Abstract: Left- and right-eye captured images are output upon reception of light beams having passed through one imaging optical system, and the difference, between the left- and right-eye captured images, of each of subjects included in the left- and right-eye captured images is detected. An extraction image extracted from a region which includes a main subject and has a predetermined size is output for each of the left- and right-eye captured images. At this time, the region is set so that the difference, between the left- and right-eye captured images, of a subject which is different from the main subject and included in both the extraction images has a predetermined value.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes an image pickup unit including a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements provided correspondingly to each of microlenses arranged two-dimensionally, reads out a first signal through addition from the photoelectric conversion elements corresponding to the microlense, reads out a second signal from one of the photoelectric conversion elements corresponding to the microlense, and sets one of a first and second read-out modes to read signals from the image pickup unit in accordance with a photographing condition, wherein the first and second read-out modes differ in read-out density of the second signal in a read-out area in accordance with one of a thinning-out rate and an addition rate of a area from which the second signal is read out being different as compared to a area from which the first signal is read out.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus (100) that generates a three-dimensional image, includes an image pickup element (114) including a micro lens (2) and a pixel unit cell (1) including a plurality of pixels (1a, 1b) arranged to receive light from the microlens (2), wherein the image pickup element is configured to output separated first image and second image signals for respective pixels of the pixel unit cell, a parallax detector (123) configured to calculate a parallax comprising an image shift amount between the first image signal and the second image signal, and an image correcting portion (120) configured to perform a correction to change the parallax, wherein the amount of change of the parallax depends on a change of the aperture stop (111).

Abstract: An image pickup device which suppresses an increase in chip area of peripheral circuits without degrading the performance of a pixel section and makes it possible to prevent costs from being increased. The image pickup device includes a first semiconductor substrate and a second semiconductor substrate. A pixel section includes photo diodes each for generate electric charges by photoelectric conversion, floating diffusions each for temporarily storing the electric charges generated by the photo diode, and amplifiers each connected to the floating diffusion, for outputting a signal dependent on a potential of the associated floating diffusion. Column circuits are connected to vertical signal lines, respectively, for performing predetermined processing on signals output from the pixel section to vertical signal lines.

Abstract: An image sensing apparatus has a plurality of pixels arranged two dimensionally, each pixel containing a photoelectric converter that outputs a photoelectrically converted signal in response to a quantity of received light, an output unit containing a clamping circuit, a signal supply circuit that outputs a reference signal to the clamping circuit, a control unit that controls to clamp the reference signal prior to outputting the photoelectrically converted signal from the pixel to the clamping circuit, output the photoelectrically converted signal to the clamping circuit, and then output a noise signal from the pixel to the clamping circuit, and a differential circuit that subtracts the noise signal from the photoelectrically converted signal processed by the clamping circuit.

Abstract: An image sensing apparatus has a plurality of pixels arranged two dimensionally, each pixel containing a photoelectric converter that outputs a photoelectrically converted signal in response to a quantity of received light, an output unit containing a clamping circuit, a signal supply circuit that outputs a reference signal to the clamping circuit, a control unit that controls to clamp the reference signal prior to outputting the photoelectrically converted signal from the pixel to the clamping circuit, output the photoelectrically converted signal to the clamping circuit, and then output a noise signal from the pixel to the clamping circuit, and a differential circuit that subtracts the noise signal from the photoelectrically converted signal processed by the clamping circuit.

Abstract: An image sensor includes: a photoelectric conversion pixel having a photoelectric conversion element that performs photoelectric conversion, and a light guide formed of a first material in an interlayer insulation film above the photoelectric conversion element; and a light-shielded pixel having a photoelectric conversion element that performs photoelectric conversion, a light guide formed of a second material that is different from the first material in an interlayer insulation film above the photoelectric conversion element, and a light-shielding layer formed above the light guide.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus capable of accurately detecting a flicker in a short time period without regard to a state of object and a photography scene. A signal processing circuit reads out an n-th line of an image subjected to collective reset/collective transfer readout, reads out an n-th line of an image subjected to rolling readout, and subtracts an output of a pixel section of a particular column of the n-th line of the image subjected to the rolling readout from an output of a corresponding pixel section of the image subjected to the collective reset/collective transfer readout. The signal processing circuit determines that a flicker is generated, if there is a differential value not less than a predetermined threshold value between each pair of outputs from the pixel sections of the same line and if there is a periodicity in an image vertical direction.

Abstract: There is disclosed an image sensing apparatus including at least one pixel, a signal read unit, and a saturation detector. The pixel includes a photoelectric converter, a semiconductor region, and a transfer controller which transfers a charge generated in the photoelectric converter to the semiconductor region. The signal read unit is configured to output a signal from the semiconductor region. The saturation detector includes a reset controller which detects a signal generated in the semiconductor region during an exposure period of the photoelectric converter, and resets the photoelectric converter based on the detection result.

Abstract: A pixel unit in which a plurality of pixels shares an accumulating unit for temporarily accumulating charges accumulated in photoelectric conversion devices, is arranged so that a control unit of a photoelectric conversion apparatus is adapted, when an accumulated charge amount of a first photodiode exceeds a saturation charge amount, to effect control in accordance with a first operation to discharge excess charges to a floating diffusion FD, and adapted, when an accumulated charge amount of a second photodiode exceeds a saturation charge amount, to effect control in accordance with a second operation to discharge excess charges to a charge discharge area, thereby expanding a dynamic range.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image sensing apparatus comprising a plurality of two-dimensionally arrayed pixels each having a photodiode and a floating diffusion area for temporarily storing a charge signal that has accumulated in the photodiode; an output unit that outputs the charge signal, which has been transferred to the floating diffusion area, successively pixel by pixel; a scanning unit having a reset mode for resetting the photodiodes and floating diffusion areas successively by prescribed unit, a first transfer mode for transferring the charge signal, which has accumulated in the photodiodes, to the floating diffusion areas successively by the prescribed unit at prescribed time intervals upon lapse of a prescribed period of time from start of reset, and a second transfer mode for transferring the charge signal, which has been transferred to the floating diffusion areas, to the output unit.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus capable of accurately detecting a flicker in a short time period without regard to a state of object and a photography scene. A signal processing circuit reads out an n-th line of an image subjected to collective reset/collective transfer readout, reads out an n-th line of an image subjected to rolling readout, and subtracts an output of a pixel section of a particular column of the n-th line of the image subjected to the rolling readout from an output of a corresponding pixel section of the image subjected to the collective reset/collective transfer readout. The signal processing circuit determines that a flicker is generated, if there is a differential value not less than a predetermined threshold value between each pair of outputs from the pixel sections of the same line and if there is a periodicity in an image vertical direction.

Abstract: A pixel unit in which a plurality of pixels shares an accumulating unit for temporarily accumulating charges accumulated in photoelectric conversion devices, is arranged so that a control unit of a photoelectric conversion apparatus is adapted, when an accumulated charge amount of a first photodiode exceeds a saturation charge amount, to effect control in accordance with a first operation to discharge excess charges to a floating diffusion FD, and adapted, when an accumulated charge amount of a second photodiode exceeds a saturation charge amount, to effect control in accordance with a second operation to discharge excess charges to a charge discharge area, thereby expanding a dynamic range.

Abstract: An image sensing apparatus has a plurality of pixels arranged two dimensionally, each pixel containing a photoelectric converter that outputs a photoelectrically converted signal in response to a quantity of received light, an output unit containing a clamping circuit, a signal supply circuit that outputs a reference signal to the clamping circuit, a control unit that controls to clamp the reference signal prior to outputting the photoelectrically converted signal from the pixel to the clamping circuit, output the photoelectrically converted signal to the clamping circuit, and then output a noise signal from the pixel to the clamping circuit, and a differential circuit that subtracts the noise signal from the photoelectrically converted signal processed by the clamping circuit.

Abstract: There is disclosed an image sensing apparatus including at least one pixel, a signal read unit, and a saturation detector. The pixel includes a photoelectric converter, a semiconductor region, and a transfer controller which transfers a charge generated in the photoelectric converter to the semiconductor region. The signal read unit is configured to output a signal from the semiconductor region. The saturation detector includes a reset controller which detects a signal generated in the semiconductor region during an exposure period of the photoelectric converter, and resets the photoelectric converter based on the detection result.

Abstract: A technique for smoothly speed-controlling a speed of a motor whose time constant is relatively small, such as a supersonic motor, under a relatively rough speed control profile and a simple configuration is disclosed. According to this technique, a frequency division number calculating section 1 changes a division number A under the relatively rough speed control profile and sets for a frequency division number setting register 2. The comparator 3 outputs a+count signal if the division number A set by the frequency division number calculating section is greater than a current division number B counted by a frequency division number counter 4 (the division number A> the division number B), and outputs a—count signal if the division number A< the division number B.

Abstract: Module substrates each having the functions of input, power supply, and output/communication corresponding to the required model are attached to a base substrate having shared bus wiring. Thus, a main CPU of an input module can discriminate the respective module substrates to perform the control operation corresponding to the model, thereby sharing the module substrates among different models.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image sensing apparatus comprising a plurality of two-dimensionally arrayed pixels each having a photodiode and a floating depletion area for temporarily storing a charge signal that has accumulated in the photodiode; an output unit that outputs the charge signal, which has been transferred to the floating depletion area, successively pixel by pixel; a scanning unit having a reset mode for resetting the photodiodes and floating depletion areas successively by prescribed unit, a first transfer mode for transferring the charge signal, which has accumulated in the photodiodes, to the floating depletion areas successively by the prescribed unit at prescribed time intervals upon lapse of a prescribed period of time from start of reset, and a second transfer mode for transferring the charge signal, which has been transferred to the floating depletion areas, to the output unit.

Abstract: Module substrates each having the functions of input, power supply, and output/communication corresponding to the required model are attached to a base substrate having shared bus wiring. Thus, a main CPU of an input module can discriminate the respective module substrates to perform the control operation corresponding to the model, thereby sharing the module substrates among different models.

Abstract: A retainer type connector can prevent a flexible locking piece from being broken and enhance properties of a housing and a retainer satisfactorily. In this retainer type connector, when retainers (43a) are inserted into retainer-mounting holes (41c) in a base body (41), lock arms (41e1, 41e2) employed as flexible locking pieces, which are provided on inner peripheral wall of the retainer-mounting holes (41c) to be protected from foreign substances, are readily deflected to engage with protrusions (43b1, 43b2) of the retainers (43a) employed as fixed locking pieces, thereby preventing the lock arms from being broken even if coupling and detaching operations are repeated. The base body (41) as a housing and the retainer can be made of a suitable resilient resin material and a suitable hard resin material, respectively.