Pixel values are read out of an OB pixel region under a predetermined exposure condition, and predetermined processing is performed on the pixel values to derive a dark current component value. The dark current component value of a segmented pixel region is estimated from the OB dark current component value by taking into account the difference between the exposure conditions of the OB pixel region and the segmented pixel region. Specifically, a conversion ratio for calculating the dark current component value from the OB dark current component value is derived based on the ratios between exposure time and gain in the exposure conditions of the two pixel regions. This conversion ratio is applied to the pixel values of the OB pixel region or the OB dark current component value calculated from them to thereby calculate an estimated dark current component value for the exposure condition of the segmented pixel region.

An image sensor includes a substrate including a plurality of pixel regions and one or more pairs of dummy pixel regions; a pixel separation structure between two adjacent pixel regions among the plurality of pixel regions and including a first conductive layer; a dummy pixel separation structure between the one or more pairs of dummy pixel regions, electrically connected to the pixel separation structure, and including a second conductive layer; and a pixel separation contact disposed on the dummy pixel separation structure.

A quantitative pulse count (event detection) algorithm with linearity to high count rates is accomplished by combining a high-speed, high frame rate camera with simple logic code run on a massively parallel processor such as a GPU or a FPGA. The parallel processor elements examine frames from the camera pixel by pixel to find and tag events or count pulses. The tagged events are combined to form a combined quantitative event image.

A system for dark current compensation in SPAD imagery is configurable to capture an image frame with the SPAD array and generate a temporally filtered image by performing a temporal filtering operation using the image frame and at least one preceding image frame. The at least one preceding image frame is captured by the SPAD array at a timepoint that temporally precedes a timepoint associated with the image frame. The system is also configurable to obtain a dark current image frame. The dark current image frame includes data indicating one or more SPAD pixels of the plurality of SPAD pixels that detect an avalanche event without detecting a corresponding photon. The system is also configurable to generate a dark current compensated image by performing a subtraction operation on the temporally filtered image or the image frame based on the dark current image frame.

An imaging device includes a plurality of pixel sensors that respond to incident light. At least one drive-sense circuit is configured to generating a sensed signal corresponding to one of the plurality of pixel sensors. The at least one drive-sense circuit includes: a first conversion circuit configured to convert, a receive signal component of a sensor signal corresponding to the one of the plurality of pixel sensors into the sensed signal, wherein the sensed signal indicates a change in a capacitance associated with the one of the plurality of pixel sensors; a second conversion circuit configured to generate, based on the sensed signal, a drive signal component of the sensor signal corresponding to the one of the plurality of pixel sensors. The at least one drive-sense circuit is further configured to generate a plurality of other sensed signals corresponding to other ones of the plurality of pixel sensors for the other ones of the plurality of pixel sensors. A graphics processing module is configured to generate image data based on the sensed signal and the plurality of other sensed signals.

An imaging device includes a plurality of pixel sensors that respond to incident light. At least one drive-sense circuit is configured to generating a sensed signal corresponding to one of the plurality of pixel sensors. The at least one drive-sense circuit includes: a first conversion circuit configured to convert, a receive signal component of a sensor signal corresponding to the one of the plurality of pixel sensors into the sensed signal, wherein the sensed signal indicates a change in a capacitance associated with the one of the plurality of pixel sensors; a second conversion circuit configured to generate, based on the sensed signal, a drive signal component of the sensor signal corresponding to the one of the plurality of pixel sensors. The at least one drive-sense circuit is further configured to generate a plurality of other sensed signals corresponding to other ones of the plurality of pixel sensors for the other ones of the plurality of pixel sensors. A graphics processing module is configured to generate image data based on the sensed signal and the plurality of other sensed signals.

In certain embodiments, an imaging system includes an enclosure with an objective aperture opening into an interior space of the enclosure, an optical assembly optically coupling the objective aperture to an imaging sensor within the enclosure, a spatial light modulator (SLM) mounted to the objective aperture for selectively blocking and admitting illumination through the objective aperture into the interior space, and an illuminator mounted to illuminate the interior space of the enclosure.

An image processing apparatus includes a processor including hardware. The processor is configured to: calculate a motion evaluation value on a motion of a subject in a determination target frame; acquire a difference evaluation value of the determination target frame; determine whether to perform defective pixel detection on an image of the determination target frame by using the motion evaluation value and the difference evaluation value; and when it is determined that the defective pixel detection is to be performed, detect a defective pixel by determining whether a pixel of interest that is a determination target is a defective pixel with respect to the image of the determination target frame, based on a pixel value of the pixel of interest and pixel values of neighboring pixels that are located in a vicinity of the pixel of interest.

Disclosed herein is a method, comprising: for i=1, . . . , N, exposing a pixel (i) of a same radiation detector to a radiation (i) thereby causing an apparent signal (i) in the pixel (i), wherein the pixel (i) is at a temperature (i) at the time the pixel (i) is exposed to the radiation (i); for i=1, . . . , N, determining the temperature (i) of the pixel (i); and for i=1, . . . , N, determining an actual value (i) of a same radiation characteristic of the radiation (i) based on the apparent signal (i) and the temperature (i), wherein N is a positive integer. The radiation characteristic may be radiation intensity, radiation phase, or radiation polarization.

The present technology relates to a solid-state imaging device capable of suppressing deterioration in dark characteristics, and an electronic apparatus. The device includes a photoelectric conversion section; a trench between the photoelectric conversion sections in adjacent pixels; and a PN junction region on a sidewall of the trench and including a P-type region and an N-type region, the P-type region having a protruding region. The device can include an inorganic photoelectric conversion section having a pn junction and an organic photoelectric conversion section having an organic photoelectric conversion film that are stacked in a depth direction within a same pixel; and a PN junction region on a sidewall of the inorganic photoelectric conversion section. The PN junction region can further include a first P-type region and an N-type region; and a second P-type region. The present technology can be applied to, for example, a back-illuminated CMOS image sensor.