An automated electronic video surveillance system enables a high-resolution mega-pixel camera to capture high quality, detailed, magnified images at multiple locations, simultaneously with an overview of the whole scene. A preferred embodiment requiring no moving parts provides full 360-degree continuous viewing with up to 5 all-digital zoom capability. The system performs continuous surveillance and active resolution allocation in the form of a feedback control subsystem that dynamically allocates resources so that important details within a scene receive appropriate scrutiny, while uninteresting areas are imaged at a lower resolution.

Imaging apparatus (100, 200, 1200) includes a semiconductor substrate (312) and an array (202) of pixel circuits (1202, 1204), which are arranged in a matrix on the semiconductor substrate and define respective pixels (212) of the apparatus. Pixel electrodes (1208) are respectively coupled to the pixel circuits, and a photosensitive (1206) is formed over the pixel electrodes. A common electrode (1207), which is at least partially transparent, is formed over the photosensitive film. An opaque metallization layer (1214) is formed over the photosensitive film on one or more of the pixels and coupled in ohmic contact to the common electrode. Control circuitry (208, 1212) is coupled to apply a bias to the common electrode via the opaque metallization layer while correcting a black level of the output values from the pixels using the signals received from the one or more of the pixels over which the opaque metallization layer is formed.

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.

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.

The present technology relates to a solid-state imaging device, a method of controlling the same, and an electronic apparatus, which make it possible to generate an HDR image in an easier manner. The solid-state imaging device includes: a high sensitivity FD 40H and a low sensitivity FD 40L that hold a charge generated in a photodiode PD of a pixel; an FD coupling transistor that turns on and off coupling of the high sensitivity FD 40H and the low sensitivity FD 40L; and a saturation sensing circuit that performs a control that couples the high sensitivity FD 40H and the low sensitivity FD 40L, when a voltage of a pixel signal outputted from the pixel matches a voltage of a ramp signal. A level of the ramp signal varies in accordance with elapsed time. The present technology is applicable, for example, to a solid-state imaging device that generates an HDR image having an expanded dynamic range.

The present technology relates to a solid-state image sensor and an electronic device that can expand a dynamic range while suppressing degradation of image quality. A solid-state image sensor includes a pixel unit in which basic pattern pixel groups are arranged, each of the basic pattern pixel groups having output pixels of a plurality of colors arranged according to a predetermined pattern, the output pixel being a pixel based on an output unit of a pixel signal, the output pixel of at least one color among the output pixels having three or more types of sizes, and a signal processing unit configured to perform synthesis processing for a plurality of the pixel signals from a plurality of the output pixels having a same color and different sizes. The present technology can be applied to, for example, a CMOS image sensor.

An AD conversion part has a comparator for performing comparison processing comparing a voltage signal read out by a photoelectric converting and reading part and a reference voltage and outputting a digitalized comparison result signal, the comparator, under the control by a reading part, performs first comparison processing for outputting a digitalized first comparison result signal with respect to a voltage signal corresponding to an overflow charge overflowing from a photodiode PD1 to a floating diffusion FD1 in an integration period and second comparison processing for outputting a digitalized second comparison result signal with respect to a voltage signal corresponding to an accumulated charge of the photodiode PD1 transferred to the floating diffusion FD1 in a transfer period after the integration period. Due to this, it becomes possible to substantially realize a broader dynamic range and higher frame rate.

Methods and systems for quantizing a physical quantity, such as light, are provided. In one example, an apparatus comprises an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter configured to generate raw digital outputs based on performing at least one of: (1) a first quantization operation to quantize a physical stimulus within a first intensity range based on a first A/D conversion relationship, or (2) a second quantization operation to quantize the physical stimulus within a second intensity range based on a second A/D conversion relationship; and a raw output conversion circuit configured generate a refined digital output based on a raw digital output obtained from the A/D converter and at least one predetermined conversion parameter. The at least one conversion parameter compensates for a discontinuity between the first A/D conversion relationship and the second A/D conversion relationship.

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 comparator in an AD conversion part, under the control of a reading part, performs a first comparison processing outputting a digitized first comparison result signal with respect to a voltage signal corresponding to an overflow charge overflowing from a photodiode PD1 to FD1 in an integration period and performs a second comparison processing outputting a digitized second comparison result signal with respect to a voltage signal corresponding to an accumulated charge of the photodiode PD1 transferred to the FD1 after a transfer period after the integration period, and a signal processing part performs combinational processing applying FWC information and joining a first AD conversion transfer curve TC1 corresponding to the first comparison processing and a second AD conversion transfer curve TC2 corresponding to the second comparison processing. Thus, it is possible to smoothly switch (connect) a plurality of signals to be combined and to suppress deterioration of an image.