US 12,225,311 B2
Image sensor and method of operating the same
Munhwan Kim, Seoul (KR); Youngsun Oh, Hwaseong-si (KR); Jongyoon Shin, Suwon-si (KR); Honghyun Jeon, Suwon-si (KR); and Hana Choi, Seongnam-si (KR)
Assigned to SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., Suwon-si (KR)
Filed by SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., Suwon-si (KR)
Filed on Oct. 6, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/482,233.
Application 18/482,233 is a continuation of application No. 17/673,390, filed on Feb. 16, 2022, granted, now 11,812,175.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2021-0059025 (KR), filed on May 7, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0048866 A1, Feb. 8, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04N 25/766 (2023.01); H01L 27/146 (2006.01); H04N 25/11 (2023.01); H04N 25/75 (2023.01); H04N 25/778 (2023.01); H04N 25/79 (2023.01)
CPC H04N 25/766 (2023.01) [H01L 27/14614 (2013.01); H01L 27/14621 (2013.01); H01L 27/14627 (2013.01); H01L 27/1463 (2013.01); H01L 27/14645 (2013.01); H04N 25/11 (2023.01); H04N 25/75 (2023.01); H04N 25/778 (2023.01); H04N 25/79 (2023.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of operating an image sensor, the method comprising:
performing a first reset operation to reset a floating diffusion region;
sampling a first electric potential of the floating diffusion region having a first conversion gain in a reset state, to obtain a first reset signal during a first output interval;
sampling a second electric potential of a photoelectric conversion region having the first conversion gain to obtain a first pixel signal during a second output interval;
adjusting the first conversion gain of the floating diffusion region to a second conversion gain based on the first reset signal and the first pixel signal;
sampling a third electric potential of the floating diffusion region having the second conversion gain to obtain a second pixel signal during a third output interval;
performing a second reset operation to reset the floating diffusion region; and
sampling a fourth electric potential of the floating diffusion region having the second conversion gain in the reset state, to obtain a second reset signal during a fourth output interval.