Abstract: An image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate includes a set of one or more substrate portions. Each substrate portion of the set of one or more substrate portions is electrically isolated from other substrate portions of the set of substrate portions. The image sensor further includes a set of photodiodes, a set of charge storage nodes, a set of charge transfer gates, and a control circuit. Each charge transfer gate of the set of charge transfer gates is disposed on and biased by a different substrate portion of the set of substrate portions. Each charge transfer gate of the set of charge transfer gates is operable to selectively connect a respective photodiode of the set of photodiodes to the charge storage node. The control circuit is operable to dynamically bias each substrate portion of the set of substrate portions independently of each other substrate portion of the set of substrate portions.

Abstract: An imaging device includes a pixel-circuit and a readout circuit. The pixel-circuit includes a photodetector. The readout circuit is configured to perform a series of iterations, each iteration including (i) accumulating an electrical charge in the photodetector during an integration time, (ii) transferring a portion of the electrical charge accumulated in the photodetector to a floating diffusion, the portion being less than all the electrical charge accumulated in the photodetector, and (iii) coupling a voltage of the floating diffusion to a storage capacitance, to subsequently, in a final iteration, transfer a remaining electrical charge from the photodetector, and to derive an output digital value, indicative of a total energy of the light incident on the photodetector over the series of iterations and the final iteration, from the voltage on the storage capacitance and from the remaining electrical charge transferred in the final iteration.

Abstract: A camera may include a substrate for placing components. An image sensor having a light-receiving side and an opposite non-light-receiving side may be attached to a first side of the substrate to receive light from one or more lenses of the camera to capture an image. The camera may also include one or more additional components separate and distinct from the image sensor. The additional components may be placed beneath the non-light-receiving side of the image sensor. The components may be attached to a second side of the substrate opposite the first side where the image sensor is mounted at least partially inside one or more recesses, or embedded at least partially inside the substrate.

Abstract: A method of reading a pixel value from an image sensor housed with a set of components includes determining a current state of the set of components; adjusting, at least partly responsive to the current state of the set of components, a correlated double sampling (CDS) time; and performing, in accordance with the adjusted CDS time, a CDS readout of at least one pixel in a pixel array of the image sensor.

Abstract: An image sensing system is disclosed. The image sensing system includes an array of pixel circuits and a multiplexer configured to convey an output signal from a selected one of the pixel circuits. The output signal from the selected one of the plurality of pixel circuits is converted from analog to digital by a successive approximation register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC). A control circuit is provided to cause the SAR ADC power cycling with shaped power control signal. The SAR ADC comparator pre-amp with integrate-reset causes reduced power to the theoretical limit for imaging systems. The control circuit causes quantization process of selected ones of the pixel circuits to be repeated one or more times during the processing.

Abstract: A pixel circuit and method for operating the same is disclosed. The circuit includes a first driver circuit coupled to receive an analog pixel data, transfer signal and reset signal. The circuit further includes a source follower transistor having a source terminal coupled to a column node, and a gate terminal coupled to the first driver circuit. The circuit further includes a second driver circuit coupled to receive the transfer signal and the reset signal. The second driver circuit is capacitively coupled to the column node through a first capacitor.

Abstract: Pixel binning is performed by summing charge from some pixels positioned diagonally in a pixel array. Pixel signals output from pixels positioned diagonally in the pixel array may be combined on the output lines. A signal representing summed charge produces a binned 2×1 cluster. A signal representing combined voltage signals produces a binned 2×1 cluster. A signal representing summed charge and a signal representing combined pixel signals can be combined digitally to produce a binned 2×2 pixel. Orthogonal binning may be performed on other pixels in the pixel array by summing charge on respective common sense regions and then combining the voltage signals that represent the summed charge on respective output lines.

Abstract: An image sensing system is disclosed. The image sensing system includes an array of pixel circuits and a multiplexer configured to convey an output signal from a selected one of the pixel circuits. The output signal from the selected one of the plurality of pixel circuits is converted from analog to digital by a successive approximation register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC). A control circuit is provided to cause the SAR ADC power cycling with shaped power control signal. The SAR ADC comparator pre-amp with integrate-reset causes reduced power to the theoretical limit for imaging systems. The control circuit causes quantization process of selected ones of the pixel circuits to be repeated one or more times during the processing.

Abstract: A pixel circuit and method for operating the same is disclosed. The circuit includes a first driver circuit coupled to receive an analog pixel data, transfer signal and reset signal. The circuit further includes a source follower transistor having a source terminal coupled to a column node, and a gate terminal coupled to the first driver circuit. The circuit further includes a second driver circuit coupled to receive the transfer signal and the reset signal. The second driver circuit is capacitively coupled to the column node through a first capacitor.

Abstract: Pixel binning is performed by summing charge from some pixels positioned diagonally in a pixel array. Pixel signals output from pixels positioned diagonally in the pixel array may be combined on the output lines. A signal representing summed charge produces a binned 2×1 cluster. A signal representing combined voltage signals produces a binned 2×1 cluster. A signal representing summed charge and a signal representing combined pixel signals can be combined digitally to produce a binned 2×2 pixel. Orthogonal binning may be performed on other pixels in the pixel array by summing charge on respective common sense regions and then combining the voltage signals that represent the summed charge on respective output lines.

Abstract: Pixel binning is performed by summing charge from some pixels positioned diagonally in a pixel array. Pixel signals output from pixels positioned diagonally in the pixel array may be combined on the output lines. A signal representing summed charge produces a binned 2×1 cluster. A signal representing combined voltage signals produces a binned 2×1 cluster. A signal representing summed charge and a signal representing combined pixel signals can be combined digitally to produce a binned 2×2 pixel. Orthogonal binning may be performed on other pixels in the pixel array by summing charge on respective common sense regions and then then combining the voltage signals that represent the summed charge on respective output lines.

Abstract: Successive approximation register (SAR) and ramp analog to digital conversion (ADC) methods, systems, and apparatus are disclosed. An analog voltage signal may be converted into a multiple bit digital value by generating bits of the multiple bit digital value by performing a SAR conversion on the analog voltage signal, where the bits corresponding to a SAR voltage level, and generating other bits of the multiple bit digital value by performing one or more ramp conversions on the analog voltage signal, the ramp conversion comparing the analog voltage signal to a ramp of voltage levels based on the SAR voltage level. The SAR and ramp ADC can provide multi-sampling using one SAR conversion and multiple ramp conversions. The SAR can set the voltage level of a first ramp of a multiple ramp conversion, which can then be used to preset the voltage level prior to subsequent ramps.

Abstract: Pixel binning is performed by summing charge from some pixels positioned diagonally in a pixel array. Pixel signals output from pixels positioned diagonally in the pixel array may be combined on the output lines. A signal representing summed charge produces a binned 2×1 cluster. A signal representing combined voltage signals produces a binned 2×1 cluster. A signal representing summed charge and a signal representing combined pixel signals can be combined digitally to produce a binned 2×2 pixel. Orthogonal binning may be performed on other pixels in the pixel array by summing charge on respective common sense regions and then then combining the voltage signals that represent the summed charge on respective output lines.

Abstract: An electronic device may have one or more analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). The ADCs may be used in digitizing signals from an image sensor. In order to ensure that input signals received by an ADC are not clipped, the input signals may be positively or negatively offset by a desired amount. Offsetting the input signals may ensure that the offset input signals wall within the acceptable input range of the ADCs. Offset injection may be accomplished using capacitors that are also used for analog-to-digital conversion. As an example, the ADC may be a successive approximation-type ADC that uses capacitors in a binary search for the digital value most accurately representing an input analog value. The capacitors of the ADC may be used for the successive approximation process and for offset injection. The offset injection may be digitally canceled out following digitization of the input analog signal.

Abstract: Electronic devices may include image sensors having image pixel arrays with image pixels arranged in pixel rows and pixel columns. Each pixel column may be coupled to a column line having column readout circuitry. The column readout circuitry on each column line may include signal processing circuitry and a latch circuit. The latch circuit on each column line may be used to selectively enable and disable the signal processing circuitry on that column line. Each latch circuit may be coupled to first and second signal lines for globally enabling and disabling the signal processing circuitry on all of the column lines. Each latch circuit may be coupled to column decoder circuitry. The column decoder circuitry may provide a column-select signal to latch circuits on a chosen subset of column lines that enables the signal processing circuitry on those column lines by setting those latch circuits.

Abstract: Electronic devices may include image sensors having image sensor pixels arranged in rows and columns. Pixels arranged along a column may be coupled to a common column line. Two or more column lines may by coupled to a shared analog-to-digital converter circuit. The shared analog to digital converter circuit may sample and hold reset-level or image-level voltages presented on the column line. The shared analog to digital converter circuits may pre-amplify and convert the voltages to digital signals. The shared analog-to-digital converter may simultaneously sample pixel voltages for all columns in a selected row of the pixel array. The image sensor may read the converted signals out of memory for an active row in the pixel array while simultaneously sampling and holding the voltages for the next row of the pixel array.

Abstract: Electronic devices may include image sensors having image sensor pixels. The pixels may be coupled to analog to digital converter (ADC) circuitry. The ADC may include a hybrid successive approximation register (SAR) ADC and ramp-compare ADC. The ramp-compare ADC may be controlled by count bits. The hybrid ADC may be subject to non-idealities at the transition between data conversion using the SAR ADC and the ramp-compare ADC. A voltage offset may be injected to the ramp-compare ADC to compensate for voltage glitches. The ramp-compare ADC may have an output range that is insufficiently matched to a least significant bit of the SAR ADC. An error correction bit may be added to the count bits to increase the output range of the ramp-compare ADC to match the SAR least significant bit. The ramp-compare ADC may include gain control circuitry to further match the output range to the SAR least significant bit.

Abstract: Electronic devices may include image sensors having image pixel arrays with image pixels arranged in pixel rows and pixel columns. Each pixel column may be coupled to a column line having column readout circuitry. The column readout circuitry on each column line may include signal processing circuitry and a latch circuit. The latch circuit on each column line may be used to selectively enable and disable the signal processing circuitry on that column line. Each latch circuit may be coupled to first and second signal lines for globally enabling and disabling the signal processing circuitry on all of the column lines. Each latch circuit may be coupled to column decoder circuitry. The column decoder circuitry may provide a column-select signal to latch circuits on a chosen subset of column lines that enables the signal processing circuitry on those column lines by setting those latch circuits.

Abstract: Electronic devices may include image sensors having image sensor pixels arranged in rows and columns. Pixels arranged along a column may be coupled to a common column line. Two or more column lines may by coupled to a shared analog-to-digital converter circuit. The shared analog to digital converter circuit may sample and hold reset-level or image-level voltages presented on the column line. The shared analog to digital converter circuits may pre-amplify and convert the voltages to digital signals. The shared analog-to-digital converter may simultaneously sample pixel voltages for all columns in a selected row of the pixel array. The image sensor may read the converted signals out of memory for an active row in the pixel array while simultaneously sampling and holding the voltages for the next row of the pixel array.

Abstract: Successive approximation register (SAR) and ramp analog to digital conversion (ADC) methods, systems, and apparatus are disclosed. An analog voltage signal may be converted into a multiple bit digital value by generating bits of the multiple bit digital value by performing a SAR conversion on the analog voltage signal, where the bits corresponding to a SAR voltage level, and generating other bits of the multiple bit digital value by performing one or more ramp conversions on the analog voltage signal, the ramp conversion comparing the analog voltage signal to a ramp of voltage levels based on the SAR voltage level. The SAR and ramp ADC can provide multi-sampling using one SAR conversion and multiple ramp conversions. The SAR can set the voltage level of a first ramp of a multiple ramp conversion, which can then be used to preset the voltage level prior to subsequent ramps.