 can also be employed. A configuration in which the D / A conversion unit is provided in the image processing unit 966 can also be adopted.

  Further, although the timing signal generation unit 940 is built in the imaging module 903, the configuration is not limited to such a configuration, and a configuration in which the timing signal generation unit 940 is provided in the main body unit 904 can also be adopted. In addition, the timing signal generation unit 940, the scanning unit 942, and the control signal generation unit 946 are separate components, but the configuration is not limited thereto, and these may be integrated. In this way, a more compact (small) digital still camera 901 can be configured.

  Further, each of the timing signal generation unit 940, the scanning unit 942, and the control signal generation unit 946 may be configured by individual discrete members, but as an IC (Integrated Circuit) formed on a single semiconductor substrate. It should be provided. More preferably, a circuit is formed on one semiconductor substrate together with the solid-state imaging device 910. In the case of a CMOS type image sensor, it is very easy to adopt such a configuration. By doing so, the solid-state imaging device 902 can be made compact, the members can be handled easily, and these can be realized at low cost. In addition, the digital still camera 901 can be easily manufactured.

  In addition, the timing signal generation unit 940, the scanning unit 942, and the control signal generation unit 946, which are strongly related to the solid-state image sensor 910 to be used, are integrated by being mounted on a common substrate with the solid-state image sensor 910. Alternatively, when they are integrated in the imaging module 903, handling and management of the members are simplified. Further, since these are integrated as a module, the digital still camera 901 (completed product) can be easily manufactured. Note that the imaging module 903 may include the solid-state imaging device 910 and the optical system 905 without including the drive unit 996.

  In addition to such a configuration, the timing signal generation unit 940 is configured as a device separate from the solid-state imaging device 910 and includes an imaging device (so-called imaging) including peripheral circuits such as the solid-state imaging device 910 and the scanning unit 942. Device) and an external timing signal generation unit 940, an image processing unit 966, and the like may constitute the solid-state imaging device 902. That is, the physical information acquisition device is configured by the timing signal generation unit 940, the image processing unit 966, and the like independently of the other functional elements on the sensor chip side such as the solid-state imaging device 910 and the scanning unit 942. The device may be provided as a separate semiconductor integrated circuit. In this case, the solid-state imaging device 902 may be provided as an imaging module in which an imaging lens 950, a peripheral signal processing circuit (such as the image processing unit 966) and a power supply circuit are also incorporated.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated using embodiment, the technical scope of this invention is not limited to the range as described in the said embodiment. Various changes or improvements can be added to the above-described embodiment without departing from the gist of the invention, and embodiments to which such changes or improvements are added are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

  Further, the above embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims (claims), and all combinations of features described in the embodiments are not necessarily essential to the solution means of the invention. Absent. The embodiments described above include inventions at various stages, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriately combining a plurality of disclosed constituent elements. Even if some constituent requirements are deleted from all the constituent requirements shown in the embodiment, as long as an effect is obtained, a configuration from which these some constituent requirements are deleted can be extracted as an invention.

  For example, the driving method and arithmetic processing described in the above embodiments can be applied to reading in the global shutter mode. In the global shutter mode using the mechanical shutter for suppressing the focal plane phenomenon in the MOS image sensor, the exposure time increases as the readout time is shortened, so that the true signal amount becomes larger than the single surface element readout. The higher the frame rate, the greater the true signal increase due to the reduction in readout time, and the SNR is improved. Further, if the above-described addition averaging process is applied, the noise ratio is further reduced.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Solid-state imaging device, 2 ... Pixel, 3 ... Unit pixel group, 7 ... Drive control part, 5 ... Pixel signal generation part, 10,810 ... Imaging part, 12 ... Horizontal scanning circuit, 14 ... Vertical scanning circuit, 15 ... Vertical control line 18 ... Horizontal signal line 19 ... Vertical signal line 20 ... Communication / timing generation unit 26 ... Column processing unit 29 ... Output circuit 32 ... Charge generation unit 34 ... Read selection transistor 36 ... Reset transistor, 38 ... floating diffusion, 40 ... vertical selection transistor, 42 ... amplification transistor, 802 ... image sensor chip, 804 ... arithmetic processing unit, 820 ... general-purpose processor, 903 ... imaging module, 910 ... solid imaginary element, 950 ... Imaging lens, 966 ... Image processing unit (including arithmetic processing unit)

Claims (28)

A plurality of detection units that detect a change in physical quantity, and a unit signal generation unit that is provided so as to be shared by the plurality of detection units and that outputs a unit signal based on a change in physical quantity detected by each detection unit Based on the unit signal acquired under a predetermined detection condition for a physical quantity, using a semiconductor device for physical quantity distribution detection in which the unit constituent elements are arranged in a predetermined order. A physical information acquisition method for acquiring physical information for a predetermined purpose,
For the plurality of detection units shared by the unit signal generation unit, after acquiring the unit signal according to a change in physical quantity detected by one of the detection units, the other detection unit detects the unit signal. When acquiring the unit signal corresponding to a change in physical quantity, the unit configuration is configured to acquire the unit signal corresponding to a composite component of a change in physical quantity detected by each of the one and the other detection units. A physical information acquisition method characterized by performing drive control on an element. 2. The physical information according to claim 1, wherein the unit signal for the other is obtained by performing arithmetic processing for obtaining a difference between the unit signal corresponding to the synthesized component and the unit signal for the one. Acquisition method. As the arithmetic processing, further, averaging is performed between the unit signal for the target detection unit and the unit signal for the detection unit arranged around the target detection unit. The physical information acquisition method according to claim 2. The physical information acquisition method according to claim 3, wherein the averaging is performed so that a weighting ratio of the target detection unit to the unit signal is high. As the arithmetic processing, the unit signal for at least one of the one and the other is further adjusted based on the unit signal according to the synthesis component and the difference between the unit signals for the one and the other. The physical information acquisition method according to claim 2. Addition / subtraction processing is performed between the unit signal corresponding to the composite component and the difference between the unit signals for the one and the other, and the unit signal is set so that the addition / subtraction ratio with respect to the difference increases as the difference increases. It adjusts. The physical information acquisition method of Claim 5 characterized by the above-mentioned. Drive control is performed on the unit component so as to perform acquisition of the unit signal for the one detection unit and acquisition of the unit signal according to the combined component a plurality of times,
As the arithmetic processing, a process of taking an average value of the difference between the composite component and the unit signal for the one based on the unit signal corresponding to the composite component acquired a plurality of times and the unit signal for the one The physical information acquisition method according to claim 2, wherein the unit signal for the other is acquired. A plurality of detection units that detect a change in physical quantity, and a unit signal generation unit that is provided so as to be shared by the plurality of detection units and that outputs a unit signal based on a change in physical quantity detected by each detection unit Based on the unit signal acquired under a predetermined detection condition for a physical quantity, using a semiconductor device for physical quantity distribution detection in which the unit constituent elements are arranged in a predetermined order. A physical information acquisition device for acquiring physical information for a predetermined purpose,
For the plurality of detection units shared by the unit signal generation unit, after acquiring the unit signal according to a change in physical quantity detected by one of the detection units, each of the one and the other detection units A physical information acquisition apparatus comprising: a drive control unit that performs drive control on the unit component so as to acquire the unit signal corresponding to a composite component of the change in physical quantity detected in step (1). Calculation for obtaining a unit signal corresponding to a change in a physical quantity detected by the other detection unit by performing a calculation process for obtaining a difference between the unit signal corresponding to the composite component and the unit signal for the one The physical information acquisition apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a processing unit. The arithmetic processing unit further performs an averaging process between the unit signal for the target detection unit and the unit signal for the detection unit arranged around the target detection unit. The physical information acquisition apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the physical information acquisition apparatus is a physical information acquisition apparatus. The physical information acquisition apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the arithmetic processing unit performs the averaging process so that a weighting ratio of the target detection unit to the unit signal is high. The arithmetic processing unit further adjusts the unit signals for the one and the other based on the unit signal corresponding to the synthesis component and a difference between the unit signals for the one and the other. The physical information acquisition apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the physical information acquisition apparatus is a physical information acquisition apparatus. The arithmetic processing unit performs addition / subtraction processing between the unit signal corresponding to the synthesis component and the difference between the unit signals of the one and the other, and the larger the difference, the higher the ratio of addition / subtraction to the difference. The physical information acquisition apparatus according to claim 12, wherein: The drive control unit performs drive control on the unit component so as to perform acquisition of the unit signal for the one detection unit and acquisition of a unit signal according to the combined component a plurality of times. Do,
The arithmetic processing unit takes an average value of a difference between the combined component and the unit signal for the one based on the unit signal corresponding to the combined component acquired a plurality of times and the unit signal for the one. The physical information acquisition apparatus according to claim 9, wherein processing is performed to acquire the unit signal for the other. A plurality of detection units that detect a change in physical quantity, and a unit signal generation unit that is provided so as to be shared by the plurality of detection units and that outputs a unit signal based on a change in physical quantity detected by each detection unit Based on the unit signal acquired under a predetermined detection condition for a physical quantity, using a semiconductor device for physical quantity distribution detection in which the unit constituent elements are arranged in a predetermined order. A physical information acquisition device for acquiring physical information for a predetermined purpose,
For the plurality of detection units shared by the unit signal generation unit, after acquiring the unit signal according to a change in physical quantity detected by one of the detection units, each of the one and the other detection units In accordance with the change in the physical quantity detected by the other detection unit by performing a calculation process for obtaining a difference between the unit signal corresponding to the combined component of the change in the physical quantity detected in step 1 and the unit signal for the one A physical information acquisition apparatus comprising: an arithmetic processing unit that acquires the unit signal. The arithmetic processing unit further performs an averaging process between the unit signal for the target detection unit and the unit signal for the detection unit arranged around the target detection unit. The physical information acquisition apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the physical information acquisition apparatus is a physical information acquisition apparatus. The physical information acquisition apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the arithmetic processing unit performs the averaging process so that a weighting ratio of the target detection unit with respect to the unit signal is high. The arithmetic processing unit further adjusts the unit signals for the one and the other based on the unit signal corresponding to the synthesis component and a difference between the unit signals for the one and the other. The physical information acquisition apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the physical information acquisition apparatus is a physical information acquisition apparatus. The arithmetic processing unit performs addition / subtraction processing between the unit signal corresponding to the synthesis component and the difference between the unit signals of the one and the other, and the larger the difference, the higher the ratio of addition / subtraction to the difference. The physical information acquisition apparatus according to claim 18, wherein: The arithmetic processing unit is a process for obtaining an average value of a difference between the combined component and the unit signal for the one based on the unit signal corresponding to the combined component acquired a plurality of times and the unit signal for the one. The physical information acquisition apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the unit signal for the other is acquired by performing. A semiconductor substrate, a plurality of detection units formed on the semiconductor substrate, each detecting a change in physical quantity, and a unit signal generation unit outputting a unit signal based on the change in physical quantity detected by each detection unit. A semiconductor device for detecting a physical quantity distribution that is included in a unit component and the unit components are arranged in a predetermined order,
The unit signal generation unit is configured to be shared with a plurality of the detection units that match a predetermined condition,
For the plurality of shared detection units, after acquiring the unit signal according to the change in physical quantity detected by one of the detection units, the change in physical quantity detected by the one and the other detection units A semiconductor device, comprising: a drive control unit that performs drive control on the unit component so as to acquire the unit signal corresponding to the combined component. A plurality of the detection units are arranged in a square lattice pattern,
The unit signal generation unit is shared by the detection units adjacent to each other in one direction of the square lattice, the other direction orthogonal to the one direction, or both the one and the other. The semiconductor device according to claim 21, wherein the semiconductor device is configured as follows. Of the detection units formed on the semiconductor substrate in the row direction and the column direction at a predetermined arrangement interval, the physical quantity output from the detection unit arranged along the column direction is changed. A plurality of column direction information transfer units for transferring the information to be represented on the semiconductor substrate;
In the rows of the detection units adjacent to each other, the arrangement of the detection units in one row is relatively shifted from the arrangement of the detection units in the other row by approximately ½ of the arrangement interval in the row direction. The column direction information transfer unit for two columns is arranged between the detection units adjacent to each other in the row direction, and the column direction information transfer unit for one column is provided between the detection units adjacent in the diagonal direction. The column direction information transfer unit is formed on the semiconductor substrate so as to meander between the detection units,
The unit signal generation unit is configured to be shared by the detection units adjacent to each other in both the row direction and a column direction orthogonal to the row direction. 21. The semiconductor device according to item 21. The detection surface of the detection unit is provided with a wavelength separation unit that separates an electromagnetic wave that is an example of the physical quantity into a predetermined wavelength component,
The semiconductor device according to claim 21, wherein the detection units to be shared are for the same wavelength component. Calculation for obtaining a unit signal corresponding to a change in a physical quantity detected by the other detection unit by performing a calculation process for obtaining a difference between the unit signal corresponding to the composite component and the unit signal for the one The semiconductor device according to claim 21, further comprising a processing unit on the semiconductor substrate. A plurality of detection units that detect a change in physical quantity, and a unit signal generation unit that is provided so as to be shared by the plurality of detection units and that outputs a unit signal based on a change in physical quantity detected by each detection unit Based on the unit signal acquired under a predetermined detection condition for a physical quantity, using a semiconductor device for physical quantity distribution detection in which the unit constituent elements are arranged in a predetermined order. A program for acquiring physical information for a predetermined purpose,
Computer
For the plurality of detection units shared by the unit signal generation unit, after acquiring the unit signal according to a change in physical quantity detected by one of the detection units, each of the one and the other detection units In accordance with the change in the physical quantity detected by the other detection unit by performing a calculation process for obtaining a difference between the unit signal corresponding to the combined component of the change in the physical quantity detected in step 1 and the unit signal for the one A program that functions as an arithmetic processing unit that acquires the unit signal. An imaging lens that captures an optical image of the subject;
A unit component includes a plurality of detection units on which an optical image of the subject captured by the imaging lens is formed and a pixel signal generation unit that acquires pixel signals corresponding to signal charges detected by the detection unit, A solid-state imaging device in which the unit components are arranged in a predetermined order; and
For the plurality of detection units shared by the unit signal generation unit, after acquiring the unit signal according to a change in physical quantity detected by one of the detection units, each of the one and the other detection units An image pickup module comprising: a drive control unit that performs drive control on the unit component so as to acquire the unit signal corresponding to a composite component of the change in physical quantity detected in step (1). Calculation for obtaining a unit signal corresponding to a change in a physical quantity detected by the other detection unit by performing a calculation process for obtaining a difference between the unit signal corresponding to the composite component and the unit signal for the one The imaging module according to claim 27, further comprising a processing unit.

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