Disclosed are a distance image acquisition apparatus and a distance image acquisition method capable of achieving high distance measurement accuracy and omitting wasteful imaging or calculation. The distance image acquisition apparatus (10) includes a distance image sensor (14), a drive mode setting unit (20A), a distance image generation unit (20B), a pulse light emission unit (22), and an exposure control unit (24). The exposure control unit (24) controls emission and non-emission of pulse light emitted from the pulse light emission unit (22) according to a drive mode set by the drive mode setting unit (20A), and controls exposure in the distance image sensor (14). The distance image generation unit (20B) performs calculation processing of a sensor output acquired from the distance image sensor (14) according to the drive mode set by the drive mode setting unit (20A) to generate a distance image corresponding to a distance of a subject.

An image sensing device includes a counter configured to generate first count data by counting pulses corresponding to photocharges, a shift register configured to store second count data corresponding to upper digits of the first count data, and an adder configured to sum the second count data and an overflow value indicating whether the first count data has overflowed.

An image sensing device includes a counter configured to generate first count data by counting pulses corresponding to photocharges, a shift register configured to store second count data corresponding to upper digits of the first count data, and an adder configured to sum the second count data and an overflow value indicating whether the first count data has overflowed.

An imaging element includes a photoelectric conversion part configured to convert light into charges, an accumulation part in which the charges from the photoelectric conversion part are accumulated, a transfer path part which is a transfer path for transferring charges from the photoelectric conversion part to the accumulation part and has a lower potential than a pixel separation region formed around the photoelectric conversion part, and a measurement part configured to measure the number of times a predetermined amount of charges is accumulated in the accumulation part and to measure the amount of charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion part.

An imaging element includes a photoelectric conversion part configured to convert light into charges, an accumulation part in which the charges from the photoelectric conversion part are accumulated, a transfer path part which is a transfer path for transferring charges from the photoelectric conversion part to the accumulation part and has a lower potential than a pixel separation region formed around the photoelectric conversion part, and a measurement part configured to measure the number of times a predetermined amount of charges is accumulated in the accumulation part and to measure the amount of charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion part.

The invention relates to a method and a device for detecting the temporal variation of the light intensity in a matrix of photosensors, comprising a matrix of pixels, a block for the automatic adjustment of the amplification of the photocurrent, and an arbitrating and event-encoding block. Each pixel comprises a photosensor that generates a photocurrent, an adjustable gain current mirror connected to the outlet of the photosensor, a transimpedance amplifier arranged at the outlet of the current mirror, optionally at least one amplification circuit arranged at the outlet of the transimpedance amplifier, and capacitors and detectors of thresholds for determining whether the output voltage exceeds a higher threshold or drops below a lower threshold in order to generate an event in the pixel.

Fixed pattern noise (FPN) reduction techniques in image sensors operated with pulse illumination are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method includes, during a first sub-exposure period of a frame, (a) operating a first tap of a pixel to capture a first signal corresponding to first charge at a first floating diffusion, the first charge corresponding to first light incident on a photosensor, and (b) operating a second tap of the pixel to capture a first parasitic signal corresponding to FPN at a second floating diffusion. The method further includes, during a second sub-exposure period of the frame, (a) operating the second tap to capture a second signal corresponding to second charge at the second floating diffusion, the second charge corresponding to second light incident on the photosensor, and (b) operating the first tap to capture a second parasitic signal corresponding to FPN at the first floating diffusion.

Fixed pattern noise (FPN) reduction techniques in image sensors operated with pulse illumination are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method includes, during a first sub-exposure period of a frame, (a) operating a first tap of a pixel to capture a first signal corresponding to first charge at a first floating diffusion, the first charge corresponding to first light incident on a photosensor, and (b) operating a second tap of the pixel to capture a first parasitic signal corresponding to FPN at a second floating diffusion. The method further includes, during a second sub-exposure period of the frame, (a) operating the second tap to capture a second signal corresponding to second charge at the second floating diffusion, the second charge corresponding to second light incident on the photosensor, and (b) operating the first tap to capture a second parasitic signal corresponding to FPN at the first floating diffusion.

One or more of the described systems, methods, and apparatuses relate to imaging devices with integrated light exposure control. An imaging device comprises an image sensor and a light modulation layer coupled to the image sensor. The light modulation layer comprises a plurality of liquid-crystal (LC) device pixels over the image sensor. The imaging device comprises control circuitry coupled to the image sensor and the light modulation layer. The control circuitry is configured to apply a transparency mask to the light modulation layer by modifying, based on at least one frame captured at the image sensor, pixel attributes of the plurality of LCD pixels for modulating exposure of the image sensor.

One or more of the described systems, methods, and apparatuses relate to imaging devices with integrated light exposure control. An imaging device comprises an image sensor and a light modulation layer coupled to the image sensor. The light modulation layer comprises a plurality of liquid-crystal (LC) device pixels over the image sensor. The imaging device comprises control circuitry coupled to the image sensor and the light modulation layer. The control circuitry is configured to apply a transparency mask to the light modulation layer by modifying, based on at least one frame captured at the image sensor, pixel attributes of the plurality of LCD pixels for modulating exposure of the image sensor.