An apparatus includes a bloom transistor frontend configured to receive an integrator output voltage and generate a comparator input voltage. The apparatus also includes a comparator configured to generate an output signal based on whether the comparator input voltage meets or exceeds a reference voltage. The bloom transistor frontend includes a first transistor configured to charge an input capacitance associated with the comparator in order to change the comparator input voltage. The bloom transistor frontend also includes a second transistor configured to discharge the input capacitance associated with the comparator in order to reset the comparator input voltage.

An image sensor may include control circuitry, a plurality of pixels, and an image processor. Each pixel includes a photodetector, at least first and second storage nodes, and transfer circuitry. The transfer circuitry is responsive to control signals generated by the control circuitry to transfer first charges generated by the photodetector during a first exposure time within a frame period to the first storage node. Second charges may be generated by the photodetector during a second, longer exposure time during the frame period, and transferred to the second storage node. The image processor may generate image frame data based on output voltage samples derived from the first and second charges of each of the plurality of pixels.

An image sensor apparatus includes a pixel array having pixel units each including an image sensor cell and a processing circuit. The processing circuit includes a bias transistor, second floating diffusion node, first switch unit, signal transfer capacitor, reset transfer capacitor, second switch unit, and third switch unit. Bias transistor is coupled between first and second floating diffusion nodes and has control terminal coupled to bias voltage. First switch unit is coupled between first and second floating diffusion nodes. Second switch unit is coupled between second floating diffusion node and signal transfer capacitor. Third switch unit is coupled between second floating diffusion node and reset transfer capacitor. Signal transfer capacitor is selectively coupled to second floating diffusion node. Reset transfer capacitor is selectively coupled to second floating diffusion node.

The present technology relates to an imaging device, a driving method, and an electronic apparatus capable of more quickly acquiring a high-quality image. In a pixel of a solid-state imaging device, a photoelectric conversion unit that performs a photoelectric conversion of incident light is disposed. An electric charge/voltage converting unit converts electric charge acquired by the photoelectric conversion unit into a voltage signal. A signal comparator compares a supplied reference signal with the voltage signal acquired by the electric charge/voltage converting unit and outputs a result of the comparison. A storage unit adaptively changes the conversion efficiency of the electric charge/voltage converting unit on the basis of a control signal acquired on the basis of a result of the comparison output from the signal comparator. The present technology can be applied to a solid-state imaging device.

The present technology relates to a solid-state imaging device and an electronic device capable of improving a saturation characteristic. A photo diode is formed on a substrate, and a floating diffusion accumulates a signal charge read from the photo diode. A plurality of vertical gate electrodes is formed from a surface of the substrate in a depth direction in a region between the photo diode and the floating diffusion, and an overflow path is formed in a region interposed between a plurality of vertical gate electrodes. The present technology may be applied to a CMOS image sensor.

Provided is an imaging apparatus that includes a pixel array portion, a plurality of unit pixels being arranged in the pixel array portion and a driving unit controls an operation of the unit pixel, in which the unit pixel includes a photoelectric converter, a charge retention unit configured to retain a charge, a charge-voltage converter converts the charge into a voltage, a first transmitting unit transmits the charge from the photoelectric converter to the charge retention unit, a second transmitting unit transmits the charge from the photoelectric converter to the charge-voltage converter, and a third transmitting unit transmits the charge from the charge retention unit to the charge-voltage converter.

The present technology relates to an imaging device capable of preventing a decrease of sensitivity of the imaging device in a case where a capacitance element is provided in a pixel, a method of manufacturing an imaging device, and an electronic device. The imaging device includes, in a pixel, a photoelectric conversion element and a capacitance element accumulating an electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion element. The capacitance element includes a first electrode including a plurality of trenches, a plurality of second electrodes each having a cross-sectional area smaller than a contact connected to a gate electrode of a transistor in the pixel, and buried in each of the trenches, and a first insulating film disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode in each of the trenches. The present technology can be applied, for example, to a backside irradiation-type CMOS image sensor.

An image capture apparatus has an A/D converter that compares a pixel signal read out from a pixel having a photoelectric conversion element with a reference signal whose voltage changes over time, and obtains, as an A/D conversion result of the pixel signal, a digital value corresponding to a time required for a magnitude relationship between the pixel signal and the reference signal to change. The A/D converter determines a level of the pixel signal using a threshold value, makes a change rate of the voltage of the reference signal different depending on a determination result, and changes the threshold value according to a signal expansion amount of the pixel signal after A/D conversion.

An imaging system includes a plurality of pixel circuits each having a photodiode, a biasing circuit and a charge-to-voltage converter. The photodiode is configured to generate charges in response to light or radiation. The biasing circuit is configured to provide a constant bias voltage across the photodiode so as to drain the charges generated by the photodiode. The charge-to-voltage converter is configured to accumulate the charges drained by the biasing circuit and convert the accumulated charges into a corresponding output voltage.

An image processing apparatus includes an intermediate image generating unit configured to input an image which has been shot with differing exposure times set by region, generates a plurality of exposure pattern images corresponding to differing exposure times based on the input image, and generates a plurality of timing images which are difference images of the plurality of exposure pattern images; and a distortion correction processing unit configured to generate a corrected image equivalent to an exposure processing image at a predetermined exposure time by synthesizing processing of the plurality of timing images.