Abstract: An imaging device includes a plurality of unit pixels or pixels, with each pixel separated from every other unit pixel by an isolation structure. Each unit pixel includes a photoelectric conversion unit, a pixel imaging signal readout circuit, and an address event detection readout circuit. A first transfer transistor selectively connects the photoelectric conversion unit to the pixel imaging signal readout circuit, and a second transfer transistor selectively connects the photoelectric conversion unit to the address event detection readout circuit. The photoelectric conversion unit, the pixel imaging signal readout circuit, the address event detection readout circuit, and the first and second transfer transistors for a given pixel are located within a pixel area defined by the isolation structure. The isolation structure may be in the form of a full thickness dielectric trench isolation structure.

Abstract: The present technology relates to an AD conversion device, an AD conversion method, an image sensor, and an electronic apparatus that are able to achieve high-speed, low-power-consumption AD conversion. In a case where an electrical signal and a variable-level reference signal are compared by a comparator and the result of comparison is used to perform AD (Analog to Digital) conversion of the electrical signal, control is exercised in such a manner that a bias current flowing in the comparator to operate the comparator during a certain section of the reference signal including a section where the reference signal changes is increased from a first current, which is larger than 0 (zero), to a second current, which is larger than the first current. The present technology is applicable, for example, to AD conversion of an electrical signal.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor substrate, a second semiconductor substrate, and at least one guard structure including a first guard element, a second guard element, and a third guard element. The first semiconductor substrate and the second semiconductor substrate are bonded to one another at a bonding interface between a surface of the first semiconductor substrate and a surface of the second semiconductor substrate. The first guard element is in the first semiconductor substrate and spaced apart from the third guard element by a portion of the first semiconductor substrate. The second guard element is in the second semiconductor substrate and spaced apart from the third guard element by a portion of the second semiconductor substrate, and the third guard element includes portions in the first surface and the second surface to bond the first semiconductor substrate to the second semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for image recognition. The apparatus comprises a machine learning network configured to map first and second input image data to either a first or a second predefined target probability distribution, depending on whether the first and second input image data correspond to matching or non-matching images, wherein an output of the machine learning network matching the first target probability distribution is indicative of matching images and an output of the machine learning network matching the second target probability distribution is indicative of non-matching images. The present disclosure also relates to a method for training the apparatus for image recognition.

Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device including: a semiconductor substrate; a gate insulating film provided on the semiconductor substrate; a gate electrode layer that is provided on the gate insulating film and contains impurity ions; and source or drain regions that are provided on the semiconductor substrate on both sides of the gate electrode layer and contain conductive impurities, in which a concentration of the impurity ions in the gate electrode layer is higher than concentrations of the conductive impurities in the source or drain regions.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program that make it possible to reduce an amount of communication data that flows through an in-vehicle network and is necessary for automated driving. An image sensor captures an image of the surroundings of an own automobile; and a recognition section performs object recognition processing of recognizing an object in the captured image, and outputs, to an automated driving controller, an object recognition processing result obtained by the object recognition processing.

Abstract: The present technology relates to image data processing devices, image data processing methods, and programs. A frame data generation unit generates first frame data based on event data indicating a variation in an electrical signal of a pixel generating the electrical signal by performing photoelectric conversion during a first accumulation time from a first frame generation start time to a first frame generation end time, and second frame data based on event data occurring during a second accumulation time from a second frame generation start time to a second frame generation end time. A first frame period from the first frame generation start time to the second frame generation start time is set and supplied to the frame data generation unit. The present technology can be applied to, for example, a case where a frame data is generated from an event data output from a dynamic vision sensor (DVS).

Abstract: A reception apparatus that decodes a preamble reduces the size of a buffer that holds a decoding result. A holding unit holds a plurality of bits to each of which physical layer pipe identification information is assigned as a physical layer pipe presence/absence bit string. A reception unit receives a predetermined number of physical layer pipes that do not exceed the number of bits of the physical layer pipe presence/absence bit string and the physical layer pipe identification information of each of the predetermined number of physical layer pipes. A setting unit sets the value of the bit corresponding to the received physical layer pipe identification information of the physical layer pipe presence/absence bit string to one of two values, and sets the value of a non-corresponding bit to another of the two values. A decoding processing unit performs processing for decoding the physical layer pipe corresponding to the bit of the one value.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a semiconductor substrate; and a pixel unit having a plurality of pixels on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the pixel unit includes first pixel groups having two or more pixels and second pixel groups being different from the first pixel groups, wherein a portion of the pixels in the first pixel groups and a portion of the pixels in the second pixel groups share a floating diffusion element.

Abstract: The flow rate of light scattering fluid is measured more easily and at a higher speed. A flow rate measuring method according to the present disclosure includes: generating two or more speckle images by continually imaging light scattering fluid to be measured, while defining time shorter than spatial correlation disappearance time corresponding to time in which spatial correlation between speckle patterns generated by the light scattering fluid disappears as exposure time, at a time interval shorter than the spatial correlation disappearance time; and calculating direction and speed of flow of the light scattering fluid from time variation of the speckle patterns between the two or more speckle images, in which the speckle images are imaged by using an imaging device mounted with an area sensor and a pixel group of a part of the area sensor or by using an imaging device mounted with a line sensor.

Abstract: To provide a sensor capable of enhancing reliability and image quality. There is provided a solid-state imaging device including a functional element, a spectroscopic element, a semiconductor substrate, and a photoelectric conversion element formed in the semiconductor substrate, in which the spectroscopic element is disposed between the functional element and the photoelectric conversion element, and the functional element corrects incident light to light in a direction substantially perpendicular to the photoelectric conversion element.

Abstract: The present technology relates to a control apparatus, a control method, a program, and an electronic device system that enables achievement of low power consumption. The presence or absence of a preset, predetermined subject is detected from an image having a low resolution output by an image sensor in a low power consumption mode, the image sensor including, as operation modes, the low power consumption mode in which the image having the low resolution is output and a normal mode in which an image having a high resolution as compared with the image having the low resolution is output. Then, in a case where the presence of the predetermined subject is detected, the operation mode of the image sensor is set to the normal mode, and the image sensor outputs the image having the high resolution. The present technology may be applied, for example, to control of the image sensor.

Abstract: An imaging device includes a first substrate including at least one sensor portion that converts light into electric charge, and a second substrate including a first portion of a readout circuit having at least one first transistor. The readout circuit outputs a pixel signal based on the electric charge. The imaging device includes a third substrate including a logic circuit that performs processing on the pixel signal. The first substrate, the second substrate, and the third substrate are stacked in that order.

Abstract: There is provided a imaging device including: an N-type region formed for each pixel and configured to perform photoelectric conversion; an inter-pixel light-shielding wall penetrating a semiconductor substrate in a depth direction and formed between N-type regions configured to perform the photoelectric conversion, the N-type regions each being formed for each of pixels adjacent to each other; a P-type layer formed between the N-type region configured to perform the photoelectric conversion and the inter-pixel light-shielding wall; and a P-type region adjacent to the P-type layer and formed between the N-type region and an interface on a side of a light incident surface of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A sensor includes a first substrate including at least a first pixel. The first pixel includes an avalanche photodiode to convert incident light into electric charge and includes an anode and a cathode. The cathode is in a well region of the first substrate. The first pixel includes an isolation region that isolates the well region from at least a second pixel that is adjacent to the first pixel. The first pixel includes a hole accumulation region between the isolation region and the well region. The hole accumulation region is electrically connected to the anode.

Abstract: An imaging device includes a first pixel group including first photoelectric conversion regions, and at least one first color filter on the first photoelectric conversion regions. The imaging device includes a second pixel group including second photoelectric conversion regions, and at least one second color filter on the second photoelectric conversion regions. The imaging device includes a dummy region between the first pixel group and the second pixel group in a first direction so that a first side of the dummy region is adjacent to the first pixel group and a second side of the dummy region is adjacent to the second pixel group.

Abstract: There is provided an image sensor including: a light polarizing unit configured to transmit light in a specific light polarization direction out of incident light; a pixel configured to generate an image signal corresponding to the light transmitted through the light polarizing unit; and a signal transfer unit formed simultaneously with the light polarizing unit and configured to transfer either of the image signal and a control signal that controls generation of the image signal.

Abstract: The need for miniaturizing camera modules is to be effectively satisfied. There are provided a pixel unit, an image processing unit that processes an image signal generated by the pixel unit, an encoding unit that encodes the image signal processed by the image processing unit, and an address assignment unit that assigns an address to a compressed signal encoded by the encoding unit. The pixel unit is provided on a first substrate. The image processing unit, the encoding unit, and the address assignment unit are provided on a second substrate to be stacked on the first substrate.

Abstract: To reduce power consumption in an image pickup apparatus that captures a plurality of pieces of image data. An image pickup apparatus includes a signal processing unit and a control unit. The signal processing unit executes, in accordance with a predetermined control signal, either compound-eye processing for synthesizing a plurality of pieces of image data by carrying out signal processing on each of the plurality of pieces of image data or monocular processing for carrying out the signal processing on any one of the plurality of pieces of image data. The control unit supplies the predetermined control signal to the signal processing unit and causes one of the compound-eye processing and the monocular processing to be switched to the other one of the compound-eye processing and the monocular processing, on a basis of a result of a comparison between a measured predetermined physical amount and a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an imaging element, a driving method, and electronic equipment that enable imaging to be performed at higher speed. The imaging element includes a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a matrix shape, an AD converter that performs AD conversion in parallel on pixel signals that have been output from the plurality of pixels for each column of the plurality of pixels arranged in the pixel array, and a reference signal generator that generates a reference signal that the AD converter refers to when the AD converter performs AD conversion on a pixel signal for an identical pixel signal, the reference signal having a waveform that includes a slope having a constant gradient.