A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a photodiode, a counter, a control circuit. The photodiode is configured to cause avalanche multiplication. The counter is configured to generate a count signal as a result of counting a pulse generated by the avalanche multiplication during a predetermined period. The control circuit is configured to perform control to bring the photodiode into a waiting state in which the avalanche multiplication is possible and a stop state in which the avalanche multiplication is stopped, based on the count signal during a predetermined period.

An imaging device includes: pixels each including a photoelectric converter, and an output unit that outputs a pixel signal based on charge in a holding portion; an output line to which signals from the pixels are output; a clip circuit that limits a signal level of the output line to a range whose upper or lower limit is a predetermined clip level; and an amplifier unit that amplifies a signal of the output line. The amplifier unit outputs first and second signals amplified at first and second amplification factors, respectively, for the same pixel signal. The clip circuit limits a signal level of the output line to a first clip level in a first period in which the pixel signal is amplified at a first amplification factor and to a second clip level in a second period in which the pixel signal is amplified at a second amplification factor.

A method, apparatus and system are described providing a high dynamic range pixel. An integration period has multiple sub-integration periods during which charges are accumulated in a photosensor and repeatedly transferred to a storage node, where the charges are accumulated for later transfer to another storage node for output.

One object is to provide a solid-state imaging device, a method for driving a solid-state imaging device, and an electronic apparatus capable of removing a noise gap at a connection point between the low conversion gain data and the high conversion gain data, suppressing increase of power consumption and circuit areas, providing a wide dynamic range, and thus achieving high image quality. An amplifying part for amplifying a plurality of pixel signals read out from a pixel includes an amplifier. The amplifier includes an inverting input terminal and a non-inverting input terminal. The inverting input terminal includes a first inverting input channel and a second inverting input channel. The first inverting input channel is connected to a second node, and the second inverting input channel is connected to a third node. A capacitance of a second sampling capacitor is 8C, and a capacitance of a first sampling capacitor is C.

An imaging device includes: pixels each including a photoelectric converter, and an output unit that outputs a pixel signal based on charge in a holding portion; an output line to which signals from the pixels are output; a clip circuit that limits a signal level of the output line to a range whose upper or lower limit is a predetermined clip level; and an amplifier unit that amplifies a signal of the output line. The amplifier unit outputs first and second signals amplified at first and second amplification factors, respectively, for the same pixel signal. The clip circuit limits a signal level of the output line to a first clip level in a first period in which the pixel signal is amplified at a first amplification factor and to a second clip level in a second period in which the pixel signal is amplified at a second amplification factor.

A method, apparatus and system are described providing a high dynamic range pixel. An integration period has multiple sub-integration periods during which charges are accumulated in a photosensor and repeatedly transferred to a storage node, where the charges are accumulated for later transfer to another storage node for output.

A dual mode focal plane array having a readout integrated circuit (IC) is provided herein that is electrically switchable between a first mode (e.g., direction injection mode) and a second mode (e.g., buffered direction injection) based in part on a level of a detection current. The IC includes a switching network disposed between an operational amplifier and a switching element to transition the IC between the first and second mode responsive to a control signal. The control signal can include instructions to open or close the one or more switches of the switching network and thus transition the IC between the different modes.

An image sensor generates first digital samples and second digital samples during respective first and second sampling intervals, the first digital samples including at least one digital sample of each pixel of a first plurality of pixels, and the second digital samples including at least one digital sample of each pixel of a second plurality of pixels. A sum of the first digital samples is accumulated within a first counter as the first sampling interval transpires, and a sum of the second digital samples is accumulated within the first counter as the second sampling interval transpires.

The present invention relates to an image sensor and to an imaging system comprising such a sensor. According to the invention, the overall conversion curve describing the conversion between photon flux and digital number comprises a first region in which the conversion is essentially linear and a second region in which the conversion is essentially non-linear. According to the invention, the non-linearity of the second region is obtained by operating the photodiode of the image sensor in its non-linear range and by changing the gain associated with the conversion between pixel voltage and digital number.

Provided is an image processing apparatus including: a wide dynamic range (WDR) image sensor configured to output image frames by photographing a subject with different shutter times; and at least one processor to implement: a wide image synthesis unit configured to synthesize a WDR image based on n subchannels included in each of the image frames; a knee curve generating unit configured to generate an integral histogram of luminance levels of m×n subchannels included m image frames among the image frames, and generate a knee curve based on the integral histogram, where m and n each is an integer greater than zero; and a dynamic range transforming unit configured to reduce a dynamic range of the WDR image based on the generated knee curve.