Abstract: An image sensor device is provided to effectively improve the signal discrimination of sensed/sampled pixel values/signals in the image sensor device operating in a dark condition as well as effectively avoiding signal saturation when such image sensor device operates in a light/bright condition. Such image sensor device, when operating in dark/light conditions, can perform the exposure operation to get/sample accurate pixel image signal and pixel reset signal for only one time without estimating the pixel image signal and pixel reset signal by performing the exposure operation twice.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a pixel array including a central region in which plural first pixels output first pixel information and a peripheral region in which plural second pixels output second pixel information, the peripheral region surrounding the central region. A size of a second pixel, of the plural second pixels, is 4n times greater than that of a first pixel, of the plural first pixels, n being an integer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for controlling an electronic device. The method includes the steps of displaying a viewfinder interface, the viewfinder interface including a first image, the first image including a target image; acquiring first operation information for a target operation of the target image in the first image; determining whether the first operation information satisfies a rule; and determining whether to trigger the electronic device to enter a first image collection mode based on a determination result, wherein in the first image collection mode, the target image in the first image is combined with multimedia information to display a combined multimedia information with the target image in the viewfinder interface.

Abstract: An imaging device includes a pixel array with first and second pixels respectively having first and second conversion gains connected to row and column lines; a row driver determining a selection row line among the row lines; a readout circuit obtaining first and second pixel signals from first and second pixels connected to the selection row line; a column driver generating first and second image data from the first and second pixel signals; and an image signal processor using the first and second image data to generate an object image. The second pixels include an expansion capacitor connected between a floating diffusion node and a ground node. Exposure time of the first pixels is equal to or longer than exposure time of the second pixels. An area of a light receiving region of the first pixels is equal to an area of a light receiving region of the second pixels.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a signal processing device and an imaging device capable of improving an image quality of the imaging device that does not use an imaging lens. A signal processing device includes a restoration unit that restores one restored image by using a plurality of detection signal sets obtained by an imaging element in a plurality of states in which at least one of a position or orientation with respect to a subject is different, the imaging element that includes a plurality of pixel output units that receives incident light from the subject incident without an intervention of an imaging lens or a pinhole and each outputs one detection signal indicating an output pixel value modulated by an incident angle of the incident light, and outputs a detection signal set including a plurality of detection signals output from the plurality of pixel output units. The present disclosure is applicable to, for example, an imaging system that images using a plurality of imaging devices.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, each of the pixels including a microlens, a first photoelectric conversion element, and a second photoelectric conversion element, the first and second photoelectric conversion elements being arranged parallel with each other in a first direction below the microlens; and a row decoder configured to control a first image signal generated by the first photoelectric conversion element and a sum image signal generated by the first and second photoelectric conversion elements to be sequentially output from a first pixel in a first row of the pixel array during a first readout period, and to control a second image signal generated by the second photoelectric conversion element and the sum image signal to be sequentially output from a second pixel in a second row of the pixel array during a second readout period.

Abstract: A method of an electronic device including an image sensor that acquires an optical signal corresponding to an object and a controller that controls the image sensor, is provided. The method includes identifying a mode for generating an image corresponding to the object by using the optical signal, determining a setting of at least one image attribute to be used for generating the image at least based on the mode, generating image data by using pixel data corresponding to the optical signal at least based on the setting, and displaying the image corresponding to the object through a display functionally connected to the electronic device at least based on the image data.

Abstract: An imaging device includes a pixel unit including pixels arranged in rows and columns, a pixel control unit that outputs, from each pixels, a first signal based on a charge generated during a first exposure period and a second signal based on a charge generated during a second exposure period, and an exposure time determination processing unit that determines a length of the second exposure period based on the first signal. The pixel unit includes areas each including at least one pixel, the exposure time determination processing unit determines the length of the second exposure period in each areas based on the first signal in each areas, and the pixel control unit starts the second exposure period in the pixels in a first area after outputting the first signal from the pixels in the first area and before outputting the first signal from the pixels in a second area.

Abstract: There is provided a pixel circuit including a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit is used to output a first voltage associated with exposure intensity. The second circuit is used to output a second voltage associated with exposure time interval. The processor multiples the first voltage to a ratio between a reference voltage and the second voltage to obtain an actual light intensity, wherein the reference voltage is a voltage value outputted by the second circuit of a dummy pixel.

Abstract: An imaging element included in an imaging device includes a pixel array in which a plurality of unit pixels are arranged in a matrix, each of the unit pixels having a photoelectric conversion unit. The imaging element is able to read out multiple rows of pixel signals in parallel in a unit horizontal synchronous period. The multiple rows of pixel groups are classified into a first pixel group and a second pixel group by a plurality of rows control signals, and are periodically arranged in a vertical direction of the imaging element. The imaging element is able to acquire signals obtained by multiplying different gains by pixel signals of unit pixels of the first pixel group and pixel signals of unit pixels of the second pixel group through setting of a plurality of rows control signals.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a plurality of pixels, each pixel including a photosensitive element, and a photo-signal converter adapted to provide, on a first output, a current signal linearly proportional to the intensity of light impinging on the photosensitive element and to provide, on a second output, a voltage signal logarithmic with the intensity of light impinging on the photosensitive element. Each pixel further includes a detector adapted to generate a trigger signal when a signal of the detector proportional to the voltage signal of the second output of the photo-signal converter exceeds a threshold, and a light-to-time converter adapted to measure and encode, in the time domain, light intensity on the photosensitive element. A light-to-time conversion cycle may be initiated by the light-to-time converter in response to receipt of the trigger signal.

Abstract: A pixel cell with a photosensitive region formed in association with a substrate, a color filter formed over the photosensitive region, the color filter comprising a first material layer and a second material layer formed in association with the first shaping material layer.

Abstract: Provided are a camera capable of preventing an erroneous operation with a compact configuration and has high operability, a setting method of the camera, and a setting program of the camera. A change in a setting value by the operation dial is switched between valid and invalid, and an operation by the operation dial becomes possible only in a case where the change in the setting value is valid. A setting value of an item to be set by the operation dial is displayed on a dial display provided on the operation dial.

Abstract: A unit cell of a focal plane array (FPA) is provided. The unit cell includes a first layer having a first absorption coefficient. The first layer is configured to: sense a first portion of a polarized light of an incident light having a first portion and a second portion, convert the first sensed portion of incident light into a first electrical signal, and pass through a second portion of the incident light. Further, the unit cell includes a second layer having a second absorption coefficient and positioned adjacent to the first layer and configured to receive the second portion of the incident light. The second layer is configured to convert the second portion of the incident light to a second electrical signal. Also, the unit cell includes a readout integrated circuit positioned adjacent to the second layer and configured to receive the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal.

Abstract: Methods and devices are described for image or video capture while in a manual mode. In some aspects, a device includes one or more processors. The device also includes a memory coupled to the one or more processors. The memory includes instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the device to generate a first image frame of a scene using manual mode settings and generate a second image frame of the scene using automatic mode settings different from the manual mode settings.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image sensor module which includes a pixel array including a plurality of sub-pixels arranged along a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, an analog to digital converter connected to the pixel array through a plurality of data lines and converting signals output from the plurality of sub-pixels into digital signals, a row decoder connected to the pixel array through a plurality of selection lines, a plurality of transfer lines, and a plurality of reset lines, and a control logic circuit controlling the analog to digital converter and the row decoder to allow a plurality of sub-frames to be sequentially outputted from the plurality of sub-pixels, wherein each of the plurality of sub-frames is generated based on signals output from different sub-pixels among the plurality of sub-pixels.

Abstract: A pixel binning method for processing pixel data acquired from an image sensor comprising a pixel array, the pixel binning method includes performing a first scanning process that is to scan a sensing area of the image sensor, to obtain a first number of pixel data; performing a second scanning process that is to scan the sensing area after the first scanning process is completed, to obtain a second number of pixel data; performing pixel binning on the second number of pixel data according to an offset value and an arithmetic value, wherein the offset value is determined according to the first number of pixel data.

Abstract: To improve an SN ratio in a solid-state imaging element provided with a capacitance for reducing a noise component. A first capacitance connection circuit connects one end of a first capacitance to a first signal line in a case where a first pixel signal is transmitted via the first signal line. A second capacitance connection circuit connects one end of a second capacitance to a second signal line in a case where a second pixel signal is transmitted via the second signal line. An intercapacitance connection circuit connects one end of each of the first capacitance and the second capacitance in a case where one of the first pixel signal and the second pixel signal is transmitted, and disconnects one end of each of the first capacitance and the second capacitance in a case where both the first pixel signal and the second pixel signal are transmitted.

Abstract: A dual-aperture zoom digital camera operable in both still and video modes. The camera includes Wide and Tele imaging sections with respective lens/sensor combinations and image signal processors and a camera controller operatively coupled to the Wide and Tele imaging sections. The Wide and Tele imaging sections provide respective image data. The controller is configured to output, in a zoom-in operation between a lower zoom factor (ZF) value and a higher ZF value, a zoom video output image that includes only Wide image data or only Tele image data, depending on whether a no-switching criterion is fulfilled or not.

Abstract: Techniques are described for luminance-adaptive processing of hexa-deca red-green-blue-white (RGBW) color filter arrays (CFAs) in digital imaging systems. Original image data is acquired by a sensor array configured according to a hexa-deca RGBW CFA pattern, and associated ambient luminance information is also acquired. The ambient luminance information is used to detect one of a number of predetermined luminance conditions. Based on the detected luminance condition, embodiments can determine whether and how much to downsample the original image data as part of the readout from the sensor array (e.g., using binning techniques), and whether and how much to remosaic and/or upsample the downsampled data to generate an RGB output array for communication to other processing components of the imaging system.