Abstract: A distance-measuring imaging device includes: a timing controller that outputs one or more timing signals; a light receiver that receives reflected light that is light emitted by a light source and reflected by a subject; a phase adjustment circuit that outputs at least one signal out of a light emission control signal and an exposure control signal, based on the one or more timing signals, the light emission control signal being used for causing the light source to emit light to the subject, the exposure control signal being used for causing the light receiver to start exposure. The phase adjustment circuit includes one or more DLL circuits each of which determines, for at least one of the one or more timing signals, at least one of a phase of a rising edge or a phase of a falling edge of the at least one signal.

Abstract: A distance-measuring imaging device includes: a controller which repeatedly performs outputting of an emission signal instructing light emission and outputting of an exposure signal instructing exposure; a light source unit which performs light emission a plurality of times in accordance with the emission signal repeatedly outputted by the controller; and an imaging unit which includes a solid-state imaging element for performing exposure a plurality of times in accordance with the exposure signal repeatedly outputted by the controller and which generates an imaging signal through the exposure performed the plurality of times.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a light emitter, a pixel section, and a signal processor which calculates distance information of a subject. The pixel section includes a photoelectric converter, first and second read-out gates, and a plurality of charge accumulators including a first charge accumulator and a second charge accumulator. The first read-out gate is activated in a first period and deactivated in a second period. The second read-out gate is activated in the first period and the second period. The signal processor calculates the distance information based on a total amount of signal charges accumulated in the charge accumulators in the first period and the second period and a difference between an amount of signal charges accumulated in the second charge accumulator in the first period and the second period and an amount of the signal charge accumulated in the first charge accumulator in the first period.

Abstract: A distance-measuring imaging device includes a light source that applies light according to timing of a light emission signal; a solid-state imager that performs, for an object, exposure according to timing of an exposure signal, and generates raw data corresponding to an exposure amount of the exposure; a signal amount comparator that determines a magnitude relationship in signal amount in the raw data; and a distance calculator that generates and outputs a distance signal based on a determination result. The solid-state imager accumulates, in each of different signal accumulation regions for accumulating signals detected in a same pixel, a signal by exposure in an exposure period that differs in exposure signal timing. The signal amount comparator determines the magnitude relationship between the signals accumulated in the signal accumulation regions. The distance calculator calculates the distance to the object using an arithmetic expression selected depending on the determination result.

Abstract: A ranging device includes: a pulse generator; a controller that controls the pulse generator according to n (n is an integer greater than or equal to 4) types of packet generation codes indicating whether or not to expose or emit light in each of unit segments corresponding to distance segments into which a ranging range is divided; a light source; a solid-state image capturer; and a distance calculator that calculates the distance based on n types of signal values per unit segment obtained from the solid-state image capturer.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a light emitter, a pixel section, and a signal processor which calculates distance information of a subject. The pixel section includes a photoelectric converter, first and second read-out gates, and a plurality of charge accumulators including a first charge accumulator and a second charge accumulator. The first read-out gate is activated in a first period and deactivated in a second period. The second read-out gate is activated in the first period and the second period. The signal processor calculates the distance information based on a total amount of signal charges accumulated in the charge accumulators in the first period and the second period and a difference between an amount of signal charges accumulated in the second charge accumulator in the first period and the second period and an amount of the signal charge accumulated in the first charge accumulator in the first period.

Abstract: An imaging device includes: a light source emitting light based on a first pulse; a solid-state imaging element including pixel units and exposing the light based on a second pulse; and a signal processor. Each pixel unit includes a photoelectric converter and charge accumulating units, and generates first to third signal charges by first to third exposure processes in this order to be accumulated in the charge accumulating units. Each of the first and third exposure processes is based on the second pulse delayed from the first pulse by a first period, and the second exposure process is based on the second pulse delayed from the first pulse by a second period. A total period of the first and third exposure processes is equal to that of the second exposure process. The signal processor calculates a distance signal for each pixel unit by using the first to third signal charges.

Abstract: A distance-measuring imaging device includes: a timing controller that outputs one or more timing signals; a light receiver that receives reflected light that is light emitted by a light source and reflected by a subject; a phase adjustment circuit that outputs at least one signal out of a light emission control signal and an exposure control signal, based on the one or more timing signals, the light emission control signal being used for causing the light source to emit light to the subject, the exposure control signal being used for causing the light receiver to start exposure. The phase adjustment circuit includes one or more DLL circuits each of which determines, for at least one of the one or more timing signals, at least one of a phase of a rising edge or a phase of a falling edge of the at least one signal.

Abstract: A distance-measuring imaging device includes: a controller which repeatedly performs outputting of an emission signal instructing light emission and outputting of an exposure signal instructing exposure; a light source unit which performs light emission a plurality of times in accordance with the emission signal repeatedly outputted by the controller; and an imaging unit which includes a solid-state imaging element for performing exposure a plurality of times in accordance with the exposure signal repeatedly outputted by the controller and which generates an imaging signal through the exposure performed the plurality of times.

Abstract: An imaging device includes: a light source emitting light based on a first pulse; a solid-state imaging element including pixel units and exposing the light based on a second pulse; and a signal processor. Each pixel unit includes a photoelectric converter and charge accumulating units, and generates first to third signal charges by first to third exposure processes in this order to be accumulated in the charge accumulating units. Each of the first and third exposure processes is based on the second pulse delayed from the first pulse by a first period, and the second exposure process is based on the second pulse delayed from the first pulse by a second period. A total period of the first and third exposure processes is equal to that of the second exposure process. The signal processor calculates a distance signal for each pixel unit by using the first to third signal charges.

Abstract: A distance-measuring imaging device includes a light source that applies light according to timing of a light emission signal; a solid-state imager that performs, for an object, exposure according to timing of an exposure signal, and generates raw data corresponding to an exposure amount of the exposure; a signal amount comparator that determines a magnitude relationship in signal amount in the raw data; and a distance calculator that generates and outputs a distance signal based on a determination result. The solid-state imager accumulates, in each of different signal accumulation regions for accumulating signals detected in a same pixel, a signal by exposure in an exposure period that differs in exposure signal timing. The signal amount comparator determines the magnitude relationship between the signals accumulated in the signal accumulation regions. The distance calculator calculates the distance to the object using an arithmetic expression selected depending on the determination result.

Abstract: A distance-measuring imaging device includes a light source that applies light according to timing of a light emission signal; a solid-state imager that performs, for an object, exposure according to timing of an exposure signal, and generates raw data corresponding to an exposure amount of the exposure; a signal amount comparator that determines a magnitude relationship in signal amount in the raw data; and a distance calculator that generates and outputs a distance signal based on a determination result. The solid-state imager accumulates, in each of different signal accumulation regions for accumulating signals detected in a same pixel, a signal by exposure in an exposure period that differs in exposure signal timing. The signal amount comparator determines the magnitude relationship between the signals accumulated in the signal accumulation regions. The distance calculator calculates the distance to the object using an arithmetic expression selected depending on the determination result.

Abstract: In a distance measuring device, a drive controller generates an emission timing signal and an exposure timing signal in accordance with a measurement condition. A light source irradiates light in response to the emission timing signal. A solid-state image sensor has a group of pixels arranged in a matrix pattern and divided into a plurality of regions on a line-by-line basis, and performs an exposure process on a selected one of the regions in response to the exposure timing signal. An imaging signal processor obtains distance information by performing an arithmetic operation on a signal output from the solid-state image sensor. The drive controller generates mutually different measurement conditions to the plurality of the regions of the solid-state image sensor.

Abstract: An imaging device includes: a controller which generates a light emission signal and an exposure signal; a light source unit which emits light in response to the light emission signal; an imager which obtains an amount of exposure to reflected light at the timing according to the exposure signal; and a signal processor which outputs a distance image and a luminance image according to calculation based on a signal amount of an imaging signal received from the imager. The imager is configured so that a pixel which performs exposure for obtaining signals of the distance image and a pixel which performs exposure for obtaining signals of the luminance image are the same. The light source unit emits light according to the timing indicated by the light emission signal generated at the controller, also in a period in which the imager performs the exposure for obtaining signals of the luminance image.

Abstract: An imaging device includes: a controller which generates a light emission signal and an exposure signal; a light source unit which receives the light emission signal and emits light; a light receiver which obtains the exposure amount of reflected light at a timing in accordance with the exposure signal; and a calculator which outputs a distance signal (distance image) by calculation on the basis of the amount of signals included in imaging signals received from the light receiver. The controller generates two or more patterns of varying phase relationships between the light emission signal and the exposure signal, and outputs the light emission signal and the exposure signal in a cycle that is different between at least two of the patterns.

Abstract: A distance-measuring/imaging apparatus having a high S/N and a high distance measurement accuracy is provided. The distance-measuring/imaging apparatus includes: a signal generation unit for generating an emission signal and exposure signal; a light source unit for performing light irradiation by receiving the emission signal; an imaging unit for performing exposure by receiving the exposure signal and for acquiring the exposure amount of the reflected light; and a calculation unit for calculating and outputting the distance information on the basis of the exposure amount. The imaging unit acquires a first exposure amount corresponding to the exposure in a first emission/exposure period, in which the exposure is performed by receiving the exposure signal simultaneously with a receiving timing of the emission signal.

Abstract: A distance-measuring imaging device includes: a drive control unit; a light source unit; an image processing unit including light receiving units and charge reading units arranged one-to-one; and an image processing unit. The charge reading units are arranged partly at the left side of corresponding ones of the light receiving units and partly at the right side of corresponding ones of the same. In each of a period in which the exposure is performed when the exposure control signal is received after a first delay time since when the light emission control signal is received and a period in which the exposure is performed when the exposure control signal is received after a second delay time longer than the first delay time, since when the light emission control signal is received, the left-side charge reading units read charge leftward, and the right-side charge reading units read charge rightward.

Abstract: A distance-measuring imaging device includes a light source that applies light according to timing of a light emission signal; a solid-state imager that performs, for an object, exposure according to timing of an exposure signal, and generates raw data corresponding to an exposure amount of the exposure; a signal amount comparator that determines a magnitude relationship in signal amount in the raw data; and a distance calculator that generates and outputs a distance signal based on a determination result. The solid-state imager accumulates, in each of different signal accumulation regions for accumulating signals detected in a same pixel, a signal by exposure in an exposure period that differs in exposure signal timing. The signal amount comparator determines the magnitude relationship between the signals accumulated in the signal accumulation regions. The distance calculator calculates the distance to the object using an arithmetic expression selected depending on the determination result.

Abstract: In a distance measuring device, a drive controller generates an emission timing signal and an exposure timing signal in accordance with a measurement condition. A light source irradiates light in response to the emission timing signal. A solid-state image sensor has a group of pixels arranged in a matrix pattern and divided into a plurality of regions on a line-by-line basis, and performs an exposure process on a selected one of the regions in response to the exposure timing signal. An imaging signal processor obtains distance information by performing an arithmetic operation on a signal output from the solid-state image sensor. The drive controller generates mutually different measurement conditions to the plurality of the regions of the solid-state image sensor.

Abstract: A distance-measuring imaging device includes: a drive control unit; a light source unit; an image processing unit including light receiving units and charge reading units arranged one-to-one; and an image processing unit. The charge reading units are arranged partly at the left side of corresponding ones of the light receiving units and partly at the right side of corresponding ones of the same. In each of a period in which the exposure is performed when the exposure control signal is received after a first delay time since when the light emission control signal is received and a period in which the exposure is performed when the exposure control signal is received after a second delay time longer than the first delay time, since when the light emission control signal is received, the left-side charge reading units read charge leftward, and the right-side charge reading units read charge rightward.