Abstract: An imaging device includes a first imaging lens configured to allow light from a subject to pass; a first solid-state image sensing element configured to receive light having passed through the first imaging lens; a second imaging lens spaced apart from the first imaging lens in the first direction; a second lens-side shielding part which includes a primary second lens-side light transmitting part and a secondary second lens-side light transmitting part formed in different positions in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and which is configured to allow part of light from the subject toward the second imaging lens to pass using the primary second lens-side light transmitting part and the secondary second lens-side light transmitting part while blocking the rest of the light; and a second solid-state image sensing element configured to receive light from the subject having passed through the second imaging lens.

Abstract: An image processing method includes: first processing of acquiring a range gate image using a range gate imaging device that captures an image of a set distance range for a predetermined capture area; second processing of searching for a detection target in the range gate image using a search window having a size corresponding to a capture distance from the range gate imaging device to the set distance range; and third processing of synthesizing, when a window region satisfying a predetermined condition is detected in the range gate image in the second processing, object information included in the window region and a grayscale image acquired using a grayscale imaging device that captures a grayscale image of the predetermined capture area and outputting the result.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus includes a plurality of pixel circuits arranged in a matrix. Each pixel circuit includes: a photodiode; a first charge storage that stores a charge; a floating diffusion region that stores a charge; a second charge storage that stores a charge; a first transfer transistor that transfers a charge from the photodiode to the first charge storage; a second transfer transistor that transfers a charge from the first charge storage to the floating diffusion region; a first reset transistor that resets the floating diffusion region; and an accumulating transistor for accumulating a charge of the floating diffusion region in the second charge storage. The capacitance of the first charge storage is greater than the capacitance of the floating diffusion region, and the capacitance of the second charge storage is greater than the capacitance of the floating diffusion region.

Abstract: It is made possible to monitor the periphery of a target object more accurately, using an imaging device that generates distance image data by sub-range analysis. For a target object present across first and second distance zones adjacent to each other, a first position at a near end position of the first distance zone, a second position at a boundary position between the first and second distance zones, and a third position indicating the position at a far end position of the second distance zone are obtained. Location data of the target object is generated based on location information of the second position with respect to a straight line connecting the first position and third position.

Abstract: A voltage control system has a light receiving array part receiving incident light and a light shielding array part shielding light receiving elements from incident light by a light shielding mechanism. The voltage control system also includes: a voltage application unit applying a bias voltage to an anode terminal; a multiplication state determination unit determining the multiplication state of the light shielding array part based on output signals from cathodes of the light receiving elements in the light shielding array part; and a voltage setting unit performing voltage setting for the bias voltage to be output from the voltage application unit based on the determination results from the multiplication state determination unit.

Abstract: A distance measuring device is to be connected to a wave transmitter and a wave receiver. The distance measuring device includes a distance measuring unit, which calculates a distance to the target based on a time interval between transmission of a measuring wave from a wave transmitter and reception of the measuring wave at a wave receiver. The target may be present across a preceding distance range and a succeeding distance range which are continuous with each other and both of which belong to a plurality of distance ranges defined by dividing a measurable distance range. In such a situation, the distance measuring unit calculates the distance to the target based on respective amounts of a preceding wave received at the wave receiver over a period corresponding to the preceding distance range and a succeeding wave received at the wave receiver over a period corresponding to the succeeding distance range.

Abstract: A distance measuring device is to be connected to a wave transmission module to transmit a measuring wave and a wave reception module including a first wave receiver and a second wave receiver, both of which receive the measuring wave reflected from a target. In this distance measuring device, a first wave reception period in which the first wave receiver receives the measuring wave and a second wave reception period in which the second wave receiver receives the measuring wave overlap with each other on a time axis. In addition, in this distance measuring device, a time lag is provided between respective beginning times of the first and second wave reception periods. The time lag is shorter than either the first wave reception period or the second wave reception period.

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 light emitting unit; a pixel array including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix; and a control unit calculating the distance to a measuring target. Each of the plurality of pixels includes: an avalanche photodiode; a primary accumulation region for temporarily holding a signal charge; and a plurality of memory elements provided in parallel with respect to the primary accumulation region. The control unit performs a plurality of times of light exposure at timings corresponding to different distance sections within one pulse period of outgoing light from the light emitting unit, allows signal charges generated after the respective times of light exposure to be accumulated in the different memory elements, and reads out the signal charges to calculate the distance to the measuring target.

Abstract: The present disclosure allows a light-emitting device to detect a failure of a light-emitting circuit without affecting the waveform of a pulse current to be supplied to a light source element. The light-emitting device includes: a light-emitting circuit including a light source element; and a power supply configured to supply electric charges to the light-emitting circuit. The light-emitting circuit is provided between a power supply node and a ground node. The power supply is connected to the power supply node via a power supply line. A monitor detects an abnormal state of the light-emitting circuit by monitoring the voltage of the power supply line or the internal voltage of the power supply.

Abstract: A voltage control system has a light receiving array part receiving incident light and a light shielding array part shielding light receiving elements from incident light by a light shielding mechanism. The voltage control system also includes: a voltage application unit applying a bias voltage to an anode terminal; a multiplication state determination unit determining the multiplication state of the light shielding array part based on output signals from cathodes of the light receiving elements in the light shielding array part; and a voltage setting unit performing voltage setting for the bias voltage to be output from the voltage application unit based on the determination results from the multiplication state determination unit.

Abstract: In an object information generation system, an imaging unit is configured to capture a plurality of segment images respectively corresponding to a plurality of distance segments dividing a target space. In a signal processor, the object region extraction unit extracts, from a plurality of segment images, an object region that is a pixel region including an image of the object. An object information generation unit determines, for the object region, a window in which calculation-target pixels are cut out, and generates distance information of the object by calculation using information of a plurality of pixels in the window for two or more segment images.

Abstract: Effective pixels and a failure detection pixel are connected to a control signal line for controlling an operation of the pixels and to an output signal line for outputting a result of failure detection in the pixels. Among the effective pixels, the effective pixels in a same row are connected in common to a same control signal line, and the effective pixels in a same column are connected in common to a same output signal line. The failure detection pixel is connected in common to at least one of the control signal line or the output signal line and configured to detect a failure in any of the effective pixels connected to the at least one of the control signal line or the output signal line.

Abstract: The present disclosure allows evaluation on the reliability of a distance value in a distance image, using a distance measuring device that generates a distance image from a plurality of section images. A reliability calculator obtains a maximum signal amount and a background signal amount from signal amounts in the section images for each pixel of the distance image to calculate, as reliability of distance determination, a difference between the maximum signal amount and the background signal amount. As the reliability of distance determination, an analog amount can be obtained which serves as an index of the reliability of the distance value indicated by the distance image.

Abstract: It is made possible to monitor the periphery of a target object more accurately, using an imaging device that generates distance image data by sub-range analysis. For a target object present across first and second distance zones adjacent to each other, a first position at a near end position of the first distance zone, a second position at a boundary position between the first and second distance zones, and a third position indicating the position at a far end position of the second distance zone are obtained. Location data of the target object is generated based on location information of the second position with respect to a straight line connecting the first position and third position.

Abstract: A substrate current suppression circuit includes: a fixed voltage line that supplies a fixed voltage to the collectors of the third and fourth transistors. The fixed voltage is a voltage higher than the base voltage of the third and fourth transistors when the first polarity is p type, and is a voltage lower than the base voltage when the first polarity is n type.

Abstract: A distance measurement device includes: a light source configured to emit visible illumination light; an imaging element configured to receive reflected light of the illumination light from an object; and a signal processing circuit configured to reduce the emission of the illumination light in a predetermined period, detect a timing when the reception of the reflected light at the imaging element is reduced due to the reduction of the illumination light, and measure a distance to the object on the basis of the detected timing.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus includes a plurality of pixel circuits arranged in a matrix. Each pixel circuit includes: a photodiode; a first charge storage that stores a charge; a floating diffusion region that stores a charge; a second charge storage that stores a charge; a first transfer transistor that transfers a charge from the photodiode to the first charge storage; a second transfer transistor that transfers a charge from the first charge storage to the floating diffusion region; a first reset transistor that resets the floating diffusion region; and an accumulating transistor for accumulating a charge of the floating diffusion region in the second charge storage. The capacitance of the first charge storage is greater than the capacitance of the floating diffusion region, and the capacitance of the second charge storage is greater than the capacitance of the floating diffusion region.

Abstract: An information processing system includes an object information generator and an output unit. The object information generator generates object information. A piece of the object information indicates a feature of an object present in a target distance section. The target distance section is one selected from a plurality of distance sections defined by dividing the distance measurable range in accordance with differences in elapsed times from a point of time when a light emitting unit emits a measuring light. The object information generator generates the piece of the object information based on a distance section signal associated with the target distance section. The output unit outputs the object information.

Abstract: An object detection system includes a light emitter, an optical sensor, a controller, and a signal processor. The controller controls the light emitter and the optical sensor to cause range segment signals to be outputted from the optical sensor for corresponding range segments. The signal processor includes: a target object information generator that includes a plurality of generators (a first generator through a fifth generator) capable of operating in parallel and generates items of target object information indicating features of target objects for the range segments; and storage that stores the items of target object information. The target object information generator compares a past one of the items of target object information stored in the storage with a feature of a current one of the target objects detected by the optical sensor to generate a corresponding one of the items of target object information.