US 12,322,000 B2
Photoelectric conversion device and imaging system
Hideaki Takada, Yokohama (JP); and Kazuo Yamazaki, Yokohama (JP)
Assigned to CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Mar. 11, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/692,970.
Application 17/692,970 is a division of application No. 16/701,029, filed on Dec. 2, 2019, granted, now 11,310,453.
Claims priority of application No. 2018-229127 (JP), filed on Dec. 6, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0201233 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
Int. Cl. H04N 25/75 (2023.01); G06T 7/55 (2017.01); H04N 25/445 (2023.01); H04N 25/65 (2023.01); H04N 25/78 (2023.01)
CPC G06T 7/55 (2017.01) [H04N 25/445 (2023.01); H04N 25/65 (2023.01); H04N 25/78 (2023.01); G06T 2207/30252 (2013.01)] 4 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A photoelectric conversion device comprising:
a plurality of pixels arranged to form a plurality of columns;
a plurality of analog-to-digital (AD) conversion units each provided to corresponding one of the plurality of columns; and
a readout circuit unit provided between the plurality of pixels and the plurality of AD conversion units,
wherein the readout circuit unit includes a first switch, a second switch and a signal holding unit for each of the plurality of columns,
wherein, on each of the columns, the first switch and the second switch are connected in series between a pixel of the plurality of pixels and an AD conversion unit of the plurality of AD conversion units,
wherein, on each of the columns, the signal holding units is connected to a first node between the second switch and the AD conversion unit,
wherein the first node is a node to which an analog signal to be input to the AD conversion unit is provided,
wherein the readout circuit unit further includes a plurality of third switches and a plurality of fourth switches each provided between neighboring columns,
wherein a third switch of the plurality of third switches is connected between second nodes, each of which connects the first switch and the second switch, on neighboring columns,
wherein a fourth switch of the plurality of fourth switches is connected between the first nodes on neighboring columns,
wherein the readout circuit unit further includes a plurality of column amplifiers each provided to a corresponding one of the plurality of columns, and on each of the columns, a column amplifier of the plurality of column amplifiers is provided between the first switch and the second switch, and
wherein the third switch is connected to an output node of the column amplifier, and the fourth switch is connected to the output node of the column amplifier.