Abstract: Fixed pattern noise (FPN) reduction techniques in image sensors operated with pulse illumination are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method includes, during a first sub-exposure period of a frame, (a) operating a first tap of a pixel to capture a first signal corresponding to first charge at a first floating diffusion, the first charge corresponding to first light incident on a photosensor, and (b) operating a second tap of the pixel to capture a first parasitic signal corresponding to FPN at a second floating diffusion. The method further includes, during a second sub-exposure period of the frame, (a) operating the second tap to capture a second signal corresponding to second charge at the second floating diffusion, the second charge corresponding to second light incident on the photosensor, and (b) operating the first tap to capture a second parasitic signal corresponding to FPN at the first floating diffusion.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a logic die, including column readout circuits and bitlines connected to the column readout circuits. A sensor die is overlaid on the logic die. The image sensor includes an array of detector elements, each including a sensing circuit on the sensor die, which includes a photodiode, a floating diffusion node a charge sharing transistor coupled between the photodiode and the floating diffusion node, a reset transistor coupled to the floating diffusion node, and a source follower transistor. In each detector element, a pixel circuit on the logic die includes a select transistor, which has an input coupled to the output of the source follower and an output coupled to one of the bitlines. Two current memory circuits are coupled to the input of the select transistor and are configured to sense and output respective signals indicative of levels of noise in the detector element.

Abstract: There is provided an image sensor employing an avalanche diode. The image sensor includes a plurality of pixel circuits arranged in a matrix, a plurality of pulling circuits and a global current source circuit. Each of the plurality of pixel circuits includes a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) and a floating diffusion. Each of the plurality of pulling circuits is arranged corresponding to one pixel circuit column. The global current source circuit is used to form a current mirror with each of the plurality of pulling circuits. The floating diffusion is used to record a voltage of one photon event detected by the SPAD in an exposure period.

Abstract: Solid-state imaging devices are disclosed. In one example, a solid-state imaging device includes a pixel array with unit pixels that accumulate charge in a floating diffusion (FD) region. A pixel signal reading circuit reads a pixel signal based on the charge from the FD region of a unit pixel. The pixel signal reading circuit includes an AD converter that performs AD conversion on the pixel signal, and a determination circuit that performs brightness/darkness determination of light received by the unit pixel on the basis of the pixel signal. The determination circuit selectively controls executing or stopping of the AD conversion on a pixel signal to be subsequently read according to a result of the brightness/darkness determination.

Abstract: Provided is a solid-state imaging element provided with a sample-and-hold circuit, the solid-state imaging element improving the image quality of image data. A first pixel generates a predetermined first reset level and a first signal level according to an exposure amount. A second pixel generates a predetermined second reset level and a second signal level according to an exposure amount. A sample-and-hold circuit performs reset level sampling processing of causing a first individual capacitor to hold the first reset level and causing a second individual capacitor to hold the second reset level, and correlated double sampling processing of causing a common capacitor and the first individual capacitor to hold a first output level according to a difference between the first reset level and the first signal level and causing the common capacitor and the second individual capacitor to hold a second output level according to a difference between the second reset level and the second signal level.

Abstract: A ramp signal generating device and an image sensor for decreasing the latency of a ramp signal are provided. The ramp signal generating device may include a first circuit configured to detect a capacitance of a parasitic capacitor, a second circuit configured to charge the parasitic capacitor with a first voltage, and a third circuit configured to receive the capacitance as an input to generate a load current causing the ramp signal with a predetermined slope.

Abstract: A system may have electronic devices with wireless communications circuitry. Devices may have cameras for capturing images. Images may be shared between nearby devices. A first device may wirelessly send an image capture request to a second device. In response to assent to the image capture request, a camera application may be launched on the second device. Upon capturing an image with a camera in the second device in response to user input to the camera application or receipt of a remote image capture command from the first device, the second device may automatically send the captured image to the first device and delete the captured image from the second device. Arrangements in which users are provided with images from a public camera system on a stationary or mobile platform and in which users at an event share images from their cameras are also provided.

Abstract: A camera is provided for reconstructing the surface of the object. The camera includes an optical module configured to spatially separate photons reflected from an object in a scene to form at least two focused and distinctly polarized images on a sensor, wherein the sensor is configured to receive the at least two polarized images on pixels the sensor and generate intensity values of the pixels, and a computing module including a processor and a memory having instructions stored thereon. According to the instructions, the processor computes depth values at points of a surface of the object based on a ratio of the intensity values of the pixels with respect to the at least two polarized images and reconstructs the surface of the object from the computed depth values.

Abstract: A decrease in image quality is suppressed. A solid-state imaging apparatus according to an embodiment includes: a photoelectric conversion unit (PD) including a material having a smaller band gap energy than silicon; and a circuit board joined to the photoelectric conversion unit, the circuit board including: a pixel signal generation circuit that generates a pixel signal having a voltage value corresponding to a charge generated in the photoelectric conversion unit; and a thermometer circuit that detects a temperature of the circuit board.

Abstract: Various embodiments disclosed herein relate to defective pixel detection and correction, and more specifically to using threshold functions based on color channels to compare pixel values to threshold values. A method is provided herein that comprises identifying a color channel of an image pixel in a frame and identifying a threshold function based at least on the color channel. The method further comprises applying the threshold function to one or more nearest-neighbor values to obtain a threshold value and determining whether a corresponding sensor pixel is defective based at least on a comparison of the image pixel to the threshold value.

Abstract: A dolly zoom effect can be applied to one or more images captured via a resource-constrained device (e.g., a mobile smartphone) by manipulating the size of a target feature while the background in the one or more images changes due to physical movement of the resource-constrained device. The target feature can be detected using facial recognition or shape detection techniques. The target feature can be resized before the size is manipulated as the background changes (e.g., changes perspective).

Abstract: Imaging systems, cameras, and image sensors of this disclosure include imaging pixels that include subpixels. Diffractive optical elements such as a metasurface lens layers or a liquid crystal polarization hologram (LCPH) are configured to focus image light to the subpixels of the imaging pixels.

Abstract: Provided is an image sensor circuit, including a pixel array and a plurality of different control circuits. The pixel array comprises a plurality of pixel circuit groups arranged in an array. Each pixel circuit group comprises a plurality of pixel circuits that generate corresponding sensitivity values over exposure duration. The pixel circuits include a first quantity of first pixel circuits, and a second quantity of second pixel circuits. The plurality of different control circuits are respectively coupled to different pixel circuits to control the exposure duration thereof with different transmission signals. The different control circuits are also set to control different pixel circuits to output photo-sensed values at different frame rates. The image sensor circuit periodically generates the pixel value of each pixel circuit group according to first and second exposure durations, first and second frame rates, and first and second light sensitivity values of each pixel circuit group.

Abstract: In global shutter image sensors, the light shields are often not completely lightproof and incoming light causes continued exposure even after the global shutter is shut. This ‘parasitic light’ degrades the recorded image. Disclosed is a method, performed by an imaging device with a global shutter image sensor, for recording an image with reduced degrading effects from parasitic light in the image sensor. The disclosed device and related method combine the global shutter functionality of the global shutter image sensor with a shutter such as a mechanical shutter. A precise synchronization of the closing of the shutter means that the shutter can block all incoming light—and thus stop parasitic light in the image sensor—shortly after the exposure is stopped by the global shutter image sensor. This allows the imaging device to record very short exposure images without the detrimental effects of parasitic light.

Abstract: A high-speed CMOS pixel detector is provided, which includes a plurality of super pixel modules, where each super pixel module includes an array of N×M super pixel cells and a digital readout logic circuit connected to the N×M super pixel cells, and data is output between the super pixel modules via asynchronous control logic; and peripheral modules, including at least an EoC module, a peripheral readout module, and a peripheral data transmission module connected in sequence, where the EoC module is connected to the super pixel modules. This application adopts a structure in which a plurality of super pixel cells are integrated, allowing for upgrading of a serial sparse readout mode to a parallel sparse readout mode, thereby greatly improving a readout rate, enabling a plurality of pixels to share resources, and reducing pixel dimensions.

Abstract: Multiple read image sensors, and associated methods for the same, are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method comprises reading out a reset level from a pixel to a corresponding sample and hold circuit; storing the reset level to a first storage device and to a second storage device of the sample and hold circuit; reading out a signal level from the pixel to the sample and hold circuit; and storing the signal level to a third storage device and to a fourth storage device of the sample and hold circuit. The reset level and the signal level can correspond to a same correlated double sampling of an image data signal captured by the pixel. The method can further include reading out the reset level from the first storage device; reading out the signal level from the third storage device; and recovering a first copy of the image data signal.

Abstract: An integrated high-speed image sensor includes a pixel array; a processor configured to determine a region of interest (ROI) and a region of non-interest (RONI) of the pixel array; an analog signal processing circuit configured to read out ROI image data at a first frame rate and read out RONI image data at a second frame rate; and a memory storing the ROI image data and the RONI image data.

Abstract: A high-resolution image sensor suitable for use in an augmented reality (AR) system to provide low latency image analysis with low power consumption. The AR system can be compact, and may be small enough to be packaged within a wearable device such as a set of goggles or mounted on a frame resembling ordinary eyeglasses. The image sensor may receive information about a region of an imaging array associated with a movable object, selectively output imaging information for that region, and synchronously output high-resolution image frames. The region may be updated dynamically as the image sensor and/or the object moves. The image sensor may output the high-resolution image frames less frequently than the region being updated when the image sensor and/or the object moves. Such an image sensor provides a small amount of data from which object information used in rendering an AR scene can be developed.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device includes a photoelectric converter, a first node configured to be supplied with charges from the photoelectric converter, an amplification transistor configured to output a signal corresponding to a voltage of the first node, a first transistor configured to open/close a path between the first node and a second node not included in a path from the photoelectric converter to the first node, and a second transistor configured to open/close a path between the second node and a third node. A second capacitance which is added to the second node when the second transistor is set in a conductive state is larger than a first capacitance which is added to the first node when the first transistor is set in a conductive state.

Abstract: Provided are a signal processing device, a signal processing method, a signal processing program, an imaging apparatus, and a lens apparatus capable of accurately calculating an amount of blurring on the basis of a signal which is output from a blurring detection sensor. The signal processing device processes a signal which is output from a blurring detection sensor in progress of exposure of an imaging element. The signal processing device includes a processor. The processor is configured to perform processing of generating a second signal obtained by performing high-pass filter processing on a first signal which is output from the blurring detection sensor; and processing of calculating an amount of blurring on the basis of the first signal or the second signal.