An image sensor and an operating method thereof are provided. The image sensor includes a first pixel circuit, a first column readout circuit, and a second column readout circuit. The first pixel circuit includes a first pixel unit, a first transfer transistor, a first reset transistor, a first readout transistor, and a first capacitor. The first column readout circuit includes a first circuit node. The second column readout circuit includes a bias transistor. A first terminal of the first reset transistor and a first terminal of the first readout transistor are coupled to the first circuit node, and a second terminal of the first readout transistor is coupled to the bias transistor.

An image sensor and an operation method thereof are provided. The image sensor includes a pixel circuit and a column readout circuit. The pixel circuit includes a pixel unit, a transfer transistor, a reset transistor, a readout transistor and a selection transistor. The column readout circuit includes a first circuit node and a second circuit node. A first terminal of the first reset transistor and a first terminal of the first readout transistor are coupled to a first circuit node, and a second terminal of the first select transistor is coupled to a second circuit node.

Provided is a solid-state imaging element provided with a comparator for each column, the solid-state imaging element improving the image quality of image data. The solid-state imaging element includes a first comparison element and a transistor. An input voltage related to the voltage of a vertical signal line is input to a source of the first comparison element, and the first comparison element outputs a drain voltage corresponding to the gate-source voltage from a drain. A signal corresponding to the voltage of the vertical signal line is input to a gate of the transistor, and a source of the transistor is connected to the drain of the first comparison element.

A readout integrated circuit configured to read out sensing signals from an optical sensing panel is provided. The optical sensing panel includes a sensor array for fingerprint sensing. The readout integrated circuit includes a plurality of input terminals, a first discharging circuit and a control circuit. The plurality of input terminals are configured to be coupled to a plurality of output terminals of the optical sensing panel. The first discharging circuit is coupled to one of the plurality of input terminals. The first discharging circuit is configured to discharge one of the plurality of output terminals of the optical sensing panel by a first current during a readout period. The readout integrated circuit reads out a voltage of the output terminal as a sensing signal. The control circuit is coupled to the first discharging circuit. The control circuit is configured to output at least one control signal to control an operating period of the first discharging circuit.

An imaging device according to the present disclosure includes an imaging unit, a connector, and a converter. The imaging unit includes a first signal line, a first pixel, a second signal line, and a second pixel. The first pixel outputs a first pixel voltage to the first signal line. The first pixel voltage corresponds to an amount of received light. The second pixel outputs a second pixel voltage to the second signal line. The second pixel voltage corresponds to the amount of received light. The connector includes a connection line, a first connection switch, a first control circuit, a second connection switch, and a second control circuit. The converter is coupled to the first signal line and the second signal line. The converter performs AD conversion on the basis of each of the first pixel voltage and the second pixel voltage.

The photoelectric conversion device includes a pixel including a photoelectric conversion element and outputting a signal corresponding to an amount of charge generated in the photoelectric conversion element, an output line from which a signal of the pixel is output, a clip circuit constituting a source follower circuit and including a transistor having a source connected to the output line and an interconnection connected to a gate of the transistor, and a voltage supply circuit configured to supply a first voltage and a second voltage to the interconnection. A driving power when the interconnection is controlled to the first voltage by the voltage supply circuit and a driving power when the interconnection is controlled to the second voltage by the voltage supply circuit is different.

An imaging device according to the present disclosure includes: an imaging unit; a connector; and a converter. The imaging unit includes a first signal line, a first pixel, a second signal line, and a second pixel. The first pixel is configured to output a first pixel voltage to the first signal line. The first pixel voltage corresponds to an amount of received light. The second pixel is configured to output a second pixel voltage to the second signal line. The second pixel voltage corresponds to the amount of received light. The connector includes a connection line, a first connection switch, a first control circuit, a second connection switch, and a second control circuit. The first connection switch is configured to couple the first signal line to the connection line by being turned on. The first control circuit is configured to control an operation of the first connection switch on the basis of a voltage in the first signal line. The second connection switch is configured to couple the second signal line to the connection line by being turned on. The second control circuit is configured to control an operation of the second connection switch on the basis of a voltage in the second signal line. The converter is coupled to the first signal line and the second signal line. The converter is configured to perform AD conversion on the basis of each of the first pixel voltage and the second pixel voltage.

A system and method for correcting oversaturated pixels in far-infrared (FIR) images captured by a shutterless FIR camera, the method comprising: capturing thermal images by a FIR sensor in the shutterless FIR camera; processing the thermal images, by the shutterless FIR camera to determine pixel value and at least a shutterless sunburn correction, wherein the shutterless sunburn correction removes oversaturated pixels based on pixel-by-pixel analysis of the thermal image; and sending the processed thermal images to an output device.

A readout integrated circuit configured to read out sensing signals from an optical sensing panel is provided. The optical sensing panel includes a sensor array for fingerprint sensing. The readout integrated circuit includes a plurality of input terminals, a first discharging circuit and a control circuit. The plurality of input terminals are configured to be coupled to a plurality of output terminals of the optical sensing panel. The first discharging circuit is coupled to one of the plurality of input terminals. The first discharging circuit is configured to discharge one of the plurality of output terminals of the optical sensing panel by a first current during a readout period. The readout integrated circuit reads out a voltage of the output terminal as a sensing signal. The control circuit is coupled to the first discharging circuit. The control circuit is configured to output at least one control signal to control an operating period of the first discharging circuit.

A readout integrated circuit configured to read out sensing signals from an optical sensing panel including a sensor array for fingerprint sensing is provided. The readout integrated circuit includes a plurality of input terminals, a comparator circuit and a control circuit. The plurality of input terminals are configured to be coupled to a plurality of output terminals of the optical sensing panel. The comparator circuit is configured to receive an output voltage from an output terminal of the plurality of output terminals of the optical sensing panel and at least one reference voltage, compare the output voltage to the at least one reference voltage and output a comparison result. The control circuit is coupled to the comparator circuit. The control circuit is configured to receive the comparison result and determine a supplementary charge amount to be charged to or discharged from the output terminal according to the comparison result.