An image sensor comprises a pixel array in which pixels are arranged in a matrix form, and phase-difference signals in a horizontal direction are output from a first pixel group of the pixel array via a first signal output line, and phase-difference signals in a vertical direction are output from a second pixel group, which is different from the first pixel group of the pixel array, via a second signal output line, and number of pixels of the phase-difference signals in the horizontal direction output via the first signal output line and number of pixels of the phase-difference signals in the vertical direction output via the second signal output line are different.

An image sensor comprises a pixel array in which pixels are arranged in a matrix form, and phase-difference signals in a horizontal direction are output from a first pixel group of the pixel array via a first signal output line, and phase-difference signals in a vertical direction are output from a second pixel group, which is different from the first pixel group of the pixel array, via a second signal output line, and number of pixels of the phase-difference signals in the horizontal direction output via the first signal output line and number of pixels of the phase-difference signals in the vertical direction output via the second signal output line are different.

A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes A/D conversion circuits configured to generate digital data by A/D-converting, during an A/D conversion period, analog signals read out from pixel circuits; memory circuits configured to store the digital data, output circuits each connected to at least two memory circuits among the memory circuits, and a scanning circuit configured to select one of the output circuits and select one of the at least two memory circuits connected to the selected output circuit, thereby reading out the digital data. The scanning circuit is configured not to change the selection of the output circuit during a prohibition period including at least a period until 0.65T elapses after a lapse of 0.35T since a start of the A/D conversion period where T represents a length of the A/D conversion period.

A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes A/D conversion circuits configured to generate digital data by A/D-converting, during an A/D conversion period, analog signals read out from pixel circuits; memory circuits configured to store the digital data, output circuits each connected to at least two memory circuits among the memory circuits, and a scanning circuit configured to select one of the output circuits and select one of the at least two memory circuits connected to the selected output circuit, thereby reading out the digital data. The scanning circuit is configured not to change the selection of the output circuit during a prohibition period including at least a period until 0.65T elapses after a lapse of 0.35T since a start of the A/D conversion period where T represents a length of the A/D conversion period.

An object is to improve a frame rate in a solid-state imaging element that employs a global shutter method. In the solid-state imaging element, a photoelectric conversion element generates a charge by photoelectric conversion. A charge holding transistor holds the charge. A backward flow prevention transistor generates a potential barrier between the photoelectric conversion element and the charge holding transistor immediately after the charge is transferred from the photoelectric conversion element to the charge holding transistor. A floating diffusion layer accumulates the charge and generates a voltage corresponding to an amount of the charge. A transfer transistor transfers the charge from the charge holding transistor to the floating diffusion layer.

An object is to improve a frame rate in a solid-state imaging element that employs a global shutter method. In the solid-state imaging element, a photoelectric conversion element generates a charge by photoelectric conversion. A charge holding transistor holds the charge. A backward flow prevention transistor generates a potential barrier between the photoelectric conversion element and the charge holding transistor immediately after the charge is transferred from the photoelectric conversion element to the charge holding transistor. A floating diffusion layer accumulates the charge and generates a voltage corresponding to an amount of the charge. A transfer transistor transfers the charge from the charge holding transistor to the floating diffusion layer.

An imaging device includes an imaging unit including a plurality of pixels, respectively including photoelectric converters and charge accumulation nodes that accumulate signal charge. The imaging unit outputs image data based on signals corresponding to the signal charge accumulated in the charge accumulators. The imaging device includes an image processing unit that processes the image data output by the imaging unit. The imaging unit sequentially outputs a plurality of pieces of image data in one frame period by performing readout nondestructively. The image processing unit generates difference image data by determining a difference between two pieces of image data, selects output image data from initial image data and the difference image data, and combines the output image data and normal readout image data included in the plurality of pieces of image data, to generate combination-result image data.

An imaging device includes an imaging unit including a plurality of pixels, respectively including photoelectric converters and charge accumulation nodes that accumulate signal charge. The imaging unit outputs image data based on signals corresponding to the signal charge accumulated in the charge accumulators. The imaging device includes an image processing unit that processes the image data output by the imaging unit. The imaging unit sequentially outputs a plurality of pieces of image data in one frame period by performing readout nondestructively. The image processing unit generates difference image data by determining a difference between two pieces of image data, selects output image data from initial image data and the difference image data, and combines the output image data and normal readout image data included in the plurality of pieces of image data, to generate combination-result image data.

The present disclosure provides an image sensor and an image collection system. The image sensor includes: a pixel collection circuitry array including a plurality of pixel collection circuitries, each pixel collection circuitry being configured to monitor a change in a light intensity in a field of view and enter a triggered state when the change in the light intensity meets a predetermined condition; a boundary triggered pixel determination array configured to determine a boundary triggered pixel collection circuitry in the pixel collection circuitries in the triggered state; and a reading unit configured to respond to the boundary triggered pixel collection circuitry and output address information about the boundary triggered pixel collection circuitry.

An optical sensor device, which may be a time-of-flight sensor, comprises a pixel array having a plurality of pixels. Moreover, the optical sensor device comprises a read-out node configured to provide photo-generated charge carriers from a first pixel and a second pixel for read-out and a first transfer gate configured to enable a read-out of the first pixel using the read-out node and a second transfer gate to disable a read-out of the second pixel during read-out of the first pixel.