An imaging system may include an array of image sensor pixels, each image sensor pixel including a photosensitive element coupled to time trace generation circuitry having a first CCD register. The time trace generation circuitry may be coupled to integration circuitry having a second integration CCD register via corresponding charge transfer structures. The second integration CCD register may integrate multiples sets of sampled charge from the first CCD register to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the collected time trace information. The time trace generations circuitry or integration circuitry may also include background light subtract capabilities to remove background light level from the collected time trace information.

The present technology relates to an imaging device and a method for driving it that make it possible to create two kinds of images with less time deviation, and an imaging apparatus. The imaging device includes a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels is arranged, the pixel including at least a photoelectric conversion section that converts incident light into charge by photoelectric conversion and a charge accumulating section that accumulates charge transferred from the photoelectric conversion section. At least some of pixels in the pixel array perform an operation to transfer charge generated by the photoelectric conversion section to the charge accumulating section at different timings between adjacent pixels. For example, it is possible to apply the present technology to the imaging device, or the like.

An image sensor includes a plurality of pixels each including: a first and a second photoelectric conversion unit that perform photoelectric conversion upon light that has passed through a micro lens and generates a charge; a first accumulation unit that accumulates the charge generated by the first conversion unit; a second accumulation unit that accumulates the charge generated by the second conversion unit; a third accumulation unit that accumulates the charges generated by the first and second conversion units; a first transfer unit that transfers the charge generated by the first conversion unit to the first accumulation unit; a second transfer unit that transfers the charge generated by the second conversion unit to the second accumulation unit; and a third transfer unit that transfers the charges generated by the first and second conversion units to the third accumulation unit.

Provided is a solid-state image pickup element that amplifies the difference between respective signals of a pair of pixels and enables a reduction in the number of wiring lines.

The solid-state image pickup element includes an electric-charge accumulation unit, a reference reset transistor, and a readout reset transistor. The electric-charge accumulation unit accumulates electric charge transferred from a photoelectric conversion unit and generates signal voltage corresponding to the amount of the electric charge. The reference reset transistor supplies predetermined reset voltage to the electric-charge accumulation unit in a case of generating predetermined reference voltage. The readout reset transistor supplies voltage different from the reset voltage to the electric-charge accumulation unit in a case of reading out the signal voltage.

An imaging device 100 includes a pixel array PA. A first period, a third period, and a second period appear in this order in one frame. During the first period, pixel signal readout is performed on at least one first row in the pixel array PA. During the second period, pixel signal readout is performed on at least one second row in the pixel array PA. At least one of the at least one first row or the at least one second row includes two rows in the pixel array PA. During the third period, no pixel signal readout is performed on the rows in the pixel array PA. Each of the first period and the second period is one of the high-sensitivity exposure period and the low-sensitivity exposure period. The third period is the other of the high-sensitivity exposure period and the low-sensitivity exposure period.

A driving apparatus that outputs a drive signal for driving, per row, a plurality of pixels arranged to form a plurality of rows, the driving apparatus comprising a plurality of row driving units arranged to correspond to the respective rows, wherein each of the row driving units includes: a memory unit that holds a signal for controlling the pixels in a corresponding row to be set to a charge accumulation state or a reset state; and a selection unit that selects whether to cause a state of the signal held in the memory unit to transition when a signal for readout from the pixels is input.

A solid-state image sensing device is of a global-shutter type and includes a vertical driving unit and an analog-to-digital (AD) converter. The vertical driving unit performs a shutter operation during a time period from when the AD converter starts an AD conversion to when the AD converter ends the AD conversion. The AD converter does not output a digital signal during a time period from when the vertical driving unit starts the shutter operation to when the vertical driving unit ends the shutter operation.

A back-illuminated image sensor includes a first pixel, a second pixel, and a channel stop situated between the first pixel and the second pixel to isolate the first pixel from the second pixel. The channel stop includes a LOCOS structure and a region of doped silicon beneath the LOCOS structure. The back-illuminated image sensor also includes a first electrically conductive contact that extends through the LOCOS structure and forms an ohmic contact with the region of doped silicon. The first electrically conductive contact may be grounded, negatively biased, or positively biased, depending on the application.

A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a photoelectric conversion portion, an amplification transistor having an input node, a first transfer transistor, a second transfer transistor arranged between the first transfer transistor and the input node, and a reset transistor connected to the input node. When electric charges are transferred from the photoelectric conversion portion to the input node, the photoelectric conversion apparatus switches a capacity value of the input node by controlling the second transfer transistor to be on or off.

To enhance, in the device that transfers the electric charges in the photodiode, the transfer efficiency of the electric charges.

A photoelectric conversion element in a solid-state imaging device is provided with a plurality of electrodes and a plurality of detection terminals. A driver generates at a same time in the photoelectric conversion element a plurality of electric fields having directions different from each other by supplying a potential to each of the plurality of electrodes so as to transfer electric charges from all of terminals not corresponding to a transfer destination out of the plurality of detection terminals to a terminal at the transfer destination. A detection section detects a signal corresponding to an amount of the electric charges transferred to the terminal at the transfer destination.