Abstract: The present technology relates to a sensor and a control method that can flexibly detect an event that is a change in electric signals of pixels. The sensor includes pixels that receive light and that perform photoelectric conversion to generate electric signals, and an event detecting unit that detects an event that is a change in the electric signals of the pixels. The sensor adjusts, for each of the pixels, a gain of the event detecting unit. The present technology can be applied to, for example, a sensor that detects an event that is a change in electric signals of pixels.

Abstract: A light receiving element including: a semiconductor substrate; a photoelectric conversion unit (PD) in the semiconductor substrate that converts light into electric charges; a first electric charge accumulation unit (MEM) in the semiconductor substrate to which the electric charges are transferred from the photoelectric conversion unit; a first distribution gate on a front surface of the semiconductor substrate that distributes the electric charges from the photoelectric conversion unit to the first electric charge accumulation unit; a second electric charge accumulation unit (MEM) in the semiconductor substrate to which the electric charges are transferred from the photoelectric conversion unit; and a second distribution gate on the front surface of the semiconductor substrate that distributes the electric charges from the photoelectric conversion unit to the second electric charge accumulation unit, in which the first and second distribution gates each have a pair of buried gate portions.

Abstract: In a light receiving device, a light receiving element includes a first photoelectric conversion unit (PD) that converts light into electric charges, a first electric charge storage unit (MEM) to which the electric charges are transferred from the first photoelectric conversion unit, a first distribution gate, a second electric charge storage unit (MEM) to which the electric charges are transferred from the first photoelectric conversion unit, and a second distribution gate, in which the first and second distribution gates are provided at positions axially symmetric to each other with respect to a first center axis extending so as to pass through the center of the first photoelectric conversion unit, in a direction intersecting the column direction at a predetermined angle, when viewed from above the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: To provide a light receiving element including: a photoelectric conversion unit (PD) that is provided in a semiconductor substrate and converts light into a charge; a first charge accumulation unit (MEM) to which the charge is transferred from the photoelectric conversion unit; a second charge accumulation unit (MEM) to which the charge is transferred from the photoelectric conversion unit, in which each of the first and second charge accumulation units includes a stack of an electrode, a first insulating layer, and a semiconductor layer.

Abstract: The present technology relates to a solid-state imaging device, a signal processing chip, and an electronic apparatus that make it possible to utilize the result of detecting an occurrence of an event in imaging. The solid-state imaging device includes: an event detection unit that detects, as an event, a change in an electrical signal generated by each pixel of a pixel array unit; a region-of-interest detection unit that detects, from a result of detecting the event, a region-of-interest of the pixel array unit; and a pixel signal generation unit that generates a pixel signal constituting an image of a region corresponding to the region-of-interest. The present technology is applicable to, for example, a sensor that detects an event that is a change in an electrical signal of a pixel.

Abstract: Provided is a solid-state imaging apparatus and an electronic device, in which a scale of circuits, to perform arithmetic operation of the neural network, is suppressed. A solid-state imaging apparatus according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a pixel array unit and a processing unit. The pixel array unit has a plurality of first pixels that generate electric signals, which have a logarithmic characteristic with respect to light quantity, as first pixel signals. The processing unit performs arithmetic processing of the first neural network based on a plurality of first input data, which are based on the plurality of first pixel signals read from the pixel array unit, and a plurality of logarithmic weighting factors which express strength of the connection between the plurality of first nodes by a logarithm.

Abstract: A face authentication system of the present disclosure includes: a surface-emitting light source that irradiates a subject with light, and enables control of light emission/non-light emission in pixel units; an event detection sensor including an event detector that detects, as an event, that a change in luminance of a pixel that photoelectrically converts entering light from the subject exceeds a predetermined threshold, and a pixel signal generator that generates a pixel signal of a gray-scale voltage generated by photoelectric conversion; and a signal processor that performs authentication of a face that is the subject on the basis of a detection result of the event detection sensor and the pixel signal generated by the pixel signal generator. In addition, an electronic apparatus of the present disclosure includes a face authentication system having a configuration described above.

Abstract: A distance measurement accuracy is improved. A solid-state imaging device according to an embodiment includes a pixel array part in which a plurality of pixels is arranged in a matrix, in which each of the pixels includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion units that each photoelectrically converts incident light to generate a charge, a floating diffusion region that accumulates the charge, a plurality of transfer circuits that transfer the charge generated in each of the plurality of photoelectric conversion units to the floating diffusion region, and a first transistor that causes a pixel signal of a voltage value corresponding to a charge amount of the charge accumulated in the floating diffusion region to appear in a signal line.

Abstract: The present technology relates to a solid-state imaging device, a signal processing chip, and an electronic apparatus that make it possible to utilize the result of detecting an occurrence of an event in imaging. The solid-state imaging device includes: an event detection unit that detects, as an event, a change in an electrical signal generated by each pixel of a pixel array unit; a region-of-interest detection unit that detects, from a result of detecting the event, a region-of-interest of the pixel array unit; and a pixel signal generation unit that generates a pixel signal constituting an image of a region corresponding to the region-of-interest. The present technology is applicable to, for example, a sensor that detects an event that is a change in an electrical signal of a pixel.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a solid-state image pickup device that is adapted to enable the light exposure time to be shortened, and an image pickup method, and an electronic apparatus. One pixel and the other pixel differ in the timing in which light exposure is started and in the timing in which the light exposure is ended. During the light exposure time of the one pixel, active light starts light emission, and completes the light emission. For example, before or after the light emission of the active light, the one pixel starts light exposure, and ends the light exposure. The other pixel starts light exposure in the timing in which the time Ta1 has passed after the active light starts light emission (the time Ta2 until the end of irradiation remains), and ends the light exposure after the light exposure of the one pixel ends. The present disclosure can be applied to, for example, an image pickup device that performs image pickup by using active light.

Abstract: The solid-state imaging device of the present disclosure includes a signal processing unit including an AD converter that digitizes an analog pixel signal read from each pixel of the pixel array unit to a signal line, the signal processing unit transferring digitized pixel data at a first speed higher than a frame rate; a memory unit that stores the pixel data transferred from the signal processing unit; a data processing unit that reads pixel data at a second speed lower than the first speed from the memory unit; and a control unit that, when the pixel data is read from the memory unit, controls to stop operation of a current source connected with the signal line and operation of at least the AD converter of the signal processing unit.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an image pickup circuit including: amplifying means for amplifying a charge corresponding to an amount of light received by a photodetector, and outputting a pixel signal; ramp signal generating means for generating a ramp signal whose voltage drops with a fixed slope from a predetermined initial voltage; and comparing means for comparing the pixel signal output by the amplifying means with the ramp signal output by the ramp signal generating means. A reference potential of the pixel signal output by the amplifying means and a reference potential of the ramp signal output by the ramp signal generating means are at a same level.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an imaging apparatus comprising an image sensor that includes an imaging surface in which many pixels are arranged vertically and horizontally, a pixel control unit that controls the image sensor, selects a pixel corresponding to a sampling function among pixels configuring a block by applying the sampling function for each block acquired by partitioning the imaging surface of the image sensor into a plurality of blocks, and outputs a sampling signal based on a pixel value of the selected pixel, and a reduced image generating unit that generates a reduced image on the basis of the sampling signal for each block output from the image sensor.

Abstract: The present technology relates to an image pickup element, a control method, and an image pickup device which realize easier and more diversified data output. In one aspect of the present technology, a plurality of signal lines for transmitting a pixel signal read from a pixel is allocated to each column, and different reading modes of the pixel signals are respectively allocated to the signal lines of each column. Regarding each column of the pixel array connected to the pixel corresponding to the mode, the pixel signal is read from the pixel connected to the signal line corresponding to the reading mode of the pixel signal in the mode, and the read pixel signal is transmitted via the signal line. The present technology is applied to, for example, an image pickup element and an image pickup device.

Abstract: The solid-state imaging device of the present disclosure includes a signal processing unit including an AD converter that digitizes an analog pixel signal read from each pixel of the pixel array unit to a signal line, the signal processing unit transferring digitized pixel data at a first speed higher than a frame rate; a memory unit that stores the pixel data transferred from the signal processing unit; a data processing unit that reads pixel data at a second speed lower than the first speed from the memory unit; and a control unit that, when the pixel data is read from the memory unit, controls to stop operation of a current source connected with the signal line and operation of at least the AD converter of the signal processing unit.

Abstract: An imaging device includes imaging elements 12 arranged in two-dimensional matrix in a first direction and a second direction, an analog-digital (AD) converter 13, and a pixel signal reading device 16. The pixel signal reading device 16 selects spatially at random the imaging element 12 that outputs a pixel signal to the AD converter 13, and randomly outputs the pixel signal of the imaging element 12 from the AD converter 13.

Abstract: The present technology relates to an image pickup element, a control method, and an image pickup device which realize easier and more diversified data output. In one aspect of the present technology, a plurality of signal lines for transmitting a pixel signal read from a pixel is allocated to each column, and different reading modes of the pixel signals are respectively allocated to the signal lines of each column. Regarding each column of the pixel array connected to the pixel corresponding to the mode, the pixel signal is read from the pixel connected to the signal line corresponding to the reading mode of the pixel signal in the mode, and the read pixel signal is transmitted via the signal line. The present technology is applied to, for example, an image pickup element and an image pickup device.

Abstract: The solid-state imaging device of the present disclosure includes a signal processing unit including an AD converter that digitizes an analog pixel signal read from each pixel of the pixel array unit to a signal line, the signal processing unit transferring digitized pixel data at a first speed higher than a frame rate; a memory unit that stores the pixel data transferred from the signal processing unit; a data processing unit that reads pixel data at a second speed lower than the first speed from the memory unit; and a control unit that, when the pixel data is read from the memory unit, controls to stop operation of a current source connected with the signal line and operation of at least the AD converter of the signal processing unit.

Abstract: The present technique relates to an image sensor, an data transmission method thereof, an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, an electronic device, and a program with which it is made possible to improve flexibility in compression and to make connectivity between an image sensor and a DSP better. Data Pixel4*N to Pixel4*N+3 in a 12-bit original image data format of four pixels is converted into six-bit compression data and is arranged by two pixels into a 12-bit compression data format including a structure identical to that of a 12-bit original image data format, whereby data Data2*N and Data2*N+1 is configured. Moreover, upper eight bits of each of compression data formats Data2*N and Data2*N+1 are read and arranged into data Byte3*N and Byte3*N+1. Lower four bits of each of the compression data format Data2*N and Data2*N+1 are arranged into data Byte3*N+2. The present technique can be applied to an imaging apparatus.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a solid-state image pickup device that is adapted to enable the light exposure time to be shortened, and an image pickup method, and an electronic apparatus. One pixel and the other pixel differ in the timing in which light exposure is started and in the timing in which the light exposure is ended. During the light exposure time of the one pixel, active light starts light emission, and completes the light emission. For example, before or after the light emission of the active light, the one pixel starts light exposure, and ends the light exposure. The other pixel starts light exposure in the timing in which the time Ta1 has passed after the active light starts light emission (the time Ta2 until the end of irradiation remains), and ends the light exposure after the light exposure of the one pixel ends. The present disclosure can be applied to, for example, an image pickup device that performs image pickup by using active light.