Provided is an image sensor and an operation method of the image sensor. The image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of white pixels, a plurality of color pixels, and a plurality of auto focus (AF) pixels, a first shared pixel including the plurality of white pixels and the plurality of color pixels includes a first conversion gain transistor and a second conversion gain transistor configured to control a conversion gain of the first shared pixel, and a second shared pixel including some of the plurality of white pixels and the plurality of color pixels and at least one AF pixel includes a third conversion gain transistor and a fourth conversion gain transistor configured to control a conversion gain of the second shared pixel. The first conversion gain transistor, the second conversion gain transistor, the third conversion gain transistor, and the fourth conversion gain transistor are connected to different conversion gain control lines, respectively.

An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging element including a pixel array, a drive circuit of the pixel array, and a signal processing circuit as defined herein; a power supply; a power supply control circuit that controls electric power supplied to the imaging element from the power supply; and a processor, and the processor is configured to control the power supply control circuit to stop the supply of electric power to a part of circuits of the imaging element from the power supply at a first timing after completion of the readout of the signal, to resume the supply of electric power to the part of the circuits at a third timing before a second timing that is a start timing of the readout of the signal from the pixel array performed after the first timing, and to variably control an interval between the second timing and the third timing.

Embodiments of the present disclosure include an event-based image sensor and an event filtering method for use with an event-based image sensor. The event-based image sensor comprises a plurality of pixel circuits forming a pixel array, each pixel circuit comprising a photoreceptor circuit configured to generate a photoreceptor signal derived from a photocurrent generated by a light impinging on a light-sensitive element of the photoreceptor circuit, and a detector configured to detect a change in the photoreceptor signal and to generate an event in response to the detected change in the photoreceptor signal. The event-based image sensor further includes a processing chain and an event filter that is configured to receive the generated event and to accept the received event based on a plurality of conditions. The plurality of conditions include a condition that the received event is part of a previously unaccepted event trail, the event trail comprising a plurality of successive events having a same polarity and separated by time intervals each shorter than a time threshold.

An electronic device comprising a clock-gated latch between two routing wires which transport a demodulation signal from a demodulation driver to pixels of a pixel column of a pixel array.

Provided are an imaging apparatus and an electronic device capable of suppressing a delay of a control signal according to a position of a pixel in a horizontal direction. A time code generation unit (104) is provided on a first side of a pixel array (150), a signal processing unit (105) is provided on a second side, of the pixel array, opposite to the first side, a timing generation circuit (120) is provided on the second side of the pixel array, each of a plurality of transfer units (110) is disposed from the first side to the second side through the pixel array, and a control line (130) for transferring a timing signal generated by the timing signal generation unit to the time code generation unit is provided in each of two or more transfer units of the plurality of transfer units.

A photoelectric conversion device includes a plurality of pixels, a plurality of output lines, to which signals from corresponding pixels are output, respectively, an amplification unit arranged corresponding to each of the plurality of output lines and configured to amplify a signal output to a corresponding output line, a comparison unit arranged corresponding to each of the plurality of output lines and having a first input terminal and a second input terminal, a signal corresponding to an output of the amplification unit being input to the first input terminal, a reference signal being input to the second input terminal, and a switch connecting nodes of the plurality of output lines. During a period before an offset clamping operation is completed, the switch is turned on.

An image sensor includes an analog-to-digital conversion circuit that receives pixel signals from column lines, respectively, and converts the pixel signals into first pixel values, respectively. Data buffer clusters correspond to enable signals transferred from a timing controller, respectively, and output second pixel values. Each of the data buffer clusters stores first pixel values, which correspond to some column lines consecutively arranged among the column lines, among the first pixel values and output stored pixel values as some second pixel values among the second pixel values in response to a corresponding enable signal. A digital processing circuit performs digital processing on the second pixel values output from the data buffer clusters.

The present disclosure provides an imaging device and an imaging method capable of generating a DVS image and a gradation image at a higher speed.

An imaging device includes: a pixel array unit including a plurality of DVS pixels that outputs a first luminance signal corresponding to a light amount and a plurality of gradation pixels that outputs a second luminance signal corresponding to the light amount; a detection circuit that outputs a detection signal indicating occurrence of an address event in a case where a first luminance signal of each of the plurality of DVS pixels exceeds a predetermined threshold; a first reading unit that reads the first luminance signal from the plurality of DVS pixels and converts the first luminance signal into digital data; a second reading unit that reads the second luminance signal from the plurality of gradation pixels and converts the second luminance signal into digital data; and a control circuit that controls the first reading unit and the second reading unit.

A photoelectric conversion apparatus and the like that enables a predetermined determination in response to the incidence of photons is provided. The photoelectric conversion apparatus comprising a pixel provided with a photoelectric conversion unit that outputs a signal in response to the incidence of a photon; and a plurality of processing units configured to correspond to the pixel, wherein the processing unit has a first counter circuit configured to count an output signal from the pixel during a predetermined time period and a first memory configured to store a count value counted by the first counter circuit as a second count value, and wherein the processing unit outputs a determination result obtained by comparing a first count value output by the first counter circuit and a predetermined threshold that has been set based on the second count value read out from the first memory.

Analog image processing systems and methods are provided. The systems are configured to convert a pixel output signal to a time pulse without analog to digital signal conversion. Pixel output voltage is sampled and the pixel voltage is applied to a capacitor. A comparator configured to sense the pixel voltage on the capacitor as the capacitor is discharged generates output time pulses. The output time pulse is proportional to the pixel voltage and may be processed by an all-analog neural network to perform functions such as object detection, object classification, image quality enhancement and always-on image processing with low power consumption.