US 12,250,484 B2
Photodetection device and electronic apparatus
Masako Hasegawa, Kanagawa (JP); and Parit Kanjanavirojkul, Kanagawa (JP)
Assigned to SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION, Kanagawa (JP)
Appl. No. 18/003,338
Filed by SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION, Kanagawa (JP)
PCT Filed Jun. 7, 2021, PCT No. PCT/JP2021/021636
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 26, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/004289, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 6, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-115934 (JP), filed on Jul. 3, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0254604 A1, Aug. 10, 2023
Int. Cl. H04N 25/77 (2023.01); H04N 25/772 (2023.01); H04N 25/78 (2023.01); H04N 25/779 (2023.01)
CPC H04N 25/772 (2023.01) [H04N 25/78 (2023.01); H04N 25/779 (2023.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A photodetection device, comprising:
a plurality of pixels in a matrix, wherein each of the plurality of pixels is configured to generate a pixel signal;
a reference signal generation section configured to generate a first reference signal;
a plurality of analog to digital (AD) converters associated with respective pixel columns of the plurality of pixels, wherein
the plurality of AD converters includes a comparison circuit,
the comparison circuit is configured to compare the pixel signal with the first reference signal,
the comparison circuit includes:
a first-stage amplifier circuit configured to output a first output signal based on the comparison operation, and
a second-stage amplifier circuit configured to output a second output signal based on the first output signal,
the second-stage amplifier circuit is coupled to the first-stage amplifier circuit, and
the plurality of AD converters is configured to perform AD conversion on the pixel signal based on the second output signal;
a plurality of clamp circuits associated with the comparison circuit, wherein each of the plurality of clamp circuits includes a switch; and
a control signal generator configured to:
generate a clamp control signal for each of the plurality of clamp circuits; and
control a state of the switch of each of the plurality of clamp circuits based on the generated clamp control signal, wherein
the state of the switch corresponds to one of an on state or an off state, and
each of the plurality of clamp circuits is configured to selectively clamp a voltage of the second output signal based on the on state of the switch.