Abstract: A sensor device is provided. The sensor device includes an image sensor having a plurality of photo-sensitive pixels configured to measure light received from a scene. The image sensor is configured to output image data indicative of measurement values of at least part of the plurality of photo-sensitive pixels. Additionally, the sensor device includes processing circuitry configured to determine a histogram based on the image data. The histogram represents a distribution of the measurement values. The processing circuitry is further configured to determine whether an object is present in the scene based on the histogram. In addition, the sensor device includes interface circuitry configured to output presence data indicating whether the object is present in the scene.

Abstract: Provided is a photoelectric conversion device including: a pixel array including a plurality of pixels arranged to form a plurality of columns; and a column circuit arranged corresponding to each of the plurality of columns of the pixel array. The column circuit includes a sample and hold unit and a plurality of lines including a line configured to supply a potential to the sample and hold unit. The plurality of lines is commonly connected or separated in the photoelectric conversion device.

Abstract: Since a failure related to an output from a sensor is not detected from an image signal and a failure of the sensor is not detected from an output from the sensor in a system including the sensor for abnormality detection, it is not possible to perform the abnormality detection and to indicate the abnormality to the outside of the system. An apparatus includes a pixel area including multiple pixels, multiple sensors, a processing unit that compares signals based on outputs from the multiple sensors with each other, an output unit that outputs information based on a result of comparison.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image sensing device including a pixel array, wherein the pixel array includes a first sub-pixel array including pixels each having a green filter and disposed in a first diagonal direction, and pixels each having a white filter and disposed in a second diagonal direction, a second sub-pixel array including pixels each having the green filter and disposed in the first diagonal direction, and pixels each having the white filter and disposed in the second diagonal direction, a third sub-pixel array including pixels each having a red filter and disposed in the second diagonal direction, and pixels each having the white filter and disposed in the first diagonal direction, and a fourth sub-pixel array including pixels each having a blue filter and disposed in the second diagonal direction, and pixels each having the white filter and disposed in the first diagonal direction.

Abstract: Multi-stage auto-zeroing signal amplifiers are deployed within event-shuttering pixels of a quanta image sensor (QIS) pixel array to enable reliable per-pixel reporting of photonic events, down to resolution of a single photon strike, for each of a continuous sequence of sub-microsecond event-detection intervals.

Abstract: Improvement of noise characteristics is achievable. A solid-state imaging device according to an embodiment includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements (333) arranged in a two-dimensional grid shape in a matrix direction and each generating a charge corresponding to a received light amount, and a detection unit (400) that detects a photocurrent produced by the charge generated in each of the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements. A chip (201a) on which the photoelectric conversion elements are disposed and a chip (201b) on which at least a part of the detection unit is disposed are different from each other.

Abstract: An image sensor includes: a readout circuit that reads out a signal to a signal line, the signal being generated by an electric charge resulting from a photoelectric conversion; a holding circuit that holds a voltage based on an electric current from a power supply circuit; and an electric current source including a transistor having a drain part connected to the signal line and a gate part connected to the holding circuit and the drain part, the electric current source supplying the signal line with an electric current generated by the voltage held in the holding circuit.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an acquisition unit configured to obtain a signal indicating an address of a pixel in which a change in luminance has occurred and time of the change and a generation unit configured to generate a time-series image indicating a position of at least one pixel in which a change in luminance has occurred and a direction of the change in luminance based on the signal, wherein, when the time-series image is to be displayed in reverse chronological order, the generation unit generates the time-series image in which the direction of the change in luminance is reversed.

Abstract: An image sensor includes: a readout circuit that reads out a signal to a signal line, the signal being generated by an electric charge resulting from a photoelectric conversion; a holding circuit that holds a voltage based on an electric current from a power supply circuit; and an electric current source including a transistor having a drain part connected to the signal line and a gate part connected to the holding circuit and the drain part, the electric current source supplying the signal line with an electric current generated by the voltage held in the holding circuit.

Abstract: An imaging element according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a first substrate, a second substrate, and a third substrate that are stacked in this order. The first substrate including a sensor pixel that performs photoelectric conversion and the second substrate including a readout circuit are electrically coupled to each other by a first through wiring line provided in an interlayer insulating film. The second substrate and the third substrate including a logic circuit are electrically coupled to each other by a junction between pad electrodes or a second through wiring line penetrating through a semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: An imaging device includes: an effective pixel region that includes a plurality of imaging elements-A, amplifies signal charges generated by photoelectric conversion, and reads the signal charges into a drive circuit; and an optical black region that includes a plurality of imaging elements-B, surrounds the effective pixel region, and outputs optical black that serves as the reference for black level. In the imaging device, the photoelectric conversion layer forming the plurality of imaging elements-A and the plurality of imaging elements-B is a common photoelectric conversion layer, the common photoelectric conversion layer is located on an outer side of the optical black region, and extends toward an outer edge region surrounding the optical black region, and an outer edge electrode is disposed in the outer edge region.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus and an electronic device with reduced size are disclosed. In one example, an imaging apparatus includes pixel circuits, an AD converter, an encoding unit, a holding unit, and an output unit. The pixel circuits output an electric charge signal generated from incident light. The AD converter compares the electric charge signal with a reference signal for each of the pixel circuits, and outputs, as a conversion result, a code input signal at a time when a comparison result has been inverted. The encoding unit encodes the conversion result from the AD converter. The holding unit holds an encoding result. The output unit outputs the encoding result held by the holding unit. The pixel circuits are disposed in a first substrate. The AD converter is disposed in a second substrate that is stacked in a lower layer of the first substrate.

Abstract: A ramp generator includes an operational amplifier having an output to generate a ramp signal. An integration current source is coupled to a first input and a reference voltage is coupled to a second input of the operational amplifier. A feedback capacitor is coupled between the first input and the output of the operational amplifier. A monitor circuit is coupled to the first and second inputs of the operational amplifier to generate an output flag in response to a comparison of the first and second inputs. A trimming control circuit is configured to generate a trimming signal in response to the output flag. An assist current source is configured to conduct an assist current from the output of the operational amplifier to ground in response the trimming signal generated by the trimming control circuit.

Abstract: A folded camera that includes two light folding elements such as prisms and an independent lens system, located between the two prisms, which includes an aperture stop and a lens stack. The lens system may be moved on one or more axes independently of the prisms to provide autofocus and/or optical image stabilization for the camera. The shapes, materials, and arrangements of the refractive lens elements in the lens stack may be selected to capture high resolution, high quality images while providing a sufficiently long back focal length to accommodate the second prism.

Abstract: An image sensor includes: a readout circuit that reads out a signal to a signal line, the signal being generated by an electric charge resulting from a photoelectric conversion; a holding circuit that holds a voltage based on an electric current from a power supply circuit; and an electric current source including a transistor having a drain part connected to the signal line and a gate part connected to the holding circuit and the drain part, the electric current source supplying the signal line with an electric current generated by the voltage held in the holding circuit.

Abstract: Examples are disclosed that relate to time-of-flight camera systems comprising vertical photogates. One example provides a time-of-flight camera comprising a plurality of addressable pixels configured for backside illumination, each addressable pixel comprising a first vertical photogate and a second vertical photogate. The time-of-flight camera further comprises a processor and a storage device storing instructions executable on the processor to, during an integration period, apply a first relative bias to the first vertical photogate and the second vertical photogate to collect charge at a first pixel tap, apply a second relative bias to the first vertical photogate and the second vertical photogate to collect charge at a second pixel tap, and determine a distance value for the addressable pixel based at least upon the charge collected at the first pixel tap and the charge collected at the second pixel tap.

Abstract: Advanced processing is performed in a chip. A stacked light-receiving sensor according to an embodiment includes a first substrate (100, 200, 300) and a second substrate (120, 320) bonded to the first substrate. The first substrate includes a pixel array (101) in which a plurality of unit pixels are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix. The second substrate includes a converter (17) configured to convert an analog pixel signal output from the pixel array to digital image data and a processing unit (15) configured to perform a process based on a neural network calculation model for data based on the image data. At least a part of the converter is arranged on a first side in the second substrate. The processing unit is arranged on a second side opposite to the first side in the second substrate.

Abstract: An image sensing device includes a first substrate structured to support a pixel array that includes a plurality of unit pixels arranged in a first direction and a second direction and configured to detect incident light to produce pixel signals carrying image information in the incident light; a second substrate structured to support one or more circuits for operation of the image sensing device including receiving a pixel signal from the plurality of unit pixels; and a shielding layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the shielding layer includes shielding driver circuitry and conductive lines coupled to the shielding driver circuitry to receive electrical currents which produce electromagnetic fields to offset electromagnetic fields induced by currents in the one or more circuits supported by the second substrate.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a pixel including a photoelectric conversion device configured to convert sensed light into charges and a floating diffusion node configured to store charges provided from the photoelectric conversion device, a timing generator configured to generate a reset signal including, prior to a light-sensing period, a first reset signal pulse for enabling an erasing of charges stored in at least one of the photoelectric conversion device and the floating diffusion node, and generate a transfer signal including, subsequent to the light-sensing period, at least two transfer signal pulses, each transfer signal pulse enabling a moving of charges stored in the photoelectric conversion device to the floating diffusion node, and a readout circuit configured to generate output data by summing results of performing at least two samplings for the floating diffusion node based on the at least two transfer signal pulses.

Abstract: An image sensor may include an array of image pixels. The array of image pixel may be coupled to control circuitry and readout circuitry. One or more image pixels in the array may each include a photodiode and a floating diffusion region. The floating diffusion region may be coupled to a charge storage structure for a low conversion gain configuration and can be coupled to a charge storage structure for a medium conversion gain configuration. The medium conversion gain charge storage structure may be activated when transferring photodiode charge to the floating diffusion region for a high conversion gain configuration. The control circuitry may control each pixel to perform a high conversion gain readout operation, a medium conversion gain readout operation, and a low conversion gain readout operation. If desired, the medium conversion gain readout operation may be omitted.