Abstract: A driver circuit includes: a first node connected to a first signal line; a first switch transistor provided between a first power supply and a first capacitor; a second switch transistor provided between a second power supply and a second capacitor; a third switch transistor provided between the first capacitor and the first node; and a fourth switch transistor provided between the second capacitor and the first node.

Abstract: A photodetector includes: at least one avalanche photodiode including a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type and a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type; a first transistor connected to the first semiconductor layer and including a channel of the second conductivity type that has polarity opposite to polarity of the first conductivity type; and a second transistor connected to the first semiconductor layer and including a channel of the first conductivity type.

Abstract: A solid state image sensor includes at least a plurality of pixel cells and a vertical scanning circuit. Each of the pixel cells includes an avalanche photodiode, a floating diffusion portion, a transfer transistor, a reset transistor, an amplifier transistor, a selection transistor, a count transistor, and a capacitor. The amplifier transistor outputs a voltage signal responsive to the amount of charge stored in the floating diffusion portion. The capacitor has terminals one of which is connected to the count transistor. The vertical scanning circuit is configured to be able to supply different levels of voltages to the other terminals of the capacitors.

Abstract: An imaging device including a photoelectric converter that generates signal charge; a charge storage region that stores the signal charge; a first transistor that has a gate coupled to the charge storage region and reads out the signal charge; a second transistor that has a source and a drain, an output of the first transistor being fed back to one of the source and the drain and being supplied to the charge storage region from the other of the source and the drain; and voltage supply circuitry that supplies voltages varying with time. In a reset operation for discharging the signal charge stored in the charge storage region, the voltage supply circuitry supplies the voltages to a gate of the second transistor.

Abstract: An imaging device including: a photoelectric converter that generates signal charge; a charge storage region that stores the signal charge; a first transistor that has a gate coupled to the charge storage region and reads out the signal charge; a second transistor that, has a source and a drain, an output of the first transistor being fed back to one of the source and the drain and being supplied to the charge storage region from the other of the source and the drain; and voltage supply circuitry that supplies voltages varying with time. In a reset operation for discharging the signal charge stored in the charge storage region, the voltage supply circuitry supplies the voltages to a gate of the second transistor so that the second transistor gradually changes from an OFF state to an ON state.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: pixels arranged in a matrix; a vertical signal line provided for each column, conveying a pixel signal; a power line provided for each column, proving a power supply voltage; and a feedback signal line provided for each column, conveying a signal from a peripheral circuit to a pixel, in which each of the pixels includes: an N-type diffusion layer; a photoelectric conversion element above the N-type diffusion layer; and a charge accumulation node between the N-type diffusion layer and the photoelectric conversion element, accumulating signal charge generated in the photoelectric conversion element, the feedback signal line, a metal line which is a part of the charge accumulation node, the vertical signal line, and the power line are disposed in a second interconnect layer, and the vertical signal line and the power line are disposed between the feedback signal line and the metal line.

Abstract: A photodetector includes: at least one avalanche photodiode including a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type and a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type; a first transistor connected to the first semiconductor layer and including a channel of the second conductivity type that has polarity opposite to polarity of the first conductivity type; and a second transistor connected to the first semiconductor layer and including a channel of the first conductivity type.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: pixels arranged in a matrix; a vertical signal line provided for each column, conveying a pixel signal; a power line provided for each column, proving a power supply voltage; and a feedback signal line provided for each column, conveying a signal from a peripheral circuit to a pixel, in which each of the pixels includes: an N-type diffusion layer; a photoelectric conversion element above the N-type diffusion layer; and a charge accumulation node between the N-type diffusion layer and the photoelectric conversion element, accumulating signal charge generated in the photoelectric conversion element, the feedback signal line, a metal line which is a part of the charge accumulation node, the vertical signal line, and the power line are disposed in a second interconnect layer, and the vertical signal line and the power line are disposed between the feedback signal line and the metal line.

Abstract: A distance measuring device includes a light emitter; a light receiver; a protection cover that is located on an optical path between the light emitter and the light receiver; a mode switch that switches between a first mode and a second mode; a distance calculator that calculates a distance from a target object based on a difference between a time when light is emitted from the light emitter and a time when reflected light is received by the light receiver in the first mode; and an LD light emission intensity adjuster that adjusts a light emission intensity of the light emitter. The adjustment is performed such that a light emission intensity of the light emitter in the second mode is lower than a light emission intensity of the light emitter in the first mode.

Abstract: An image recognition device includes a light source that emits lighting pulses to a measurement space, a image generator that generates a distance image based on reflected light acquired by a light receiving element, a reflectivity calculator that calculates a correction coefficient corresponding to a reflectivity for each measurement section, and a lighting pulse controller that controls a number of lighting pulses emitted from the light source according to the correction coefficient for each measurement section.

Abstract: A photodetector includes a plurality of pixels and a common reset line connected to the pixels, and each of the pixels includes: an avalanche photodiode; a quenching transistor that includes a gate and a source which are connected to the cathode of the avalanche photodiode; and a photodiode reset transistor that includes a source and a drain one of which is connected to the drain of the quenching transistor and the other of which is connected to the common reset line.

Abstract: An imaging device includes: a solid-state imaging element having a plurality of pixel cells arranged in a matrix; and a signal processing part configured to process a detection signal outputted from each of the pixel cells. The pixel cells each include an avalanche photodiode and output a voltage corresponding to a count number of photons received by the avalanche photodiode as the detection signal. The signal processing part includes a variation calculation part configured to calculate a variation between the pixel cells in the detection signal outputted from each of the pixel cells, and a correction calculation part configured to correct the detection signal outputted from each of the pixel cells, on the basis of the variation calculated by the variation calculation part.

Abstract: An imaging device includes: a solid-state imaging element having a plurality of pixel cells arranged in a matrix; and a control part configured to control the solid-state imaging element. The pixel cells each include an avalanche photodiode, a floating diffusion part configured to accumulate electric charges, a transfer transistor connecting a cathode of the avalanche photodiode and the floating diffusion part, and a reset transistor for resetting electric charges accumulated in the floating diffusion part. The control part controls the reset transistor to discharge electric charges exceeding a predetermined electric charge amount, of electric charges accumulated in the floating diffusion part from the cathode of the avalanche photodiode via the transfer transistor.

Abstract: A driver circuit includes: a first node connected to a first signal line; a first switch transistor provided between a first power supply and a first capacitor; a second switch transistor provided between a second power supply and a second capacitor; a third switch transistor provided between the first capacitor and the first node; and a fourth switch transistor provided between the second capacitor and the first node.

Abstract: Each of column signal lines is connected to two or more of P pixels belonging to one of Q pixel columns of pixels. In each of the pixels, a first switch switches connection and disconnection between a light receiver and a first charge storage. A second switch switches connection and disconnection between the first charge storage and a second charge storage. A third switch switches connection and disconnection between the first charge storage and one of column signal lines corresponding to the pixel. The fourth switch switches the connection and disconnection between the second charge storage and the one of the column signal lines corresponding to the pixel.

Abstract: A distance measurement device includes: an image capturer that captures N segmental images corresponding to N segmental distances into which a distance measurement range is divided; and a range image generator that generates a range image from the N segmental images. The range image generator determines: among segmental pixels included in the N segmental images, a segmental pixel having a maximum signal value from N segmental pixels at the same pixel position among pixel positions; a value indicating a segmental distance of the segmental pixel having the maximum signal value to be a distance value of the pixel position of the range image, when the maximum signal value is greater than or equal to a threshold; and a value indicating a value outside the distance measurement range to be the distance value of the pixel position of the range image, when the maximum signal value is less than the threshold.

Abstract: A distance measuring device includes a control unit and a measuring unit. The control unit controls a photodetector unit. The photodetector unit includes a photoelectric transducer element and an output unit. The photoelectric transducer element generates electrical charges on receiving light reflected from a target as a part of measuring light emitted from a light-emitting unit. The output unit outputs an electrical signal representing a quantity of the electrical charges generated by the photoelectric transducer element. The measuring unit calculates, in accordance with the electrical signal, a distance to the target within a measurable range. The control unit sets, in each of a plurality of intervals that form the measurable range, a conversion ratio of the quantity of the electrical charges generated by the photoelectric transducer element to a quantity of the light received by the photoelectric transducer element.

Abstract: An AND gate 201 outputs an output signal A so that first pixels be exposed simultaneously in a light emission period included in a scan period, and an AND gate 205 outputs an output signal E so that pixel signals be read from the first pixels in a readout period after the light emission period. Also, an AND gate 206 outputs an output signal F so that pixel signals be read from second pixels in a period including the light emission period in the scan period.

Abstract: A distance measuring device includes a controller and a distance calculator. The controller sets, in a first time period, a first measurement time range corresponding to a first measurement distance range; causes a light emitter to emit light and places a light receiver into an exposure state, in the first measurement time range; sets, in a second time period, a second measurement time range corresponding to a second measurement distance range; and causes the light emitter to emit light and places the light receiver into an exposure state, in the second measurement time range. At least one measurement condition is different between the first and second time periods. The distance calculator calculates the distance from the distance measuring device to a measurement target, based on the time from the emission to the reflection of light. The time is in at least one of the first and second time periods.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device including a plurality of two-dimensionally arranged pixels is provided. The pixels each include a light receiving circuit that senses incident light having arrived at the light receiving element in a light exposure period, a counter circuit that counts the number of arrivals of the incident light based on the light reception signal from the light receiving circuit, a comparison circuit that outputs a comparison signal according to the count from the counter circuit, and a storage circuit that stores a time signal as a distance signal when the comparison signal from the comparison circuit is ON. Transistors included in the light receiving circuit, the counter circuit, the comparison circuit, and the storage circuit have the same conductivity type.