Disclosed is an image sensor. The image sensor includes an active pixel sensor array including first to fourth pixel units sequentially arranged in a column direction, and each of the first to fourth pixel units is composed of a plurality of pixels. A first pixel group including the first and second pixel units is connected to a first column line, and a second pixel group including the third pixel unit and the fourth pixel unit is connected to a second column line. The image sensor includes a correlated double sampling circuit including first and second correlated double samplers and configured to convert a first sense voltage sensed from a selected pixel of the first pixel group and a second sense voltage sensed from a selected pixel of the second pixel group into a first correlated double sampling signal and a second correlated double sampling signal, respectively.

Apparatus and methods employing a PDAF optical system are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes an image sensor comprising a plurality of pixels. The plurality of pixels include a set of pixels configurable to be imaging pixels or focus pixels. The image sensor is configured to generate image data of a scene based on received light at the plurality of pixels. The example apparatus also includes a processor coupled to the image sensor. The processor may be configured to receive first image data of a first frame of the scene, determine at least one region of interest or region of non-interest of the first frame, select, based on the determined at least one region of interest or region of non-interest, a subset of the set of pixels to be focus pixels, and cause the selected subset of the set of pixels to operate as focus pixels.

An image sensor includes a pixel defining pattern in a mesh form. A first division pattern divides a pixel area into two halves. A second division pattern divides the pixel area into two halves. A first diagonal division pattern divides the pixel area into two halves. A second diagonal division pattern divides the pixel area into two halves. First through eighth photodiodes are arranged in the pixel area.

An image sensor includes a first layer including a pixel array region having a plurality of pixels arranged in a plurality of row lines and a plurality of column lines; and a second layer including a row driver selecting at least a portion of the plurality of row lines, generating pixel control signals driving selected row lines, and outputting the pixel control signals to control signal lines, wherein the selected row lines share the control signal lines, at a branch point of the first layer, the selected row lines receive the pixel control signals from the control signal lines in common, and the pixel control signals simultaneously drive the selected row lines.

The various implementations described herein include methods, devices, and systems for implementing high dynamic range and automatic exposure functions in a video system. In one aspect, a method is performed at a video camera device and includes, while operating in a non-high dynamic range (HDR) mode: capturing first video data of a scene with the image sensor; determining whether a minimum number of pixels of the first video data meets one or more first color intensity criteria; and in accordance with the determination that the minimum number of pixels of the first video data meets the one or more first color intensity criteria, switching operation from the non-HDR mode to an HDR mode.

An image sensor including a pixel that includes: a first photoelectric conversion unit and a second photoelectric conversion unit, each of which generates an electric charge through photoelectric conversion of light; an output unit that outputs a first signal generated based upon the electric charge generated in the first photoelectric conversion unit and a second signal generated based upon an electric charge generated in the second photoelectric conversion unit; and an adjustment unit that adjusts a capacitance at the output unit upon outputting of the first signal and the second signal from the output unit.

An image-capturing device includes a sensor, a visible-light-pixel driver, and a non-visible-light-pixel driver. The sensor is configured to have a plurality of visible light pixels having sensitivity to visible light and a plurality of non-visible light pixels having sensitivity to non-visible light. The visible-light-pixel driver controls light exposure to the visible light pixels and a reading operation for charges generated by photoelectric conversion of the visible light pixels resulting from the light exposure. The non-visible-light-pixel driver performs the light exposure to previously-set every two or more non-visible light pixels at the time of the light exposure to the non-visible light pixels and the reading operation, sums the charges generated by the photoelectric conversion of the two or more non-visible light pixels resulting from the light exposure, and creates the distance image on the basis of the summed charges.

Row-by-row pixel read-out is executed concurrently within respective clusters of pixels of a pixel array, alternating the between descending and ascending progressions in the intra-cluster row readout sequence to reduce temporal skew between neighboring pixel rows in adjacent clusters.

Row-by-row pixel read-out is executed concurrently within respective clusters of pixels of a pixel array, alternating the between descending and ascending progressions in the intra-cluster row readout sequence to reduce temporal skew between neighboring pixel rows in adjacent clusters.

Provided is an imaging device (1) capable of improving quality of an image captured using a color filter. An imaging device according to an embodiment includes a pixel array (110) including a plurality of pixel blocks (130) each including 6×6 pixels, and each pixel block includes a first pixel on which a first optical filter that transmits light in a first wavelength range is provided, a second pixel on which a second optical filter that transmits light in a second wavelength range is provided, a third pixel on which a third optical filter that transmits light in a third wavelength range is provided, and a fourth pixel on which a fourth optical filter that transmits light in a fourth wavelength range is provided. The first pixels are alternately arranged in each of a row direction and a column direction of the arrangement, one second pixel, one third pixel, and one fourth pixels are alternately arranged in each row and each column of the arrangement, and the pixel block further includes a line including at least one second pixel, one third pixel, and one fourth pixel in a first oblique direction that is parallel to a diagonal of the pixel block of the arrangement, and a line including at least one second pixel, one third pixel, and one fourth pixel in a second oblique direction that is parallel to a diagonal of the pixel block and is different from the first oblique direction.