Semiconductor integrated circuit and image sensor

摘要

According to an embodiment, a semiconductor integrated circuit includes an amplification unit, a comparison unit and a control unit. The amplification unit is configured to amplify a pixel value with an amplification factor that is set in a variable manner, the pixel value being according to an intensity of light irradiated on a pixel. The comparison unit is configured to compare an output value given by the amplification unit and a reference value. The control unit is configured to cause the amplification factor to be higher than a present amplification factor, only when the output value given by the amplification unit is not saturated even where the amplification factor is caused to be higher than the present amplification factor, based on the comparison result of the comparison unit.

主权项

1. A semiconductor integrated circuit comprising:
an amplifier configured to amplify a pixel value with an amplification factor that is set in a variable manner, the pixel value being according to an intensity of light irradiated on a pixel; a comparator configured to compare an output value given by the amplifier and a reference value; and a controller configured to cause the amplification factor to be higher than a present amplification factor, only when the output value given by the amplifier is not saturated even where the amplification factor is caused to be higher than the present amplification factor, based on the comparison result of the comparator, and wherein the reference value is 1/q (q is a number larger than one) of a maximum value that the amplifier can output, and the controller makes the amplification factor into q times the present amplification factor, only when the output value given by the amplifier is not saturated even where the amplification factor is made into q times the present amplification factor.