Abstract: An imaging device including an operation signal generation circuit of reduced circuit scale is provided. The imaging device includes a selection circuit configured to output a pixel transfer pulse signal to be input to a gate of a transfer transistor of a pixel based on a vertical block control signal, a horizontal block control signal, and a row transfer pulse signal.

Abstract: Provided is an imaging device including: a photoelectric converter; an AD converter unit including a differential stage; and a ramp signal generator. The photoelectric converter and a first part of the differential stage are arranged in a first chip, a second part of the differential stage is arranged in a second chip that is a different chip from the first chip and stacked on the first chip, and the ramp signal generator is arranged in a different chip from the first chip.

Abstract: A semiconductor apparatus includes a stack of first and second chips each having a plurality of pixel circuits arranged in a matrix form. The pixel circuit of the a-th row and the e1-th column is connected to the electric circuit of the p-th row and the v-th column. The pixel circuit of the a-th row and the f1-th column is connected to the electric circuit of the q-th row and the v-th column. The pixel circuit of the a-th row and the g1-th column is connected to the electric circuit of the r-th row and the v-th column. The pixel circuit of the a-th row and the h1-th column is connected to the electric circuit of the s-th row and the v-th column.

Abstract: An imaging device includes a first chip on which a plurality of first blocks is arranged in a matrix, and a second chip which includes a first block scanning circuit and a second block scanning circuit. The second chip includes a selection circuit configured to select driving timing given to a plurality of pixels, based on a signal output from the first block scanning circuit and a signal output from the second block scanning circuit. A second block includes a circuit other than the selection circuit.

Abstract: A cleaning device (100) according to the present invention is constituted by including in a cleaning nozzle member (21) provided inside a cleaning tank (2): a large pipe diameter part (211) that supplies a cleaning fluid (31) pressure-fed from a retention tank (3); a small pipe diameter part (212) that increases the speed of a flow rate for the cleaning fluid (31) flowing in the large pipe diameter part; a conical pipe diameter part (213) that generates a fluid that includes minute bubbles by cavitation; and a guide pipe diameter part (214) for accommodating an object (5) to be cleaned. The cleaning fluid (31) is ejected to the entirety of the object (5).

Abstract: First processing of causing a hold unit to hold a first signal from an amplification unit based on reset of the amplification unit, second processing of performing AD conversion of the held first signal and outputting a second signal obtained by superposing a signal based on charges generated in a photoelectric conversion unit of a first-row pixel on the first signal, third processing of performing an operation of performing AD conversion of the held second signal and an operation of resetting the amplification unit at least partly in parallel, and fourth processing of causing the hold unit to hold a fourth signal obtained by superposing a signal based on charges generated in the photoelectric conversion unit of a second-row pixel on a third signal from the amplification unit based on resetting of the amplification unit and is output from the amplification unit are performed.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of pixels, a reference signal supply unit configured to output a reference signal, and a comparison unit configured to output a signal depending on the reference signal and a signal from the pixel. The comparison unit includes a comparator circuit including an input terminal and an output terminal, a first switch configured to connect the input terminal and the output terminal of the comparator circuit, a clamp capacitor including a first terminal connected to the input terminal of the comparator circuit, a second switch connected to a second terminal of the clamp capacitor, and configured to select one of the signal from the pixel and the reference signal and to input the selected signal to the second terminal, and a clipping circuit arranged in an electrical path through which the reference signal is input to the comparator circuit.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of pixels, a reference signal supply unit configured to output a reference signal, and a comparison unit configured to output a signal depending on the reference signal and a signal from the pixel. The comparison unit includes a comparator circuit including an input terminal and an output terminal, a first switch configured to connect the input terminal and the output terminal of the comparator circuit, a clamp capacitor including a first terminal connected to the input terminal of the comparator circuit, a second switch connected to a second terminal of the clamp capacitor, and configured to select one of the signal from the pixel and the reference signal and to input the selected signal to the second terminal, and a clipping circuit arranged in an electrical path through which the reference signal is input to the comparator circuit.

Abstract: After a signal level of a digital signal is changed in a period in which a plurality of memories is sampling the digital signal, a signal for causing the plurality of memories to hold the digital signal being sampled by the plurality of memories is supplied to the plurality of memories.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns, a plurality of comparators, each of the comparators including a switch for controlling an operation, a signal line which is provided commonly to the switches of the plurality of comparators and through which a control signal for controlling the switches of the plurality of comparators is supplied, a control signal generation unit, and a signal line control unit configured to control an electric potential of the signal line to be set as a fixed electric potential.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes: plural pixels arranged in matrix, each outputting a signal from a photoelectric conversion element; and plural readout circuits each provided for a corresponding column of the pixels, signals from the pixels being input to the readout circuits. The readout circuit includes an amplifier unit configured to amplify the signal from the pixel, and have a variable gain, and a hold capacitance connected to an output terminal of the amplifier unit via a sampling switch, and having a variable capacitance value. When the variable gain of the amplifier unit is set to be a first gain, the variable capacitance value of the hold capacitance is set to be a first capacitance value. When the variable gain is set to be a second gain larger than the first gain, the variable capacitance value is set to be a second capacitance value smaller than the first capacitance value.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a comparator which has an input voltage range larger than the case where a conventional offset cancel technique is used, while reducing an offset voltage. A comparator circuit includes: a comparator having an inverting input terminal, a non-inverting input terminal and an output terminal; a first switch having one terminal connected to the inverting input terminal and having the other terminal connected to the output terminal; a first capacitor which has one end connected with the inverting input terminal; a first signal input terminal which is another end of the first capacitor; and a second signal input terminal which selectively inputs either one of a fixed voltage and a comparing signal into the non-inverting input terminal.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus includes: a pixels in a matrix for generating a pixel signal; and A/D converting units, corresponding to columns of the matrix, to convert the pixel signal into a n-bit digital value. The A/D converting units includes first storage units for storing the n-bit digital value one bit by one bit, and second storage units corresponding to the first storage units, to hold the digital value transferred from the first storage unit. In each of the columns of the plurality of pixels, arranged corresponding thereto are the first storage units and the second storage units form n-pairs. Each pair including the first storage unit and the second storage unit hold the digital value of the same bit. The n-pairs are arrayed in a matrix.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus includes: a comparator comparing a signal output from pixels with a reference signal of which level changes dependent on time; a plurality of first bit storage units and a plurality of second bit storage units holding, bit by bit, a count signal of the plurality of bits from a counter, according to a write control signal based on a result of the comparing by the comparator; and a control unit arranged between the comparator and the first and second bit storage units, and adjusting a delay time of the write control signal. An order of lengths of the delay time of the count signal held by the first and second bit storage units is the same as an order of lengths of the delay time of the write control signal of the first and second bit storage units.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of pixels, a reference signal supply unit configured to output a reference signal, and a comparison unit configured to output a signal depending on the reference signal and a signal from the pixel. The comparison unit includes a comparator circuit including an input terminal and an output terminal, a first switch configured to connect the input terminal and the output terminal of the comparator circuit, a clamp capacitor including a first terminal connected to the input terminal of the comparator circuit, a second switch connected to a second terminal of the clamp capacitor, and configured to select one of the signal from the pixel and the reference signal and to input the selected signal to the second terminal, and a clipping circuit arranged in an electrical path through which the reference signal is input to the comparator circuit.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: a pixel configured to generate a signal through photoelectric conversion; a comparator configured to compare a signal generated by the pixel with a first reference signal that changes with time; and a control unit configured to change the rate of change of the first reference signal with respect to time according to a comparison result of the comparator.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a plurality of columns, a plurality of comparators provided correspondingly to the respective columns, a reference signal generation unit configured to supply a reference signal to the plurality of comparators, a counter configured to generate a count signal that includes a plurality of bits in synchronization with a first clock signal, a synchronization unit configured to synchronize the plurality of bits with a second clock signal to generate a synchronized count signal and to output the generated synchronized count signal, and a plurality of memories provided correspondingly to the respective comparators, the memories each being configured to store the synchronized count signal in response to a change in an output of a corresponding one of the comparators.

Abstract: Provided is a photoelectric conversion apparatus including: a pixel array having pixels arranged in matrix; a pixel output line provided according to each column of the pixel array and transmitting a pixel signal output from a pixel of each column of the pixel array; a column signal processing unit provided according to each column of the pixel array and into which the pixel signal is input from the pixel output line, in which the column signal processing unit has a plurality of horizontal adding up or averaging units configured to add up or average the plurality of pixel signals based on the pixels of different columns of the pixel array; and a plurality of adding up or averaging modes with different numbers of columns subjected to adding up or averaging can be selected by selectively using one or a plurality of the plurality of horizontal adding up or averaging units.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor includes a pixel array having pixels, an AD converter configured to generate digital signals by AD-converting analog signals output from the pixel array, a plurality of memories, and an output line. A horizontal transfer period in which the plurality of memories sequentially output digital signals to the output line includes first and second periods. In the first period, digital signals having a predetermined value are continuously output to the output line from a plurality of first memories out of the plurality of memories. In the second period, the digital signals which have been AD-converted by the AD converter are output to the output line from a plurality of second memories, separate from the plurality of first memories, out of the plurality of memories.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns, a plurality of comparators, each of the comparators including a switch for controlling an operation, a signal line which is provided commonly to the switches of the plurality of comparators and through which a control signal for controlling the switches of the plurality of comparators is supplied, a control signal generation unit, and a signal line control unit configured to control an electric potential of the signal line to be set as a fixed electric potential.