Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080246865 | IMAGE SENSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE CAPTURING SYSTEM - An image sensing apparatus includes a pixel unit which has an array of a plurality of groups each including a plurality of pixels arrayed in a row direction and a column direction, and an adding unit configured to add, of pixel signals output from the plurality of pixels arrayed in the groups, homochromatic pixel signals. The adding unit has, for each group, a common pixel amplifier commonly connected to homochromatic pixels. The adding unit adds the pixel signals of the homochromatic pixels in the gate portion of the common pixel amplifier so that the spatial centers of gravity of the pixels added in the group are arranged at equal pitches in at least one of the row direction and the column direction. | 10-09-2008 |
20080291304 | IMAGING DEVICE AND DRIVING METHOD THEREOF - There is provided an imaging device which eliminates complexity in reading an image in low resolution and reading an image in high resolution and realizes prevention of decrease in frame rate. The device includes a pixel region including a plurality of pixel elements and imaging an incident light of an object as an image and a reading unit for thinning out a pixel element from the pixel region to read a thinned out image in low resolution and reading a partial image in resolution higher than the thinned out image from a partial region of the pixel region (a horizontal shift register and a vertical shift register), wherein the reading unit reads the thinned out image and the partial image from mutually different pixel elements and reads the thinned out image and the partial image as different imaging frames. | 11-27-2008 |
20090021621 | IMAGE SENSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE CAPTURING SYSTEM - An image sensing apparatus comprises: a pixel array; a selection unit which selects a readout region in the pixel array; and a readout unit which reads out a signal from the readout region, wherein in thinning-out readout, the readout unit reads out signals from a first readout region corresponding to the whole pixel array at a first pixel density in a first frame period and reads out signals from a second readout region corresponding to a part of the pixel array at a second pixel density in a second frame period, the second pixel density being higher than the first pixel density, and in thinning-out readout, the selection unit causes pixels in the first readout region to perform a charge accumulation operation for a first accumulation period and causes pixels in the second readout region to perform the charge accumulation operation for a second accumulation period. | 01-22-2009 |
20090322903 | IMAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF DRIVING THE SAME - An object of the present invention is to provide an imaging system capable of improving S/N ratio and increasing dynamic range and a method of driving the imaging system suited to the improvement and increase. An imaging system includes: a solid-state imaging device having a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, column amplifiers each corresponding to each of columns of the pixels and an output portion for outputting an image signal based on an amplification by the column amplifier; and a signal processing portion receiving the image signal, wherein the column amplifier amplifies a signal output from the pixel by a gain q larger than 1, and the signal processing portion multiplies, by a factor less than 1, the image signal based on the signal amplified by the gain q. | 12-31-2009 |
20100141790 | IMAGING APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING NOISE SIGNAL AND PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION SIGNAL - An imaging apparatus includes a pixel unit having a photoelectric conversion section and an amplifying device for amplifying a signal from the photoelectric conversion section and outputting the signal, a reading unit having a first mode in which a signal obtained by resetting an input section of the amplifying device is sampled a plurality of times via the amplifying device and a second mode in which a photoelectric conversion signal generated in the photoelectric conversion section is sampled a plurality of times via the amplifying device; a mixing unit for generating a first mixing signal by mixing the signals that are sampled in the first mode, outputting the first mixing signal, generating a second mixing signal by mixing the signals that are sampled in the second mode, and outputting the second mixing signal; and a difference processing unit for performing difference processing between the first mixing signal and the second mixing signal. | 06-10-2010 |
20100245628 | IMAGING APPARATUS AND IMAGING SYSTEM - An imaging apparatus includes a pixel unit having a plurality of components, each having a plurality of pixels arranged in row and column directions. The plurality of pixels in each component output color signals having a plurality of colors. The apparatus also includes an adding unit configured to perform an addition of color signals of the same color in each component. The color signals are outputted from the plurality of pixels. The adding unit performs the addition without adding a color signal outputted from a part of the plurality of pixels in each component such that spatial centroids of the added color signals having a plurality of colors are located at substantially the same pitch at least in one of the row and column directions. | 09-30-2010 |
20100309348 | IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE, IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM, AND METHOD OF DRIVING IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE - Integers n and k are set to be equal to or greater than 1, and reading of signals from pixels is controlled as follows. In a first frame, signals are output from pixels in every (n+1)th row of the pixel array, and in a second frame following the first frame, signals are output from pixels that are different from the pixels from which the signals are output in the first frame and that are located in a first set of rows defined by selecting every (k+1)th row of the pixel array. | 12-09-2010 |
20100321532 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, IMAGING SYSTEM, AND METHOD OF DRIVING SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - The invention provides a solid state imaging device and imaging system, both capable of obtaining a good image suppressing the reduction of the SN ratio thereof, suppressing the increase of the chip size of the imaging device and suppressing the increase of power consumption of a sensor without performing complicated processing even if there are regions different in luminance mutually in an imaging plane. Variable gain units provided correspondingly to columns of pixels amplify the signals from the pixels by different gains group by group of the pixels each group including a plurality of pixels according to the signals from the outside. | 12-23-2010 |
20110058079 | IMAGING DEVICE AND DRIVING METHOD THEREOF - There is provided an imaging device which eliminates complexity in reading an image in low resolution and reading an image in high resolution and realizes prevention of decrease in frame rate. The device includes a pixel region including a plurality of pixel elements and imaging an incident light of an object as an image and a reading unit for thinning out a pixel element from the pixel region to read a thinned out image in low resolution and reading a partial image in resolution higher than the thinned out image from a partial region of the pixel region (a horizontal shift register and a vertical shift register), wherein the reading unit reads the thinned out image and the partial image from mutually different pixel elements and reads the thinned out image and the partial image as different imaging frames. | 03-10-2011 |
20110134295 | IMAGING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DRIVING THE SAME - An imaging apparatus comprising: a plurality of column amplifiers, each outputting, based on the same one pixel, first and second pixel signals derived by amplifying the signal by different amplifying factors p and q; a plurality of column A/D converters for performing analog to digital conversion of the first and second pixel signals obtained; a plurality of replacing units, each selecting the first pixel signal converted by the column A/D converter when the first pixel signal converted by the column A/D converter is smaller than a threshold value, and selecting the second pixel signal converted by the column A/D converter when the first pixel signal converted by the column A/D converter is equal to or larger than the threshold value; and a horizontal scanning circuit for successively selecting the first or second pixel signals selected by the replacing units. | 06-09-2011 |
20110261241 | IMAGE SENSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE CAPTURING SYSTEM - An image sensing apparatus includes a pixel unit which has an array of a plurality of groups each including a plurality of pixels arrayed in a row direction and a column direction, and an adding unit configured to add, of pixel signals output from the plurality of pixels arrayed in the groups, homochromatic pixel signals. The adding unit has, for each group, a common pixel amplifier commonly connected to homochromatic pixels. The adding unit adds the pixel signals of the homochromatic pixels in the gate portion of the common pixel amplifier so that the spatial centers of gravity of the pixels added in the group are arranged at equal pitches in at least one of the row direction and the column direction. | 10-27-2011 |
20120327279 | IMAGING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF DRIVING THE SAME - An imaging apparatus and a method of driving the same that can generate a digital data of a high resolution pixel signal are provided. The imaging apparatus includes: a pixel ( | 12-27-2012 |
20130033630 | IMAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF DRIVING THE SAME - An object of the present invention is to provide an imaging system capable of improving S/N ratio and increasing dynamic range and a method of driving the imaging system suited to the improvement and increase. An imaging system includes: a solid-state imaging device having a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, column amplifiers each corresponding to each of columns of the pixels and an output portion for outputting an image signal based on an amplification by the column amplifier; and a signal processing portion receiving the image signal, wherein the column amplifier amplifies a signal output from the pixel by a gain q larger than 1, and the signal processing portion multiplies, by a factor less than 1, the image signal based on the signal amplified by the gain q. | 02-07-2013 |
20130063627 | IMAGING APPARATUS - An imaging apparatus includes: a pixel generating a photoelectric conversion signal; a comparator comparing a base signal based on the pixel at a reset state with a time-changing first reference signal, and comparing an effective signal based on the pixel at a non-reset state with a time-changing second reference signal, the second reference signal having a larger time-changing ratio than that of the second reference signal; a counter counting a first count value until an inversion of a magnitude relation between the base signal and the first reference signal, and counting a second count value until an inversion of a magnitude relation between the effective signal and the second reference signal; and a correcting unit configured to correct the difference of resolutions of the first and second count values, and configured to correct the difference between the corrected first and second count values. | 03-14-2013 |
20130162874 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging apparatus comprising a plurality of pixels generating a photoelectric conversion signal, a column amplifying unit corresponding to columns of the pixels, for outputting a first and second signals generated by amplifying the photoelectric conversion signal at a smaller first gain and larger second gain respectively, an analog to digital converter ( | 06-27-2013 |
20130206961 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE SENSING DEVICE - An image sensor comprises plural sets of a unit pixel outputting a pixel signal based on an electric charge generated through photoelectric conversion and a conversion unit converting the pixel signal into a digital signal. A reference signal source generates reference signals and supplies the generated reference signals to the conversion unit through signal lines. The conversion unit of each set comprises a comparator which compares the level of the reference signal with that of the pixel signal, a count circuit which counts a clock based on the comparison processing, a selection circuit which selects, among the signal lines, a signal line to be selectively connected to the input of the comparator, and a switch which selectively connects the selected signal line to the input of the comparator, and selectively connects a load to an unselected one of the signal lines. | 08-15-2013 |
20130222662 | IMAGING DEVICE, IMAGING SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR DRIVING IMAGING DEVICE - Conventionally, in order to obtain a difference signal between an A+N signal and an N signal and a difference signal between an A+B+N signal and the A+N signal, the A+N signal needs to be held in two different capacitors. Hence, there is a problem in that, due to variations in capacitance of the two capacitors, the difference signal between the A+N signal and the N signal and the difference signal between the A+B+N signal and the A+N signal may not accurately be obtained. An imaging device generates a signal obtained by subtracting the same digital N signal from each of the digital A+N signal and the digital A+B+N signal. | 08-29-2013 |
20130228673 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging apparatus is provided which includes a plurality of pixels ( | 09-05-2013 |
20130229543 | IMAGING APPARATUS, IMAGING SYSTEM, AND IMAGING APPARATUS DRIVING METHOD - An imaging apparatus, driving method of the imaging apparatus, and an imaging system, are provided, wherein pixels output at least two image signals with different viable signal ranges, and the pixel signal with a larger signal range is converted to a digital signal during a first period, and the pixel signal with a smaller signal range is converted to a digital signal during a second period shorter than the first period. | 09-05-2013 |
20130229555 | IMAGING APPARATUS, IMAGING SYSTEM, IMAGING APPARATUS DRIVING METHOD, AND IMAGING SYSTEM DRIVING METHOD - Pixels output a first signal based on signal charge of a part of photoelectric conversion units of multiple photoelectric conversion units, and a second signal based on signal charge of multiple photoelectric conversion units. An imaging apparatus outputs signals based on the first signals and signals based on the second signals by reducing the number of signals based on the first signals as compared to the number of signals based on the second signals. | 09-05-2013 |
20130229557 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM, DRIVING METHOD FOR IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, AND DRIVING METHOD FOR IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM - An image pickup apparatus includes a plurality of comparators. At least two analog signal outputs from a pixel are input to the plurality of comparators, and the plurality of comparators perform comparison operations in an overlapped period. | 09-05-2013 |
20130242153 | IMAGE SENSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE CAPTURING SYSTEM - An image sensing apparatus includes a pixel unit which has an array of a plurality of groups each including a plurality of pixels arrayed in a row direction and a column direction, and an adding unit configured to add, of pixel signals output from the plurality of pixels arrayed in the groups, homochromatic pixel signals. The adding unit has, for each group, a common pixel amplifier commonly connected to homochromatic pixels. The adding unit adds the pixel signals of the homochromatic pixels in the gate portion of the common pixel amplifier so that the spatial centers of gravity of the pixels added in the group are arranged at equal pitches in at least one of the row direction and the column direction. | 09-19-2013 |
20130258131 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION APPARATUS AND IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM - When a level of a signal output from a pixel is higher than a comparison level, the signal output from the pixel is converted into a digital signal during a first period by using a first reference signal. If the level of the signal output from the pixel is lower than the comparison level, the signal output from the pixel is converted into a digital signal during a second period that is longer than the first period by using a second reference signal. | 10-03-2013 |
20130258132 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION APPARATUS AND IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM - A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a plurality of pixels provided in a plurality of columns, a plurality of analog-to-digital conversion units each provided for a corresponding one of the plurality of columns, and a correction unit. Each of the plurality of analog-to-digital conversion units is configured to convert a signal of a corresponding one of the plurality of pixels into a digital signal at a resolution corresponding to a magnitude of the signal. The correction unit is configured to correct a difference in the resolution. | 10-03-2013 |
20130271633 | IMAGING APPARATUS AND IMAGING SYSTEM - An AD converting unit compares an output signal from an amplifier circuit after reset of a pixel with a reference signal of time-variable, outputs a first digital value, when the output signal from the amplifier circuit in a non-reset state of the pixel is larger than a threshold, sets a gain of the amplifier circuit to a first gain, when the output signal is smaller than the threshold, sets the gain of the amplifier circuit to a second gain larger than the first gain, further after the gain of the amplifier circuit was set to the first or second gain, compares the output signal from the amplifier circuit in the non-reset state of the pixel with the reference signal of time-variable, and outputs a second digital value. When resolutions of the first and second digital values differ, a correcting unit corrects a difference between the resolutions. | 10-17-2013 |
20140175263 | METHOD FOR DRIVING IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE, METHOD FOR CORRECTING DIGITAL SIGNAL, IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE, METHOD FOR DRIVING IMAGE CAPTURING SYSTEM, AND IMAGE CAPTURING SYSTEM - There are provided a method for driving an image pickup device, a method for correcting a digital signal, an image pickup device, a method for driving an image capturing system, and an image capturing system. Digital signals are generated on the basis of a potential at an input node of a comparison unit by using a first reference signal whose potential changes by a first amount per unit time and a second reference signal whose potential changes by a second amount per unit time, the second amount being greater than the first amount. A correction value based on a difference in signal value between the digital signals is derived. A digital signal based on a pixel signal is corrected on the basis of the derived correction value. | 06-26-2014 |
20140293085 | IMAGING DEVICE, DRIVING METHOD OF IMAGING DEVICE, AND IMAGING SYSTEM - An imaging device includes a comparator that compares a noise signal with each of a first reference signal and a second reference signal having potentials with different changing quantities per unit time, and that compares a photoelectric conversion signal with each of the first reference signal and the second reference signal. Also, the imaging device AD-converts signals obtained by amplifying the noise signal by a first gain and a second gain having different gains, and AD-converts a signal obtained by amplifying the photoelectric conversion signal by one of a first gain and a second gain. | 10-02-2014 |
20150021464 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION APPARATUS AND IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM - When a level of a signal output from a pixel is higher than a comparison level, the signal output from the pixel is converted into a digital signal during a first period by using a first reference signal. If the level of the signal output from the pixel is lower than the comparison level, the signal output from the pixel is converted into a digital signal during a second period that is longer than the first period by using a second reference signal. | 01-22-2015 |
20150062394 | IMAGING APPARATUS, IMAGING SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR DRIVING IMAGING APPARATUS - The imaging apparatus has a plurality of pixels each of which has a plurality of photoelectric conversion units; generates a plurality of first combined signals obtained by combining signals based on electric charges of photoelectric conversion units in one side with each other, and a plurality of second signals obtained by combining signals based on electric charges of the plurality of photoelectric conversion units with each other; and outputs a part of the first combined signals out of the plurality of first combined signals. | 03-05-2015 |
20150083895 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging apparatus comprising a plurality of pixels generating a photoelectric conversion signal, a column amplifying unit corresponding to columns of the pixels, for outputting a first and second signals generated by amplifying the photoelectric conversion signal at a smaller first gain and larger second gain respectively, an analog to digital converter ( | 03-26-2015 |