Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit for capturing a subject and generating image data of the subject, an operation input unit for receiving inputs of operation signals containing a release signal for instructing the imaging unit to shoot, an acceleration detector for detecting an acceleration of the imaging apparatus, a state detector for separately detecting a case in which the imaging apparatus is overland, a case in which the imaging apparatus is underwater and a photographer shoots while swimming, and a case in which the imaging apparatus is underwater and the photographer shoots while changing a water depth, and a control unit for performing operation control depending on an input into the operation input unit and/or into the acceleration detector according to a state detection result by the state detector.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to measure visual appearance of birefringent fibers are disclosed. One method comprises emitting light, creating Ni polarization states of the emitted light, illuminating the birefringent fibers with the emitted light so polarized, thereby generating IRi internal reflection components, ERi external reflection components, and Di diffusion components of the light in the birefringent fibers, observing the light from the illuminated birefringent fibers, creating Oi polarization states of the observed light, forming Xi images of the observed polarized light, each image comprising an information (Ni, Oi, IRi, ERi, Di), wherein i=1, 2, . . . n and n?4, measuring the intensity Ii in each pixel in the Xi images, and separating the i-th internal reflection component, the i-th external reflection component, and the i-th diffusion component from the i-th image for the Xi images.

Abstract: A speed measurement system with dynamic image capture includes a dynamic camera, a velocimeter and an image combining unit. The dynamic camera is adapted to continuously shoot a predetermined region to capture a first dynamic image. The velocimeter is adapted to measure a moving speed of a moving object in the predetermined region. The image combining unit is adapted to combine the first dynamic image and the moving speed of the moving object into a second dynamic image. The speed measurement system with dynamic image capture achieves a speed measurement function and a dynamic image capture function. Further, a speed measurement system with static image capture is also provided.

Abstract: A particle analyzer is disclosed that comprises: a flow cell through which a specimen passes, the specimen including a plurality of particles to be captured; an imaging device for capturing an image of a particle in the specimen passing through the flow cell; an image processor for obtaining a first characteristic value of a first parameter relating to particle diameter, a second characteristic value of a second parameter relating to particle diameter, and a third characteristic value of a third parameter relating to particle diameter based on the particle image obtained by the imaging device; and a controller for generating and outputting a screen on which the first, second and third characteristic values can be displayed at a time.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for determining the annual ring center of a wood block are disclosed. A plurality of lines of path is figured out and generated. Each line of path is composed of a plurality of lines each extending normal to a line that is tangential to an annual ring in an image of the wood block end. The normal line may be figured out, for example, by calculating the variance of values of pixels lying on each of a plurality of straight lines of a filter and the sum of the variances for the plurality of straight lines at a plurality of different angular positions of the filter. The annual ring center in the image of the wood block end is determined through calculation based on the points of intersection of the generated lines of path.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus for capturing the image of the physical object and displaying the captured image is provided for combining and displaying in real time the shape-distorted graded scale with the captured image, the apparatus comprising a graded scale generating part for generating the graded scale to be used for indicating the dimension of the physical object in the captured image; a data storing part for storing the data for correction to be used in order to correct the graded scale shape by adding the distortion to the generated graded scale in the similar degree to the distortion caused by the distortion aberration; a graded scale shape correcting part for generating the shape-distorted graded scale by correcting the graded scale shape according to the data for correction; and an image combining part for combining the generated shape-distorted graded scale with the captured image, and displays the captured image combined with the shape-distorted graded scale.

Abstract: Surveillance system endpoints communicate with each other to send and receive presence information. The surveillance endpoints may react to the received presence information. For example, if one surveillance camera stops functioning, one or more other cameras can react to the presence information, or lack thereof, sent from the malfunctioning camera. Thus, one or more of the other cameras can cover the area normally covered by the malfunctioning camera. Thus, the surveillance endpoints can automatically react to presence events in a network of surveillance endpoints.

Abstract: Embodiments include systems and methods of detecting a blocked aperture in an image device. In certain embodiments, the system and method is used in mail processing of letters and flats. In certain embodiments, the image sensor captures an image of the front of an item. If the aperture of the image sensor is obstructed, a void will appear on the image of the item. The system can detect the void and increment an alarm count until a pre-defined threshold is reached wherein the system signals an alarm so that the blockage can be removed and the affected items can be re-introduced for correct processing. In another embodiment, images obtained when the aperture is expected to be clear of any items.

Abstract: A system and method to capture a plurality of images and store the captured images. The system has multiple camera systems capable of transmitting image data. At least one camera system is equipped with an apparatus for determining location coordinates such as GPS. A computer system monitors location coordinates, retrieves image data from the camera systems, and stores the image data into a file. A contiguous array of location coordinates is entered and the computer system locates camera systems within the contiguous array of location coordinates; retrieves image data from the located camera systems; and files the image data taken from each of the camera systems to obtain a file of image data. The system provides the ability to serially interleave frames or video captured from multiple sources.

Abstract: An image monitoring system for vehicles is provided. The system includes plural image sensing modules, one or more hub, a central processing module, and a display module. The images captured by the image sensing modules are respectively digitally processed, compressed, and then transmitted to the hub. The hub integrates the compressed signals and generates an integrated signal. The central processing module is used for decompressing the integrated signal, so as to generate at least one recovered video signal. The at least one recovered video signal can be displayed on the display module. This system can also include a storage module for storing image data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to video-based driver assistance systems being used in vehicles today to perform a variety of functions, such as lane or road departure warning. These functions often require that parts of the video image be identified as, for example, a traffic sign, a bridge, lane markings, etc. Particularly the present invention relates to a method for video image-based weather and/or road condition detection. A method and a system is described, according to which method, weather and/or conditions are detected by identifying bright pixels or groups of bright pixels in video images and by deciding whether or not said bright pixels are caused by reflections, due to rain- or snowfall, and/or due to a wet or snowy surface. Also a computer program product is described, stored on a computer usable medium comprising computer readable program means for causing a computer to perform such a method, wherein said computer program product is executed on a computer.

Abstract: A device for a motor vehicle (10) is provided, the device including a headlight (14) for illuminating surroundings of the motor vehicle (10) using light pulses and a camera (12) for generating images of the surroundings of the motor vehicle. The camera (12) and the headlight (14) are synchronized such that the camera (12) generates the images in dark phases (48) of the headlight (14). Furthermore, a camera and a method for generating images are provided.

Abstract: There is provided apparatus for vehicle surroundings monitorings that assists so as to make it possible for a driver to check the periphery of the vehicle with ease. Plural images are obtained by capturing the periphery of the vehicle with mutually differing exposure. A process of image recognition is then performed for a target within the thus obtained images. The images are then compared, and images for which the accuracy of image recognition of the target is favorable are selected from among the images. The selected images are joined and composited to generate a host vehicle periphery composite image. Thus, an image with a wide dynamic range and high visibility is generated, thereby making it easier for the driver to check the periphery of the vehicle.

Abstract: An exterior mirror vision system includes a driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at a driver side of an equipped vehicle and a passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at a passenger side of the equipped vehicle. The driver-side exterior mirror assembly including a mounting portion configured for mounting at the driver side of the equipped vehicle, a driver-side exterior minor housing, and a driver-side reflective element. The driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a driver-side light module and a driver-side camera. The passenger-side exterior mirror assembly includes a mounting portion configured for mounting at the passenger side of the equipped vehicle, a passenger-side exterior mirror housing, and a passenger-side reflective element. The passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a passenger-side light module and a passenger-side camera.

Abstract: An IR camera comprises: a thermal radiation capturing arrangement for capturing thermal radiation of an imaged view in response to input control unit(s) receiving user inputs from a user of the IR camera; a processing unit arranged to process the thermal radiation data in order for the thermal radiation data to be displayed by an IR camera display as thermal images; and a IR camera display arranged to display thermal images to a user of the IR camera. The IR camera is characterized in that the processing unit is further arranged to: determine at least one temperature reference value representing the temperature of the surrounding environment of the imaged view; and calculate at least one output power value indicative of an amount of energy dissipated in a part of the imaged view by using the temperature value of the thermal radiation data corresponding to said part of the imaged view and the at least one determined temperature reference value.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a solid state imaging device has a semiconductor substrate. First, second and third photoelectric conversion portions are provided in a surface region of the semiconductor substrate. A blue color filter has a film thickness to give a first light path length. A green color filter has a film thickness to give a second light path length longer than the first light path length. A red color filter has a film thickness to give a third light path length longer than the second light path length. A flattening film is formed on the blue color filter, the green color filter and the red color filter. The flattening film flats steps of the color filters. Micro lenses are provided on the flat film. Each of the micro lenses is formed at a position corresponding to each of the first, second and third photoelectric conversion portions.

Abstract: A method for testing a digital camera module reads a digital image from the digital camera module under test, extracts a tricolor coefficient of each pixel of the digital image to form a measurement array, and compares the measurement array with a reference array to find tricolor coefficient differences. The method extracts an edge of the digital image, processes the edge of the digital image using binarization to obtain measurement binary values, and compares the measurement binary values with reference binary values to find binary values differences. The method further compares a count of the tricolor coefficient differences with a first acceptable value, and compares a count of the binary values differences with a second acceptable value to determine quality of the digital camera module.

Abstract: When a request for a transmitting method of video frames of the client apparatus is received in a communicating unit to communicate with said client apparatus, whether the received request for the transmitting method of the video frames is a request for the transmitting method of the video frames for recording or a request for the transmitting method of the video frames for a live display is discriminated. If the received request for the transmitting method of the video frames is the request for the transmitting method of the video frames for recording, each of the video frames formed in an image sensing unit is temporarily stored in a memory and each of the stored video frames is transmitted. If the received request for the transmitting method of the video frames is the request for the transmitting method of the video frames for the live display, a process for transmitting the latest frame among the video frames formed in the image sensing unit is repetitively executed.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes: an image pickup element; a shake detection device configured to detect a vibration applied to a main body of the image pickup apparatus; and an image blur correction device configured to perform a correction of removing an image blur of the image due to the vibration, the image blur correction device including: a holding member configured to hold the image pickup element; a first driving device configured to move the holding member between a first position where the center of the image pickup element substantially corresponds to the optical axis and a second position; a heat exhausting member arranged to be in contact with the holding member when the holding member is located at the second position; and a control device configured to drive the first driving device based on the vibration.

Abstract: When a photographed image is recorded using a detachable recording medium having a transmission function, to easily distinguish an image corresponding to the transmitted image and an image corresponding to the image that has not been transmitted yet, when the image data is recorded in the recording medium having a wireless communication unit, the image corresponding to the transmitted image and the image corresponding to the image that has not been transmitted yet are separated and stored in separated folders formed on the recording medium. For example, the image data is stored in the DCIM2 folder and the DCIM folder. When the image data is stored, the image data corresponding to the transmitted image data is reduced and stored in the DCIM2 folder, while the image data corresponding to the transmitted image data is deleted from the DCIM folder.

Abstract: A video processing system includes a number of time-of-flight (TOF) cameras and a video card. The number of TOF cameras shoots different regions of a scene to obtain a number of images. The number of images includes distance data between the scene and the number of TOF cameras. The video card combines the number of images to obtain a full image of the scene. The full image of the scene has a larger size than that of each of the number of images, same resolution with that of each of the number of images, and distance data between the scene and the number of TOF cameras.

Abstract: A method for measuring a photographer's progress over time toward producing images with a high level of aesthetic quality by assessing the aesthetic quality of a set of digital images captured by the photographer comprising: providing a set of digital images captured by a particular photographer, each digital image having and associated capture times captured by a particular photographer; using a processor to compute an aesthetic quality parameters for each digital image in the set; and producing an indication of the photographer's progress toward producing images with a high level of aesthetic quality using the aesthetic quality parameters for each digital image in the set and the corresponding associated capture times.

Abstract: A method of deciding a target bit rate for wavelet-based image encoding based on the wavelet coefficients is described. The target bit rate is used for maintaining a high quality image. A minimum target bit rate and a maximum target bit rate are determined. A pseudo code length corresponding to the minimum target bit rate is calculated. The pseudo code length is calculated as a function of the wavelet coefficients. The corresponding pseudo code length is calculated for the maximum target bit rate. A curve between the pseudo code length and target bit rate is derived. Slope of the curve depends on buffer fullness. Using the curve, for a given pseudo code length, an appropriate target bit rate is derived. The derived target bit rate depends on the image content, and computing resources are able to be optimally used to attain similar quality for each image block of an image.

Abstract: A counter includes a buffer unit and a ripple counter. The buffer unit generates at least one least significant signal of a count by buffering at least one clock signal until a termination time point. The ripple counter generates at least one most significant signal of the count by sequentially toggling in response to at least one of the least significant signal. The counter performs multiple data rate counting with enhance operation speed and reduced power consumption.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a solid-state image pickup device, including a pixel, the pixel including: a light receiving section; a charge transfer path; a transfer electrode; a readout gate section; and a readout electrode.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image processing apparatus comprises a plurality of image input modules configured to input images, a detection module configured to detect object regions from an image input by any image input module, a feature extracting module configured to extract feature values from any object regions detected by the detecting module, and a control module configured to control processes the detection module and feature extracting module perform on the images input by the plurality of image input modules, in accordance with the result of detection performed by the detection module.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing an image based on a scene mode. An image processing apparatus is disclosed including a digital signal processor (DSP) configured to select scene modes applicable to a live-view image and configured to display the selected scene modes as icons on the live-view image. An image processing method is disclosed including selecting scene modes applicable to a live-view image; and displaying the selected scene modes as icons on the live-view image.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a fetcher. A fetcher fetches an original image. A first converter converts the original image fetched by the fetcher into a first recording image. A second converter converts the original image fetched by the fetcher into a second recording image, in association with the converting process of the first converter. A first editor edits one of the first recording image converted by the first converter and the second recording image converted by the second converter, in response to an editing instruction. A second editor edits the other of the first recording image converted by the first converter and the second recording image converted by the second converter, corresponding to the editing process of the first editor.

Abstract: An image captured with an imaging section is thinned out to generate a low resolution image. A face detection section obtains the low resolution image. The face detection section detects a face image from the low resolution image. A still state detector judges whether the face image is in a still state. The still state detector counts the number of frames which has been judged still by the still state detector. When the number of frames judged still reaches a predetermined value during half-pressing of a release button, a CPU automatically records the low resolution image as a substitute for a still image.

Abstract: A method is described for determining a description of motion of a moving mobile camera to determine a user input to an application. The method may involve capturing a series of images from a moving mobile camera and comparing stationary features present in the series of images. Optical flow analysis may be performed on the series of images to determine a description of motion of the moving mobile camera. Based on the determined motion, a user input to an application may be determined and the application may respond to the user input, for example, by updating a user interface of the application.

Abstract: A method of filtering a red-eye phenomenon from an acquired digital image including a multiplicity of pixels indicative of color, the pixels forming various shapes of the image, includes analyzing meta-data information, determining one or more regions within the digital image suspected as including red eye artifact, and determining, based at least in part on the meta-data analysis, whether the regions are actual red eye artifact. The meta-data information may include information describing conditions under which the image was acquired, captured and/or digitized, acquisition device-specific information, and film information.

Abstract: A method of detecting existence of visually thin lines in images is described herein. The method includes profile generation, profile analysis and deciding the existence of thin lines. The profile generation includes generating a profile in each direction of the input image. Multiple projection lines are projected along the direction and all of the pixel values along the projection lines are added and averaged to obtain a profile. The profile analysis includes determining presence of thin lines in the input image and also noticing if the direction of the thin lines is similar to that of the projection lines. At the third step, according to the analysis made, existence of thin lines in the image is decided.

Abstract: In an aspect of the composite image creating method according to the present invention, an information processing apparatus executes the steps of: inputting material candidate images which are images composed of frames of a moving image and/or a plurality of still images that were taken by an image-taking apparatus; detecting a movement of the image-taking apparatus at image-taking time points of all or some of the material candidate images or analysis time points that are time points in a neighborhood of the image-taking time points; determining a condition for generating a composite image from among the material candidate images based on the movement of the image-taking apparatus detected; and creating a composite image based on the material candidate images and on the condition determined.

Abstract: There is provided an imaging apparatus which can prevent a privacy zone from being shifted from a mask when a magnification converting lens is switched. The imaging unit (3) has an extender (29) which is a magnification converting lens capable of switching between an inserted state and an extracted state with respect to an optical axis. The signal processing circuit (5) composites a mask to an object region of the privacy zone in the image generated by the imaging unit (3). The control unit (13) controls the signal processing circuit (5) according to switching of the extender (29). When the extender (29) is switched, the control unit (13) instructs the signal processing circuit (5) to change the mask region in the image according to the magnification shift caused by the switching of the extender (29) and maintains the privacy zone in a masked state after the signal processing circuit (5) is switched.

Abstract: An image capture device includes a face recognition module, a determination module, and an image edition module. The face recognition module recognizes a facial portion of a portrait photo. The determination module zooms the portrait photo until the facial portion satisfies first predetermined sizes, calculates the center of the facial portion, and determines a boundary of a photo identification to be created in the zoomed portrait photo according to second predetermined sizes, which interprets the center of the facial portion as the center thereof. The image edition module cuts the zoomed portrait photo along the boundary to create the photo identification.

Abstract: Multiple images are captured where the exposure times for some of the images overlap and the images are spatially overlapped. Charge packets are transferred from one or more portions of pixels after particular integration periods, thereby enabling the portion or portions of pixels to begin another integration period while one or more other portions of pixels continue to integrate charge. Charge packets may be binned during readout of the images from the image sensor. Comparison of two or more images having different lengths of overlapping or non-overlapping exposure periods provides motion information. The multiple images can then be aligned to compensate for motion between the images and assembled into a combined image with an improved signal to noise ratio and reduced motion blur.

Abstract: Multiple images are captured where the exposure times for some of the images overlap and the images are spatially overlapped. Charge packets are transferred from one or more portions of pixels after particular integration periods, thereby enabling the portion or portions of pixels to begin another integration period while one or more other portions of pixels continue to integrate charge. Charge packets may be binned during readout of the images from the image sensor. Comparison of two or more images having different lengths of overlapping or non-overlapping exposure periods provides motion information. The multiple images can then be aligned to compensate for motion between the images and assembled into a combined image with an improved signal to noise ratio and reduced motion blur.

Abstract: A digital photographing apparatus is provided that includes: a lens unit through which image light is transmitted; an image capturing unit for converting the image light transmitted through the lens unit into an image signal; a subject detection unit for detecting a subject from the image signal of the image capturing unit to designate a subject area; a distortion correction unit for converting the image signal into a correction image signal for correcting distortion of the image light caused due to the lens unit, after the subject detection unit has detected the subject; and a subject area converting unit for designating a corrected subject area corresponding to the subject area from the correction image signal.

Abstract: An imaging system or camera having an array of elements switchable between two states for measuring of light received by the imaging system on a pixel by pixel basis to form two separate images simultaneously over a common integration time in which switching takes place faster than the integration time of the camera. Optical switching may be provided by a spatial light modulator along one of two paths each associated with a detector for one of the images, or each path being associated with one of two non-overlapping regions of the same detector, where each region provides one of the images. Electronic switching may be provided in which for each pixel a photodetector provide an electrical signal onto a switching element which switches the signal onto one of two sites for integrating the signal and providing a pixel value, where the two sites are each associated with a different one of the images.

Abstract: In an image sensing apparatus, an image sensing unit generates image data formed via an optical member, a storage unit stores correction information for correcting deterioration of image quality of the image data, a reading unit reads correction information corresponding to a plurality of setting values close to a parameter used to control the optical member from the correction information stored in the storage unit, a conversion unit converts a pixel position of the image data to polar coordinates, a generation unit generates correction information by interpolating the read correction information, and a correction unit corrects the image data at the pixel position at the polar coordinates using the correction information. The storage unit stores correction information corresponding to more polar angles in a range having a greater degree of change in the deterioration of image quality in an angular direction centered on the optical axis of the optical member.

Abstract: A method for digital image eye artifact detection and correction include identifying one or more candidate red-eye defect regions in an acquired image. For one or more candidate red-eye regions, a seed pixels and/or a region of pixels having a high intensity value in the vicinity of the candidate red-eye region is identified. The shape, roundness or other eye-related characteristic of a combined hybrid region including the candidate red-eye region and the region of high intensity pixels is analyzed. Based on the analysis of the eye-related characteristic of the combined hybrid region, it is determined whether to apply flash artifact correction, including red eye correction of the candidate red-eye region and/or correction of the region of high intensity pixels.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a black level adjusting apparatus includes a black-level correcting unit that generates a clamp parameter based on an OB value (a pixel signal value) obtained by A/D-converting, with an A/D conversion circuit, an imaging signal of an optical black section of a solid-state imaging device and feeds back clamp voltage corresponding to the clamp parameter to the A/D conversion circuit. The black-level correcting unit updates the clamp parameter using a linear relation between the clamp parameter and the OB value.

Abstract: An A/D conversion section (11) counts clocks whose frequency corresponds to the size of output signals from pixels (10a), and digitalizes the result so as to create count values, and also calculates a difference between a first count value that relates to the output signal during a reset period of a pixel, and a second count value that relates to the output signal during an exposure period of the pixel, and then outputs this difference as an imaging signal for this pixel. A control unit (12) controls the A/D conversion section such that the length of the counting period of the first count value is equal to the length of the counting period of the second count value.

Abstract: A digital-optical imaging system can be operated in two modes, which shall be referred to as broadband mode and grayscale mode. In broadband mode, different color images are captured and then image processed together. The optics are intentionally aberrated to increase the depth of field, with the image processing compensating for the aberrations. In grayscale mode, the different color images are captured and then image processed separately. The color images are assumed to be correlated so that it is not necessary to have clear images of all color channels. Accordingly, the optics are designed so that the different color images focus at different locations, thus increasing the overall depth of field where at least one color image is in focus.

Abstract: Provided is an image sensor having a depth sensor. The image sensor includes a substrate including a visible light region and a non-visible light region, a first well and a second well having a first conductivity type and in the non-visible light perception region, and a first gate and a second gate configured to receive voltages of opposite phases, respectively, and apply voltages to the first well and the second well, respectively.

Abstract: A digital camera includes: an imaging unit that photoelectrically converts light to output a color image; a selecting unit that selects any one identifier from identifiers which are colored in different colors from each other; and a black/white image producing unit that produces a black/white image by weighting gradation values of respective colors for each of pixels of the output color image and adding the weighted gradation values to each other. When the light entered to the imaging unit is entered to a color filter having a color equal to a color of the selected identifier, a correlation between a light amount of light having a wavelength which penetrates the color filer and a light amount of the entered light becomes stronger than a correlation between a light amount of light having a wavelength which is absorbed by the color filter and the light amount of the entered light.

Abstract: Light shielding films for preventing color mixture are disposed between Green filters 106 such that the light shielding films are located on the opposite corners of the Green filters 106 arranged in a checkered pattern, thereby preventing color mixture caused by light 111 diagonally incident from an invalid region between the Green filters 106 adjacent to each other in a diagonal direction of the Green filter 106. Since light shielding films for preventing color mixture are further disposed on the vertical and horizontal boundaries between adjacent pixels, it is possible to prevent the incident light 111 reflected on the light shielding film formed on a transfer electrode 102 from being incident on a light receiving portion 101 in the vertical and horizontal directions, thereby preventing color mixture from the adjacent pixels. Thus it is possible to suppress color mixture while keeping sensitivity characteristics, and prevent deterioration of image characteristics.

Abstract: A multispectral image capturing apparatus has different spectral sensitivity characteristics of at least four bands. Three primary bands of the at least four bands have spectral sensitivity characteristics of standard RGB. At least one auxiliary band of the rest of the at least four bands excluding the three primary bands has a spectral sensitivity characteristic of a narrower bandwidth than bandwidths of the RGB.

Abstract: An image pickup device, wherein a part of the carriers overflowing from the photoelectric conversion unit for a period of photoelectrically generating and accumulating the carriers may be flowed into the floating diffusion region, and a pixel signal generating unit generating a pixel signal according to the carriers stored in the photoelectric conversion unit and the carriers having overflowed into the floating diffusion region, is provided. The expansion of a dynamic range and the improvement of an image quality can be provided by controlling a ratio of the carriers flowing into the floating diffusion region to the carriers overflowing from such a photoelectric conversion unit at high accuracy.

Abstract: In a reference signal comparison AD conversion scheme, a reference signal SLP_ADC and each of P and D phases of a pixel signal voltage Vx are compared. A count clock CKcnt1 is counted based on the comparison result. The counting result data is converted into signal data Dsig, i.e., the difference between the P and D phases, which is also subjected to CDS. At this time, the n-bit AD conversion is performed on each of the P and D phases of the pixel signal voltage Vx, followed by summation for digital integration. This prevents any possible detrimental effects that may be caused by summation in the analog domain. Although the signal data becomes W times greater, noise will likely become ?W times greater. This alleviates the problem of random noise resulting from AD conversion such as quantizing noise and circuit noise that do not exist in the analog domain, thus reducing the noise.