Disclosed are image data acquisition methods and systems that utilizes selective temporal co-adding of detector integration samples to construct improved high-resolution output imagery for arrays with selectable line rates. Configurable TDI arrays are used to construct output imagery of various resolutions dependent upon array commanding, the acquisition geometry, and temporal sampling. The image acquisition techniques may be applied to any optical sensor system and to optical systems with multiple sensors at various relative rotations which enable simultaneous image acquisitions of two or more sensors. Acquired image data may be up-sampled onto a multitude of image grids of various resolution.

A water droplet detection device has an image capturing unit and a water droplet detection unit. The image capturing unit has a photographic optical system that an area captures an image of a predetermined area. The water droplet detection unit sets an arbitrary attention point in the captured image, a plurality of first reference points inside an imaginary circle of a predetermined radius having the attention point as a center the imaginary circle, and a plurality of second reference points corresponding to the first reference points outside the imaginary circle. The water droplet detection unit detects edge information between the first reference points and second reference points, and assesses a circularity strength of the edge information to detect a water droplet attached to the photographic optical system. The water droplet detection device can be used with an image conversion unit to form a three-dimensional object detection device.

The present disclosure relates to a read-out circuit comprising N inputs configured to be connected to N respective outputs of a pixel array of an image sensor, with N being an integer strictly greater than 1; and N analog-to-digital converters organized in K groups, with K being an integer strictly greater than 1 and strictly less than N, and each having a first input coupled to a respective one of the N inputs and a second input. In each group, the second inputs of the analog-to-digital converters of the group are connected together, electrically decoupled from the second inputs of the analog-to-digital converters of the other groups, and configured to receive a first reference signal that is identical for all the analog-to-digital converters of the group.

An image system is provided. The system comprises: a pixel unit configured to have a plurality of pixels, each of the plurality of pixels including at least a white pixel; a crosstalk amount calculating unit configured to calculate an evaluation value of crosstalk amount included in an output signal from a pixel to be corrected in the pixel unit; a crosstalk correction coefficient calculating unit configured to calculate a crosstalk correction coefficient based on the evaluation value output from the crosstalk amount calculating unit; and a crosstalk correcting unit configured to eliminate crosstalk amount included in the output signal of the pixel to be corrected, using the crosstalk correction coefficient.

A solid-state image taking device including a pixel section and a scan driving section wherein on each pixel column included in the pixel area determined in advance to serve as a pixel column having the unit pixels laid out in the scan direction, the opto-electric conversion section and the electric-charge holding section are laid out alternately and repeatedly, and on each of the pixel columns in the pixel area determined in advance, two the electric-charge holding sections of two adjacent ones of the unit pixels are laid out disproportionately toward one side of the scan direction with respect to the optical-path limiting section or the opto-electric conversion section.

The present disclosure relates to a solid-state imaging device and an electronic device for suppressing deterioration of pixel characteristics while guaranteeing the operating range of VSLs. A solid-state imaging device according to a first aspect of this disclosure has multiple pixel sharing units each including multiple photoelectric conversion sections each configured to correspond to a pixel, an accumulation section configured to be shared by the plurality of photoelectric conversion sections and to accumulate charges generated thereby, and multiple transistors configured to control reading of the charges accumulated in the accumulation section. The plurality of transistors in each pixel sharing unit are arranged symmetrically. The plurality of transistors include a transistor that functions as a switch to change conversion efficiency. The present disclosure may be applied to back-illuminated CMOS image sensors, for example.

An image pickup apparatus configured to output an image signal based on an optical signal photoelectrically converted by an image pickup element provided with two-dimensionally arranged pixels includes: a clipper configured to limit output voltage of the image signal based on the optical signal; a gain upper limit setter configured to set a gain upper limit to be applied to the optical signal; a determiner configured to determine whether or not a condition to cause occurrence of a smear in a shot image is satisfied; and a controller configured to limit an output voltage of the optical signal by using the clipper when the determiner determines that the condition to cause occurrence of the smear is satisfied, and to inactivate limitation of the output voltage of the optical signal by using the clipper when the determiner determines that the condition to cause occurrence of the smear is not satisfied.

A solid-state imaging device includes: a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels composed of a photoelectric conversion section and a pixel transistor is arranged; an on-chip color filter; an on-chip microlens; and a multilayer interconnection layer in which a plurality of layers of interconnections is formed through an interlayer insulating film. The solid-state imaging device further includes a light-shielding film formed through an insulating layer in a pixel boundary of a light receiving surface in which the photoelectric conversion section is arranged.

A solid-state imaging device includes: a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels composed of a photoelectric conversion section and a pixel transistor is arranged; an on-chip color filter; an on-chip microlens; and a multilayer interconnection layer in which a plurality of layers of interconnections is formed through an interlayer insulating film. The solid-state imaging device further includes a light-shielding film formed through an insulating layer in a pixel boundary of a light receiving surface in which the photoelectric conversion section is arranged.

A solid-state image taking device including a pixel section and a scan driving section wherein on each pixel column included in the pixel area determined in advance to serve as a pixel column having the unit pixels laid out in the scan direction, the opto-electric conversion section and the electric-charge holding section are laid out alternately and repeatedly, and on each of the pixel columns in the pixel area determined in advance, two the electric-charge holding sections of two adjacent ones of the unit pixels are laid out disproportionately toward one side of the scan direction with respect to the optical-path limiting section or the opto-electric conversion section.