Patent application number | Description | Published |
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 |
20100157083 | IMAGING SYSTEM - An imaging system comprises: a pixel array; a vertical shift register; a readout unit; and a horizontal shift register, wherein the vertical shift register, when signals of some rows of all rows in the pixel array are read out to the readout unit, starts shift operation for skip scanning of the signals of non-readout rows before an operation to scan the readout unit by the horizontal shift register in a direction along a row is completed, and executes selection scanning of readout rows such that the signals are read out to the readout unit from the readout row selectively scanned by the vertical shift register after the operation to scan the readout unit by the horizontal shift register in the direction along the row is completed. | 06-24-2010 |
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 |
20110134267 | IMAGING APPARATUS - For increasing a dynamic range, and for signal processing according the gain of an amplifying unit, an imaging apparatus comprises a pixel configured to generate a pixel signal by photoelectric conversion, an amplifying unit amplifying the pixel signal generated by the pixel using a plurality of gains and outputting a plurality of pixel signals corresponding to the plurality of gains, a synthesizing unit selecting one of the plurality of pixel signals output by the amplifying unit in accordance with the size of the pixel signal output by the amplifying unit and outputting a signal based on the selected pixel signal, and a signal processing unit processing the signal output by the synthesizing unit in accordance with the gain of the amplifying unit corresponding to the pixel signal selected by the synthesizing unit. | 06-09-2011 |
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 |
20130176470 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS AND IMAGING SYSTEM - A solid-state imaging apparatus having a pixel array is provided. The apparatus includes one or more ground lines and one or more power supply lines for supplying power to the pixels. Each of the pixels includes an photoelectric conversion element and an A/D converter for converting an analog signal corresponding to a charge generated by the photoelectric conversion element into a digital signal. At least one of the plurality of pixels includes at least a portion of a capacitance element having a first electrode connected to one of the one or more power supply lines, and a second electrode connected to one of the one or more ground lines. | 07-11-2013 |
20130214127 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION APPARATUS, METHOD FOR DRIVING THE SAME, AND PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION SYSTEM - A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a pixel array configured to include a first analog-to-digital conversion unit and a second analog-to-digital conversion unit, a first electrical signal supply unit configured to supply an electrical signal to the first analog-to-digital conversion unit, and a second electrical signal supply unit configured to supply an electrical signal to the second analog-to-digital conversion unit. | 08-22-2013 |
20130215286 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION APPARATUS AND IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM - Provided is a photoelectric conversion apparatus including a plurality of pixels and a control unit, wherein each of the pixels includes a photoelectric conversion unit and a digital-signal output unit configured to output a digital signal based on the output of the photoelectric conversion unit, and the number of bits of the digital signal may be switched. | 08-22-2013 |
20130242154 | SIGNAL TRANSMISSION SYSTEM, PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION APPARATUS, AND IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM - A signal apparatus includes a plurality of pairs, each pair of which includes plural digital signal output units configured to output a digital signal, a block wiring to which output terminals of the plural digital signal output units are connected, and a buffer circuit an input terminal of which is connected to the block wiring, in which the output terminal of the buffer circuit included in one of the pairs is connected to the block wiring included in another one of the pairs. | 09-19-2013 |
20130321684 | IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE, IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM, AND METHOD OF DRIVING IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE - Provided are an image pickup device, a method of driving the image pickup device, and an image pickup system, in which timings of starting operations in a plurality of comparison units to which power supply voltage is applied through a common line are controlled to be different. | 12-05-2013 |
20140240570 | IMAGING APPARATUS, IMAGING SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR DRIVING IMAGING APPARATUS - There are provided an imaging apparatus, an imaging system, and a method for driving the imaging apparatus, which include a pixel including a conversion unit and an AD conversion unit for converting a signal output from the conversion unit into a digital signal, a first bias line electrically connected to the conversion unit, and a capacitance element for storing the voltage based on the potential of the first bias line, wherein the AD conversion unit is driven by the voltage stored in the capacitance element. | 08-28-2014 |
20140247381 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, DRIVING METHOD FOR IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM, AND DRIVING METHOD FOR IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM - In an image pickup apparatus, a counter configured to output a count signal to a second AD conversion unit starts, with a delay, counting clock signals as compared with a counter configured to output a count signal to a first AD conversion unit by a time period corresponding to a delay of a reference signal output to a comparator of the second AD conversion unit with respect to a reference signal output to the comparator of the first AD conversion unit. | 09-04-2014 |
20140320712 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM, AND METHOD OF DRIVING IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS - In an image pickup apparatus including first circuits, second circuits, and conversion units, an operation period of the second circuit is shorter than an operation period of the first circuit, and a number of the first circuit arranged in each unit cell is greater than a number of the second circuit arranged in each unit cell. | 10-30-2014 |
20140320714 | IMAGING APPARATUS, IMAGING SYSTEM, AND DRIVING METHOD FOR IMAGING APPARATUS - A pixel array has a plurality of output units arranged in matrix form and a plurality of A/D conversion units corresponds to the output units. Each of the output units outputs an electric signal based on incident electromagnetic waves. Each of the A/D conversion units converts the electric signal input from the corresponding output unit to a digital signal. A plurality of storage units corresponds to columns of the output units. Each of the storage units holds the corresponding digital signal. A first signal line is configured to supply a driving bias to at least one of the output units and the A/D conversion units. A second signal line is configured to transmit the digital signal from the A/D conversion units to the storage units. The output units are provided between the first signal line and the second signal line. | 10-30-2014 |
20140354864 | DRIVING METHOD FOR IMAGING APPARATUS, IMAGING APPARATUS, AND IMAGING SYSTEM - There is provided an imaging apparatus including an A/D converting unit, wherein reset periods for a plurality of pixels are differentiated. | 12-04-2014 |