Abstract: The present technique relates to a solid-state imaging device, a solid-state imaging device manufacturing method, and an electronic apparatus that are capable of providing a solid-state imaging device that can prevent generation of RTS noise due to miniaturization of amplifying transistors, and can achieve a smaller size and a higher degree of integration accordingly. A solid-state imaging device includes a photodiode as a photoelectric conversion unit, a transfer gate that reads out charges from the photodiode, a floating diffusion from which the charges of the photodiode are read by an operation of the transfer gate, and an amplifying transistor connected to the floating diffusion. More particularly, the amplifying transistor is of a fully-depleted type. Such an amplifying transistor includes an amplifier gate (gate electrode) extending in a direction perpendicular to convex strips formed by processing a surface layer of a semiconductor layer, for example.

Abstract: An AD conversion circuit with reduced comparator noise is disclosed. In one example, a solid-state image capturing device includes at least three stacked substrates, in which for each pixel block, a first substrate includes a photoelectric conversion unit that generates electric charges according to incident light, a transfer transistor, and a floating diffusion, a second substrate includes one comparator that compares a signal according to a voltage of the floating diffusion with a reference signal, a third substrate includes a code generation circuit that generates a code of a counter, a storage unit that stores the code, and a timing control circuit that controls a timing of storing the code in the storage unit, and the solid-state image capturing device further includes a pixel array in which a plurality of the pixel blocks is arranged.

Abstract: An image device is provided.

Abstract: Imaging methods and devices with pixels divided into pixel groups are disclosed. A pixel group-based global shutter and pixel group-wise staggered long and short exposure followed by readout of two samples per pixel are presented. Example methods and devices for a Bayer color filter array divided into groups of n×n pixels are provided.

Abstract: A multi-camera system, including a first camera apparatus, a second camera apparatus, and an information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus includes a communication interface and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to receive a predetermined user input and in response to the predetermined user input, send, via the communication interface, a first control signal to the first camera apparatus that captures a first video, and send, via the communication interface, a second control signal to the second camera apparatus that captures a second video. The first control signal causes the first camera apparatus to assign first unique identifiers to frames of the first video captured by the first camera apparatus. The second control signal causes the second camera apparatus to assign second unique identifiers to frames of the second video captured by the second camera apparatus.

Abstract: Disclosed are a system and a method for providing electronic image stabilization (EIS). The method comprises estimating a motion frequency of an imaging device during capture of media using data received from the imaging device, comparing the estimated motion frequency of the imaging device to a baseline motion frequency threshold, and performing, in response to the estimated motion frequency meeting a first criteria based on the baseline motion frequency threshold, electronic image stabilization on the media.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for focusing a camera are disclosed. For example, an apparatus may be coupled to a camera for focusing the camera. The apparatus includes a vision sensor coupled to a processor and configured to capture a view. The processor configured to receive a selection of an area of interest in the view. The apparatus further includes a distance measurement unit coupled to the processor and configured to measure a distance to the area of interest for adjusting the camera's focus.

Abstract: Provided is a new solid-state imaging device and electronic apparatus capable of eliminating streaking. Provided is a solid-state imaging device including: plurality of pixels provided in a pixel region on a substrate in a matrix form; a plurality of first wirings commonly provided to each of the plurality of pixels arranged along a first direction; a second wiring capacitively coupled to each of the plurality of first wirings; and a second detection unit that is electrically connected to the second wiring and detects a second signal appearing on the second wiring.

Abstract: Gestural zoom operation of an imaging device is facilitated by receiving, by one or more processors, zoom configuration data of a user for configuring gestural zoom operation of the imaging device, where the imaging device includes a gestural zoom mode with a zoom function that is user-configurable, and by configuring for the user, by the one or more processors, the gestural zoom operation of the imaging device for the gestural zoom mode. The configuring uses the received zoom configuration data, and includes configuring the zoom function for the user and mapping a selected portion of the configured zoom function to a gestural range of the user of the imaging device.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device includes pixels arranged to form columns, comparator circuits for respective columns, and a control circuit that controls the comparator circuits. Each comparator circuit includes a first comparator circuit connected to a first pixel of a first color, a second comparator circuit arranged on a column adjacent to the first comparator circuit and connected to a second pixel of a second color, and a third comparator circuit arranged on a column adjacent to the second comparator circuit and connected to a third pixel of the first color. Each comparator circuit compares a pixel signal on a corresponding column with a reference signal changing with time and outputs a comparison signal indicating a different level whether a difference between these signals is smaller or larger than a threshold. The control circuit controls the threshold to change stepwise in order of the first, third, and second comparator circuits.

Abstract: A sensor includes a pixel portion having first and second areas; and a controller that controls readout of signals from the pixel portion in units of rows. The controller controls to read out a noise signal and an image signal, from each pixel in the first area, controls to read out a noise signal, a focus detection signal, and an image signal, from each pixel in the second area. Further, a time from when the noise signal is read out to when the image signal is read out from each pixel is controlled to be equal between the first area and the second area, and during that time, at least one of the noise signal and the image signal is read out from another row in the first area.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging element according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a first electrode including a plurality of electrodes; a second electrode opposed to the first electrode; and a photoelectric conversion layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, and the first electrode has, at least in a portion, an overlap section where the plurality of electrodes overlap each other with a first insulation layer interposed therebetween.

Abstract: Methods and computer program products for determining one or more settings of a camera apparatus are provided. The methods include obtaining one or more parameters of the camera apparatus and determining one or more settings of the camera apparatus using the one or more parameters and an image repository. The image repository may include images with image parameters associated with the images, which may be correlated with the one or more parameters of the camera apparatus, and the images may also have an associated rating attribute. One or more images may be identified for inclusion in a subset of images, based on an image's image parameters and/or based on an image's rating attribute. The camera settings of one image of the subset of images, corresponding to the settings used to create the one image, may be used to automatically adjust the one or more settings of the camera apparatus.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes an image sensor in which a plurality of unit pixels are arranged, each unit pixel including one microlens and at least one light receiving portion that produces a pulse signal when light is incident on the light receiving portion, wherein the unit pixel includes a counting circuit capable of counting the pulse signals of a plurality of the light receiving portions.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: a first semiconductor substrate including a light receiver that receives incident light; and a second semiconductor substrate including an image processing circuit that processes a signal from the light receiver and generates an image signal. The second semiconductor substrate includes: a nonvolatile memory including a region in which use history data is stored; and a control circuit (use history securing circuit) that restricts output of the image signal when the use history data is stored in the nonvolatile memory.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor capable of detecting a photon and having smaller circuit scale is provided. The solid-state image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of pixel cells, a pixel driving circuit configured to drive the plurality of pixel cells, a readout circuit, and a plurality of readout wires corresponding to respective columns of the pixel cell. Each of the plurality of pixel cells includes an avalanche photodiode configured to detect a photon by avalanche multiplication occurring when one photon enters, and a transfer transistor configured to transfer a detection result of the photon to the corresponding readout wire. The readout circuit determines whether a photon is detected or not, and outputs a determination result.

Abstract: The present invention provides a solid-state imaging device and a camera system capable of recording a still image without using a recording medium. Each pixel P of an image sensor is provided with a photodiode, a transfer transistor, a reset transistor, and an amplifying transistor, as well as a memory element that has functions of a select transistor. The memory element has a structure integrating a drain side select transistor, a source side select transistor, and a memory transistor. By applying a program voltage to a memory gate electrode as a gate voltage, the memory transistor stores charge of an amount corresponding to an amount of light received by the photodiode in a charge storage layer.

Abstract: A decline in image quality that is caused by a variation of a gain in an amplification circuit is suppressed. The amplification circuit includes an amplification transistor, a cascode transistor, and a control circuit. The amplification transistor amplifies an input signal. The cascode transistor is configured to, in a case where a drain-source voltage between a drain and a source is higher than a predetermined voltage, supply a substantially-constant drain current to a reference potential line with a predetermined reference potential via the amplification transistor. Further, the control circuit is configured to, in a case where an initialization instruction is issued, control the drain-source voltage to be a value higher than the predetermined voltage.

Abstract: A low-power image sensor includes a plurality of light-sensitive pixel cells, a plurality of analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) and image processing circuitry. The image sensor can be disposed in multiple semiconductor layers such that the pixel cells are disposed in a first layer and various other components are disposed in the second layer or between the first layer and the second layer. The image sensor is configured such that the analog output of a pixel cell is sampled by a first ADC and a second ADC within respective first and second dynamic ranges, the second dynamic range being greater than the first dynamic range. The first ADC and the second ADC sample the analog output with different sampling resolutions. The digital outputs of the first ADC and the second ADC are subsequently used by an image processor to generate a pixel value for an image frame.

Abstract: An image sensor compensates for noise. The image sensor includes a pixel array that includes a common monitor output line, a first monitoring pixel outputting a first monitoring signal, a second monitoring pixel outputting a second monitoring signal, and an active pixel configured to output a sensing signal based on an incident light. The image circuit also includes a binning circuit that receives the first and second monitoring signals through the common monitor output line and generates an average monitoring signal by performing binning on the first and second monitoring signals, and an analog-to-digital converter that detects an alternating current (AC) component of the average monitoring signal and couples the sampled AC component of the average monitoring signal to the sensing signal, thereby compensating for noise.