Provided is an imaging apparatus including an imaging element including a pixel unit having first and second photoelectric conversion units configured to generate image signals by photoelectrically converting optical fluxes passing through different regions into which an exit pupil of an imaging optical system is divided for one micro-lens. The imaging apparatus controls each of the timing of a first removal operation of removing a noise component from a first image signal read from the first photoelectric conversion unit and the timing of a second removal operation of removing a noise component from a second image signal read from the first and second photoelectric conversion units to have a predetermined relationship with a frequency of a noise source occurring during an operation of reading the image signals.

A method of reducing noise in an image sensor using a parallel multi-ramps merged comparator analog-to-digital converter (ADC) starts with a pixel array capturing image data. The pixel array includes pixels to generate pixel data signals, respectively. An ADC circuitry acquires the pixel data signals. The ADC circuitry includes ADC circuits. Each of the ADC circuits includes a comparator and ADC counters. The comparator includes a multi-input first stage. The comparator in each ADC circuit compares one of the pixel data signals to ramp signals received from a logic circuitry to generate comparator output signals. The ADC counters in each ADC circuit counting based on the comparator output signals, respectively, to generate ADC outputs. Other embodiments are described.

The present technology relates to an image sensor and a control method for an image sensor which are capable of measuring illuminance of each color in an image sensor. Each of a plurality of pixel units includes a pixel and a reset transistor, and the pixel includes a photoelectric converting unit that performs photoelectric conversion on light of a certain color incident through a color filter and a transfer transistor that transfers charges obtained by the photoelectric conversion of the photoelectric converting unit and is controllable for each color. According to control of the transfer transistor, the charges are read from the photoelectric converting unit through the transfer transistor and the reset transistor, and a voltage corresponding to the charges is supplied to an AD converting unit connected to the reset transistor. The present technology can be applied to, for example, an image sensor that photographs an image.

A solid-state image sensor comprises a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels are two-dimensionally arranged, and a plurality of column signal processing circuits which read out signals from the pixel array via a plurality of column signal lines arranged in correspondence with respective columns of the pixel array, wherein signals of the pixels of different colors in the pixel array are read out by the plurality of column signal processing circuits during a single period, and wherein at least the column signal processing circuits which process signals of the pixels of different colors, of the plurality of column signal processing circuits, are driven via conductive lines which are separated from each other in a region where at least the column signal processing circuits which process signals of the pixels of different colors are arranged.

Provided are a solid-state image sensor and an electronic information device capable of effectively reducing the occurrence of pseudo-smear by adopting a simple configuration and operation. A solid-state image sensor 1 includes multiple pixel circuit units P.sub.N and P.sub.OB, each including a photoelectric conversion unit that generates charges via photoelectric conversion and accumulates the generated charges, a floating diffusion unit that retains charges transferred from the photoelectric conversion unit, a transfer unit through which charges accumulated by the photoelectric conversion unit are transferred to the floating diffusion unit, an output unit that outputs a signal corresponding to the amount of charges retained by the floating diffusion unit, and a reset unit that discharges charges retained by the floating diffusion unit to the outside; and an A/D conversion unit 23 that acquires a signal output from the output unit and performs A/D conversion on the acquired signal using a set gain. At least one of the pixel circuit units P.sub.N and P.sub.OB is configured such that charges transferred from the photoelectric conversion unit to the floating diffusion unit and retained by the floating diffusion unit are limited so as not to exceed an upper limit amount which is set to be smaller by the extent of an increase in the gain.

Solid-state imaging devices are disclosed. In one example, a solid-state imaging device includes a pixel array with unit pixels that accumulate charge in a floating diffusion (FD) region. A pixel signal reading circuit reads a pixel signal based on the charge from the FD region of a unit pixel. The pixel signal reading circuit includes an AD converter that performs AD conversion on the pixel signal, and a determination circuit that performs brightness/darkness determination of light received by the unit pixel on the basis of the pixel signal. The determination circuit selectively controls executing or stopping of the AD conversion on a pixel signal to be subsequently read according to a result of the brightness/darkness determination.

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.

The present technology relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, electronic equipment and a program which can remove cyclic noise from an image including the cyclic noise.

An estimating unit configured to estimate cyclic noise components included in each image picked up under different exposure conditions for each image is included. The estimating unit estimates the cyclic noise components for each image through operation utilizing mutual relationship between the noise components under the exposure conditions. For example, the cyclic noise is flicker. The mutual relationship between the noise components may be expressed with a shutter function of the exposure conditions in frequency space. The present technology may be applied to an imaging apparatus.

A photoelectric conversion device includes a pixel array, a pixel control unit, and a correction value generation unit. The pixel array includes an effective pixel region outputting a signal according to incident light and a correction signal acquisition region outputting a correction signal for black level correction. The correction signal acquisition region is arranged corresponding to each row of the effective pixel region. The pixel control unit controls pixels of two or more rows in parallel in one row control period, and changes the number of control rows in which the pixels are controlled in parallel in one frame period. The correction value generation unit generates the correction value using a first correction coefficient in a predetermined number of row control periods including a timing at which the number of control rows changes, and generates the correction value using a second correction coefficient in other row control periods.

A photoelectric conversion device includes a pixel array, a pixel control unit, and a correction value generation unit. The pixel array includes an effective pixel region outputting a signal according to incident light and a correction signal acquisition region outputting a correction signal for black level correction. The correction signal acquisition region is arranged corresponding to each row of the effective pixel region. The pixel control unit controls pixels of two or more rows in parallel in one row control period, and changes the number of control rows in which the pixels are controlled in parallel in one frame period. The correction value generation unit generates the correction value using a first correction coefficient in a predetermined number of row control periods including a timing at which the number of control rows changes, and generates the correction value using a second correction coefficient in other row control periods.