An image sensor includes a photoelectric converter configured to convert received light into charges in response to the received light and provide the charges to a first node, a transfer transistor configured to provide a voltage of the first node to a floating diffusion node, a reset transistor configured to reset a voltage of the floating diffusion node to a driving voltage based on a reset signal, a source follower transistor configured to provide a unit pixel output based on the voltage of the floating diffusion node, a select transistor connected to the source follower transistor and gated with a selection signal to output the unit pixel output to the outside, and a ferroelectric capacitor connected to the floating diffusion node, wherein the ferroelectric capacitor is configured to adjust a conversion gain of the floating diffusion node based on a conversion gain mode of the ferroelectric capacitor, the conversion gain mode being a first conversion gain mode, a second conversion gain mode, or a third conversion gain mode.

A solid-state imaging device includes M pixel units to and a correction unit. The pixel unit includes a main amplifier, a capacitive element, a first switch, a second switch, a photodiode, a feedback capacitive element, and an initialization switch. The correction unit includes a null amplifier, a capacitive element, a first switch, and a second switch. An effective offset voltage of the main amplifier is small.

An image sensing device that can adjust parameters of an image before sending it to a processor for reducing computing power and/or storage requirement is disclosed. The image sensing device includes an array of sensing pixels; an output amplifier; an analog-to-digital converter; a first set of registers and a second set of registers; an activation circuit; and a profiling logic. The profiling logic conducts statistical analysis on output data and adjusts parameters stored in the first set of registers until results of the statistical analysis reaches a target standard, wherein the adjusted parameters are used to generate an output image by each sensing pixel of the array of sensing pixels once the target standard is reached and a notification signal is sent to an external device for notifying the failure of parameter adjustment if the target standard fails to be reached within a predetermined times of adjustment.

An image capturing apparatus generates an image of a high dynamic range that takes into account gain in addition to a range of change of storage capacitance. The image capturing apparatus having an image capturing device of a structure in which blocks each configured by a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements are arranged, includes a first control circuit, a second control circuit, and a generating circuit. The first control circuit is configured to control sensitivity in units of the blocks. The second control circuit is configured to control a gain of a signal for each block obtained by the image capturing device. The generating circuit is configured to, by mapping image data of blocks obtained under the control of the second control circuit to a region that accords with sensitivity set for the blocks in a preset high dynamic range, generate image data of the high dynamic range.

Solid-state imaging elements are disclosed. In one example, a solid-state imaging element includes a plurality of pixels. A pixel signal line transmits a pixel signal of a pixel, a reference signal line transmits a reference signal to be compared with the pixel signal, a first comparator outputs a first output signal according to the pixel signal on the basis of a voltage difference between the pixel signal and the reference signal, a second comparator outputs a second output signal according to the pixel signal on the basis of the voltage difference between the pixel signal and the reference signal, a first capacitor unit between the pixel signal line or the reference signal line and the first comparator and set to a first gain, and a second capacitor unit between the pixel signal line or the reference signal line and the second comparator and set to a second gain.

Solid-state imaging elements are disclosed. In one example, a solid-state imaging element includes a plurality of pixels. A pixel signal line transmits a pixel signal of a pixel, a reference signal line transmits a reference signal to be compared with the pixel signal, a first comparator outputs a first output signal according to the pixel signal on the basis of a voltage difference between the pixel signal and the reference signal, a second comparator outputs a second output signal according to the pixel signal on the basis of the voltage difference between the pixel signal and the reference signal, a first capacitor unit between the pixel signal line or the reference signal line and the first comparator and set to a first gain, and a second capacitor unit between the pixel signal line or the reference signal line and the second comparator and set to a second gain.

A solid-state imaging device according to an embodiment includes: pixel circuits, each of the pixel circuits including: a generation unit (31) generating a voltage corresponding to a logarithmic value of a photocurrent; a capacitor (C.sub.1) having a first electrode to which the voltage generated by the generation unit is applied; a first amplifier (40a) having a first input terminal, which is connected to a second electrode of the capacitor, and a second input terminal, to which a first reference voltage (Vb.sub.A0) is applied to, to output a comparison result obtained by comparing the voltage applied to the first input terminal with the voltage applied to the second input terminal; a switch unit (43) controlling a connection between the output of the first amplifier and the first input terminal; and a second amplifier (40b) having a third input terminal, to which the output of the first amplifier is connected, and a fourth input terminal, to which a second reference voltage (Vb.sub.A1) is applied, to output a comparison result obtained by comparing the voltage applied to the third input terminal with the voltage applied to the fourth input terminal, in which a first gain of the first amplifier is lower than a second gain of the second amplifier.

A solid-state imaging device according to an embodiment includes: pixel circuits, each of the pixel circuits including: a generation unit (31) generating a voltage corresponding to a logarithmic value of a photocurrent; a capacitor (C.sub.1) having a first electrode to which the voltage generated by the generation unit is applied; a first amplifier (40a) having a first input terminal, which is connected to a second electrode of the capacitor, and a second input terminal, to which a first reference voltage (Vb.sub.A0) is applied to, to output a comparison result obtained by comparing the voltage applied to the first input terminal with the voltage applied to the second input terminal; a switch unit (43) controlling a connection between the output of the first amplifier and the first input terminal; and a second amplifier (40b) having a third input terminal, to which the output of the first amplifier is connected, and a fourth input terminal, to which a second reference voltage (Vb.sub.A1) is applied, to output a comparison result obtained by comparing the voltage applied to the third input terminal with the voltage applied to the fourth input terminal, in which a first gain of the first amplifier is lower than a second gain of the second amplifier.

An image sensing device that can adjust parameters of an image before sending it to a processor for reducing computing power and/or storage requirement is disclosed. The image sensing device includes an array of sensing pixels; an output amplifier; an analog-to-digital converter; a first set of registers and a second set of registers; an activation circuit; and a profiling logic. The profiling logic conducts statistical analysis on output data and adjusts parameters stored in the first set of registers until results of the statistical analysis reaches a target standard, wherein the adjusted parameters are used to generate an output image by each sensing pixel of the array of sensing pixels once the target standard is reached and a notification signal is sent to an external device for notifying the failure of parameter adjustment if the target standard fails to be reached within a predetermined times of adjustment.

An image sensing device that can adjust parameters of an image before sending it to a processor for reducing computing power and/or storage requirement is disclosed. The image sensing device includes an array of sensing pixels; an output amplifier; an analog-to-digital converter; a first set of registers and a second set of registers; an activation circuit; and a profiling logic. The profiling logic conducts statistical analysis on output data and adjusts parameters stored in the first set of registers until results of the statistical analysis reaches a target standard, wherein the adjusted parameters are used to generate an output image by each sensing pixel of the array of sensing pixels once the target standard is reached and a notification signal is sent to an external device for notifying the failure of parameter adjustment if the target standard fails to be reached within a predetermined times of adjustment.