A solid-state imaging device includes: a pixel array including a plurality of pixel circuits arranged in rows and columns; a vertical signal line that is provided for each of the columns and transmits pixel signals; a column AD circuit that is provided for each of the columns and AD converts the pixel signals from the vertical signal line; a column-switching circuit that is interposed in the vertical signal line between the pixel array and the column AD circuit and switches connection between the vertical signal line and the column AD circuit; a controller that causes the column-switching circuit to switch the connection for every horizontal scan period; and a restoration circuit that restores ordering of the AD converted signals so as to correspond to ordering in which the vertical signal lines are arranged in the pixel array.

The present disclosure relates to an image sensor having autofocus function and associated methods. In some embodiments, the image sensor has first and second image sensing pixels arranged one next to another in a row. Each of the first and second image sensing pixels respectively have a left PD (phase detection) pixel including a left photodiode operably coupled to a left transfer gate, and a right PD pixel including a right photodiode operably coupled to a right transfer gate. The right transfer gate of the second image sensing pixel is a mirror image of the left transfer gate of the first image sensing pixel along a boundary line between the first and second image sensing pixels. The left transfer gate of the second image sensing pixel is a mirror image of the right transfer gate of the first image sensing pixel along the boundary line.

Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses for image sensors with pixel binning with configurable shared floating diffusion are presented. In one example, an image sensor system includes a plurality of sensor elements; a photo-sensitive layer coupled to the plurality of sensor elements; a plurality of floating diffusion regions in communication with the photo-sensitive layer, each floating diffusion region of the plurality of floating diffusion regions configured to be selectively enabled; and at least one bridge coupled to two floating diffusion regions of the plurality of floating diffusion regions, the bridge configured to be selectively enabled and, when enabled, to allow a transfer of charge between the two floating diffusion regions.

An articulated device may include a first steerable multi-linked mechanism and a second steerable multi-linked mechanism. The second steerable multi-linked mechanism may include a first link, a plurality of intermediate links and a second link movably coupled to a second one of the intermediate links. A first one of the intermediate links may be movably coupled to the first link. The articulated device may include a camera located within at least a portion of the second link and a protective shield connected to a distal end of the second link. The protective shield may surround at least a portion of the camera.

A pixel circuit includes a differential amplifier. The differential amplifier includes a non-inverting input terminal, an inverting input terminal, and an output terminal. The differential amplifier includes an input differential pair including first and second NMOS transistors, a current mirror pair including PMOS transistors, and a constant current source including a fifth NMOS transistor. A threshold voltage of each of the first and second NMOS transistors is higher than a threshold voltage of the fifth NMOS transistor. Further, the threshold voltage of each of the first and second NMOS transistors is higher than a threshold voltage of another NMOS transistor.

A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric conversion unit, a charge accumulating portion accumulating signal charges transferred from the photoelectric conversion unit, a floating diffusion portion accumulating signal charges transferred from the charge accumulating portion, and a read-out unit transferring signal charges from the charge accumulating portion to the floating diffusion portion and output a signal corresponding to the signal charges, and a control unit controlling the read-out unit to start, after starting read-out of signals of one frame from the charge accumulating portions, an accumulation of signal charges for a next frame at the photoelectric conversion units simultaneously, and to start, before completing the read-out of the signal of the one frame, an accumulation of signal charges at the charge accumulating portion of a pixel among the plurality of pixels from which the signal of the one frame is already read out.

A device and a method to measure the concentrations of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin in tissue around a tumor via near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy with a photonic mixer device (PMD) is described.

In an imaging device, each of first and second pixels in a same column includes a photoelectric converter, a first transistor, and a second transistor wherein a source (or a drain) of the first transistor is connected to the photoelectric converter, a gate of the second transistor is connected to the photoelectric converter, and a source (or a drain) of the second transistor is connected to the drain (or the source) of the first transistor. A first current source is configured to be electrically connected to the source (or the drain) of the second transistor of the first pixel, a second current source is configured to be electrically connected to the source (or the drain) of the second transistor of the second pixel, and a signal line is configured to be electrically connected to the drain (or the source) of the second transistor of the first pixel and to the drain (or the source) of the second transistor of the second pixel.

This technology relates a unit pixel and an operating method thereof and a CMOS image sensor using the same. The unit pixel may include a photo sensitive device; a reset transistor; a selection transistor including a gate terminal, a first terminal and a second terminal, suitable for operating in response to a selection control signal applied to the gate terminal and outputting a voltage applied to the first terminal to a first terminal of the reset transistor through the second terminal; and a drive transistor including a first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the selection transistor, a second terminal and a gate terminal, suitable for generating an electrical signal corresponding to charges accumulated in a floating diffusion node coupled to the gate terminal, and outputting the electrical signal as a pixel signal through the second terminal.

A photosensor having a plurality of light sensitive pixels each of which comprises a light sensitive region and a plurality of storage regions for accumulating photocharge generated in the light sensitive region, a transfer gate for each storage region that is selectively electrifiable to transfer photocharge from the light sensitive region to the storage region, and an array of microlenses that for each storage region directs a different portion of light incident on the pixel to a region of the light sensitive region closer to the storage region than to other storage regions.