A high definition (HD) camera and a method for implementing the HD camera is described. A CMOS sensor of high frame rate captures frame images and provides light to N consecutive frame images with an interval of M consecutive frame images in the captured frame images using an auxiliary light source when the auxiliary light source is on. The auxiliary light source turns on and off according to a duty cycle. The M is 0 or a positive integer. The N is a positive integer. The mechanism has good light performances, reduced deformation of moving objects, and reduced costs.

An image pickup apparatus that makes it unnecessary to temporarily stop image pickup performed by an image pickup device to thereby improve operability of the image pickup apparatus, and achieves power saving. In an image pickup apparatus having an electronic viewfinder function, first image signals for live view are acquired by thinning read lines of an image pickup device, and second image signals for AF evaluation value calculation are acquired from the other read lines at a higher speed than the first image signals, for simultaneous output with the first image signals. Reading of the second image signals is started when the state of the object of image data changed or when one photographing mode is changed to another by a user's operation, and is terminated when a reading termination condition set in advance in association with the reading start condition is satisfied.

An image capturing apparatus comprises a unit pixel including a plurality of light receiving elements, a plurality of column output lines provided, for each column, at a number greater than or equal to at least a number of the light receiving elements of each unit pixel, and a switching unit configured to switch between a first readout mode for reading out signals from the plurality of light receiving elements via respectively different column output lines and a second readout mode for reading out signals from the plurality of light receiving elements via the same column output line for each unit pixel.

A pair of pupil regions of an exit pupil, through which light beams received by a pair of photoelectric conversion units included in a pixel portion of a first image sensor respectively pass, are overlapped. A pair of pupil regions of an exit pupil, through which light beams received by a pair of photoelectric conversion units included in a pixel portion of a second image sensor respectively pass, are overlapped. A second base length, which is a distance between centroids of the pair of pupil regions corresponding to the pair of photoelectric conversion units included in the pixel portion of the second image sensor, is longer than a first base length, which is a distance between centroids of the pair of pupil regions corresponding to the pair of photoelectric conversion units included in the pixel portion of the first image sensor.

A CMOS image sensor for a camera assembly is provided, having a sensor die with opposing faces, an upper face, and a lower face. On the upper face, the sensor die is provided with a sensor array, an analog-to-digital conversion module, a digital logic circuit, and a timing and clock control circuit. The sensor array is substantially centered on the sensor die. The analog-to-digital conversion module is split into two submodules. Each submodule is disposed adjacent to the sensor array and positioned on opposing sides of the sensor array. The digital logic circuit forms a first row. The timing and clock control circuit and the analog signal processing circuit are adjacent and form a second row. The first and second rows have similar dimensions and are disposed on opposite sides of the sensor array.

A per-pixel performance improvement is described for combined image sensor arrays that measure infrared and visible light. One embodiment is a method that includes forming an array of photodetectors on a silicon substrate, treating a subset of the photodetectors to improve sensitivity to infrared light, and finishing the photodetector array to form an image sensor.

A solid-state imaging device includes a first chip including a plurality of pixels, each pixel including a light sensing unit generating a signal charge responsive to an amount of received light, and a plurality of MOS transistors reading the signal charge generated by the light sensing unit and outputting the read signal charge as a pixel signal, a second chip including a plurality of pixel drive circuits supplying desired drive pulses to pixels, the second chip being laminated beneath the first chip in a manner such that the pixel drive circuits are arranged beneath the pixels formed in the first chip to drive the pixels, and a connection unit for electrically connecting the pixels to the pixel drive circuits arranged beneath the pixels.

This invention has for purpose to provide a photosensor that is small in size and can obtain high-contrast image data and to provide a semiconductor device including the photosensor. In the photosensor including a light-receiving element, a transistor serving as a switching element, and a charge retention node electrically connected to the light-receiving element through the transistor, the reduction in charge held in the charge retention node is suppressed by extending the fall time of the input waveform of a driving pulse supplied to the transistor to turn off the transistor.

An electronic read circuit for a radiation detector comprises: an element sensitive to the radiation, an injection circuit, able to inject a charge at one terminal of the sensitive element, the injection circuit extending between at least one input terminal and one output terminal, the output terminal being able to be connected to the sensitive element, the injection circuit being able to produce a charge under the effect of a trigger pulse. The injection circuit is able to inject a first charge when an input terminal is connected to a first input potential and a second charge when an input terminal is connected to a second input potential. The circuit comprises means for storing a difference between an output potential of the injection circuit, called equilibrium potential, and a reference potential, such that the second charge depends on the second input potential and on the equilibrium potential.

A solid-state imaging device includes a photodetecting section, a vertical shift register section, first row selection lines, and second row selection lines. The vertical shift register section provides the row selection lines of the m-th row with common row selection signals.