US 12,111,206 B2
Vision sensor including a voltage generation circuit for outputting a test bias voltage to a transistor and operating method thereof
Seol Namgung, Seoul (KR); Jeongseok Kim, Suwon-si (KR); Yunjae Suh, Suwon-si (KR); Junseok Kim, Hwaseong-si (KR); Jongwoo Bong, Seoul (KR); and Seungnam Choi, Suwon-si (KR)
Assigned to SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., Suwon-si (KR)
Filed by SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., Suwon-si (KR)
Filed on Apr. 26, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/729,320.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2021-0064212 (KR), filed on May 18, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0373389 A1, Nov. 24, 2022
Int. Cl. G01J 1/44 (2006.01); H04N 25/40 (2023.01); H04N 25/76 (2023.01)
CPC G01J 1/44 (2013.01) [H04N 25/40 (2023.01); H04N 25/76 (2023.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vision sensor comprising:
a pixel array comprising a plurality of pixels comprising a first pixel; wherein the first pixel comprises a sensing circuit configured to generate a first output voltage based on an internal voltage generated based on changes in intensity of light, and generate a second output voltage based on a first test bias voltage received from a bias voltage generation circuit, and wherein the sensing circuit comprises:
a photoelectric conversion element configured to generate a photocurrent based on the changes in the intensity of the light;
a current-voltage conversion circuit comprising a first transistor connected to the photoelectric conversion element, the current-voltage conversion circuit configured to convert the photocurrent into the internal voltage; and
a source-follower configured to convert the internal voltage to the first output voltage,
wherein the first transistor is configured to receive the first test bias voltage, and
wherein the photocurrent flows through the first transistor.