Abstract: A system and method is provided for performing high dynamic range digital double sampling. More particularly, a CMOS image sensor is provided that includes a pixel array with each pixel sampling both dark and bright values for digital double sampling. After the sampled signals are digitized, a mean dark value is determined and each dark value is further fed to a lookup table that generates an output value taking into account whether the pixel has been saturated. In over exposed conditions, the lookup table will generate a negative value output to eliminate image artifacts. All three values are fed to adder logic circuit that subtracts the mean dark value and the lookup table output from the bright value. This resulting output is fed to a video viewer.

Abstract: A pixel circuit for a ultra-low power image sensor, including: an integration node, on which a photodiode current is integrated, a comparator arranged to compare a voltage at the integration node with a reference voltage, a n+1 bits digital memory, a writing pulse signal generator arranged to generate a writing pulse signal, on the basis of the comparator output voltage and on the voltage at a memory node, the start of the pulse triggering the writing of the digital word in the n-bits digital memory part. The comparator includes a switch in series with a current source and arranged to be commanded by the voltage at the memory node so that the switch is open at the end of the pulse, so as to drastically limit the consumption of static power of the pixel circuit during the integration phase.

Abstract: An image sensor may include an image sensor pixel array, row control circuitry, and column readout circuitry. The column readout circuitry may include analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuitry. The ADC circuitry may have a first portion that selectively converts pixel signals associated with a low light or high conversion gain operating environment and a second portion that converts any pixel signals. As an example, the first portion may be a ramp ADC and the second portion may be a successive approximation register (SAR) ADC.

Abstract: An image sensor outputs captured image data by discriminating whether to add a result of an imaging plane phase difference AF calculation to a top of the captured image data or whether to add the result to an end of the captured image data, thus reducing a time lag between exposure and focus position movement.

Abstract: An image sensor includes image sensor cells, each configured to generate an image signal in response to control signals. The image sensor also includes an ADC to receive the image signals of the image sensor cells, and a first driver to generate one or more first control signals for a first image sensor cell, where the first driver includes a first negative supply terminal. The image sensor also includes a first multiplexor to selectively connect the first negative supply terminal of the first driver to one of a plurality of power supply nodes, and a second driver to generate one or more second control signals for a second image sensor cell, where the second driver includes a second negative supply terminal. The image sensor also includes a second multiplexor to selectively connect the second negative supply terminal of the second driver to one of the power supply nodes.

Abstract: Provided are a solid-state imaging device, a method for driving a solid-state imaging device and an electronic apparatus. A memory part is formed using an SRAM serving as an ADC memory, and an ADC code is written into and read from the memory part under control of a reading part. In the SRAM, a power gating transistor is additionally provided to both of a power supply node (between a power supply and a virtual power supply node) and a ground node (between a virtual reference potential node and a reference potential) for the purposes of blocking the shoot-through currents from the bit cells during the writing operation. The power gating transistors are controlled by the reading part so as to operate as either a weak current source or switch.

Abstract: A camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a prism part configured to convert incident light to parallel light in an optical axis direction, a tilting part through which the parallel light passes and which changes an optical path of the parallel light by changing an angle of a surface through which the parallel light passes, a lens part configured to collect the parallel light of which the optical path is changed, and an image sensor part configured to convert the parallel light collected by the lens part to an electrical signal, wherein the tilting part is disposed between the prism part and the lens part.

Abstract: Image sensors having reduced dark current and white pixel are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, each pixel of the image sensor includes a photodiode (PD), a first floating diffusion (FD1) coupled to the photodiode through a transfer (TX) transistor, a second floating diffusion (FD2) coupled to the FD1 through a dual floating diffusion (DFD) transistor, and a lateral overflow integrating capacitor (LOFIC) coupled between the FD2 and a variable reference voltage (VCAP). A method for a correlated double sampling (CDS) readout includes: exposing a photodiode (PD) to light during an exposure period and increasing a capacitance of the LOFIC by setting the VCAP to a high voltage (H) level during an integration period of the exposure period.

Abstract: A light-receiving device that achieves both high saturation performance and high sensitivity performance includes a light-receiving pixel including a light-receiving element, a first capacitive element that accumulates a photoelectric charge produced by light received by the light-receiving element, a second capacitive element that accumulates a transferred portion of an amount of the photoelectric charge accumulated in the capacitive element, a switch means for turning on and off a photoelectric charge transfer operation from the capacitive element to the capacitive element, a resetting switch means for resetting the capacitive element and the capacitive element, a pixel selecting switch means, and a source follower switch means. An effective saturation capacity of the capacitive element is 10 to 5,000 times an effective saturation capacity of the capacitive element.

Abstract: A dynamic vision sensor, including a first sensing pixel, another first sensing pixel, a storage capacitor, and another storage capacitor, is provided. The first sensing pixel includes a plurality of color light sensing sub-pixels, a first pixel circuit, an infrared light sensing sub-pixel, a second pixel circuit, and a ramp capacitor. The ramp capacitor is coupled to a ramp up signal. The second pixel circuit outputs a sensing result of the infrared light sensing sub-pixel to the storage capacitor. The another first sensing pixel includes another plurality of color light sensing sub-pixels, another first pixel circuit, another infrared light sensing sub-pixel, another second pixel circuit, and another ramp capacitor. The another ramp capacitor is coupled to a ramp down signal. The another second pixel circuit outputs a sensing result of the another infrared light sensing sub-pixel to the another storage capacitor.

Abstract: The present technology relates to an imaging device and method, and an image processing device and method that can more easily suppress unauthorized use and tampering of an image. An object is imaged by an imaging element including a plurality of pixel output units that receives incident light entering without passing through either an imaging lens or a pinhole, and that each outputs one detection signal indicating an output pixel value modulated by an incident angle of the incident light, and a detection image obtained by the imaging and formed by a detection signal obtained in the pixel output units of the imaging element is output without associating with a restoration matrix including coefficients used when a restored image is restored from the detection image. The present disclosure can be applied to, for example, an imaging device, an image processing device, an information processing device, an electronic device, a computer, a program, a storage medium, a system, and the like.

Abstract: In an image sensor, some pixels in an array contain a sampling circuit to sample the light intensity and a capacitor to store an analog value representing the intensity at that pixel. Alternatively, a group of pixel circuits will be equipped with such sampling and capacitor circuits. This allows simple redundancy-reducing computations with a relatively simple pixel architecture.

Abstract: A pixel structure and a method of reading charges generated by a radiation sensing element upon exposure thereof to radiation is presented. The pixel structure comprises at least two capacitors configured for integrating charge from a radiation sensing element, where an overflow transistor sets a predetermined threshold level by a static voltage on its control electrode. This allows charges generated in the radiation sensing element to be integrated in either the first capacitor for a level of charge generated by the radiation sensing element, while the level remains under a predetermined threshold level, or in the at least one further capacitor for a level of charge generated by the radiation sensing element when said level surpasses said predetermined threshold level. At least one merge switch is used for merging the charges of the first capacitor with the charges of the at least one further capacitor.

Abstract: An image sensor and electronic apparatus comprise a pixel circuit configured to generate an analog signal; a vertical signal line configured to convey the analog signal from the pixel circuit; an analog amplifier circuit configured to receive the analog signal via the vertical signal line and generate an amplified signal; and a tail current boost circuit configured to modify an instantaneous gain bandwidth product of the analog amplifier circuit by temporarily modifying a tail current of the analog amplifier circuit.

Abstract: This application provides a dynamic vision sensor. The sensor converts an optical signal into an electrical signal by using a photoelectric conversion unit, to generate a photovoltage; performs second-order difference on the photovoltage by using a second-order differential circuit; and generates a second-order event signal based on a result of second-order difference. A camera including the sensor can generate an image based on the second-order event signal, where the image represents a change of a light change speed.

Abstract: The invention relates to an image sensor, including a substrate, a unit pixel, a first polarizer, a second polarizer, and readout circuit. First, incident light is emitted to the image sensor, and the first and second polarizers convert incident light into first and second incident lights respectively. Then, the photoelectric conversion element of the unit pixel covered by the first and second polarizers respectively generates first and second electrons after receiving the first and second incident lights respectively. Afterwards, the readout circuit performs subtraction and integral of the first electron and the second electron to generate a voltage signal corresponding to the number of electrons in the actual signal. Finally, repeat the above steps. Thereby, the image sensor of the invention effectively increases the full well capacity of the equivalent unit pixel, so as to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the image sensor of the invention.

Abstract: Techniques are described for implementing reduced-noise pixel ramp voltage generators for image sensors. The described pixel ramp voltage generators include circuit blocks to address various conventional causes of ramp generator noise. For example, a reference current is generated. Current steering can be used to toggle between a ramp-run mode for generation of a ramp voltage, and a ramp-stop mode for stopping the generation, thereby mitigating changes in low-frequency noise components between pixel conversion cycles, or phases or such cycles. Buffer multiplier techniques can be used to isolate kickback noise of the pixel conversion comparators from components generating the ramp voltage, such as to mitigate image smearing. Some implementations include additional features, such as sample-and-hold techniques used to isolate ramp generation components from current generation component noise, slope calibration techniques to dynamically tune voltage ramp slope, reset techniques, etc.

Abstract: A method and system for acquiring data from a pixelated image sensor for detecting charged particles. The method includes reading a pixel voltage of one or more of the multiple pixels multiple times without resetting the image sensor and digitizing the pixel into a first number of bits. The camera outputs a digitized compressed pixel voltage in a second, less, number of bits. The maximum range of the digitized compressed pixel voltage is less than a maximum range of the pixel voltage.

Abstract: An optical apparatus configured to correct an image blur by moving an image stabilization unit in a first direction different from an optical axis direction based on shake information obtained by a shake detector includes a vibration device configured to generate a vibration in order to transmit to a user a tactual sense according to an operation of an operation unit by the user. During an imaging and recording period, the vibration device generates the vibration having a vibration intensity in a second direction different from the first direction higher than that in the first direction.

Abstract: A movable support device includes: a movable unit that includes an imager, a first flexible substrate including wirings connected to terminals other than a power supply terminal and a ground terminal among terminals of the imager, and a second flexible substrate including wirings connected to the power supply terminal and the ground terminal; and a support member that supports the movable unit to be movable in a longitudinal direction of a light receiving surface of the imager and a short direction of the light receiving surface, the first flexible substrate includes a first portion extending in one direction of the short direction and a folded portion folded at an end portion of the first portion in other direction of the short direction, and the second flexible substrate includes a second portion and a folded portion as defined herein.