An image sensor may have a pixel array, and the pixel array may include a plurality of image pixels that gather image data and a plurality of phase detection pixels that gather phase information. The phase detection pixels may be arranged in phase detection pixel blocks, and each phase detection pixel group may include edge pixels. The edge pixels of each phase detection pixel group may be covered by microlenses that also cover a portion of a center pixel. The pixel array may also include high dynamic range pixel blocks. Each high dynamic range pixel block may include pixels within the phase detection pixel block and other pixels (e.g., corner pixels). A subset of the plurality of image pixels in the pixel array may be arranged in pixel blocks. Each pixel block may include a phase detection pixel block and a high dynamic range pixel block.

A camera system is described, particularly for a vehicle, the camera system having at least: a camera which has an image sensor and a filter mask, and a control and evaluation device which receives image signals output by the image sensor, the image sensor having an array of sensor pixels outputting pixel signals, and the filter mask having an array of filters which are disposed in front of the sensor pixels and have different wavelength-selective transmission response, a portion of the filters being attenuation filters, and sensor pixels, in front of which in each case one of the attenuation filters is disposed, outputting attenuation pixel signals. The attenuation filters advantageously attenuate white light more strongly than the other filters of the filter mask; in particular, they are blue pixels.

Systems and methods for generating high dynamic images from interleaved Bayer array data with high spatial resolution and reduced sampling artifacts. Bayer array data are demosaiced into components of the YUV color space before deinterleaving. The Y component and the UV components can be derived from the Bayer array data through demosiac convolution processes. A respective convolution is performed between a convolution kernel and a set of adjacent pixels of the Bayer array that are in the same color channel. A convolution kernel is selected based the mosaic pattern of the Bayer array and the color channels of the set of adjacent pixels. The Y data and UV data are deinterleaved and interpolated into frames of short exposure and long exposures in the second color space. The short exposure and long exposure frames are then blended and converted back to a RGB frame representing a high dynamic range image.

An image sensor may include a shared pixel circuit having multiple photodiodes coupled to a common floating diffusion node via respective charge transfer gates. First, the pixel circuit may be reset, and a sample-and-hold reset (SHR) value may be read out. Charge from a first of the photodiodes may be transferred to the floating diffusion node, and a first sample-and-hold signal (SHS) value may be read out. A first correlated double sampling (CDS) value is obtained by computing the difference between the SHR value and the first SHS value. Without resetting again, charge from a second of the photodiodes may be transferred to the floating diffusion node, and a second SHS value may be read out. A second CDS value is obtained by computing the difference between the first and second SHS values. Reading out the shared pixel circuit in this way substantially reduces power consumption.

An image sensor is provided. The image sensor includes a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels are arranged, wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes a photodiode; a floating diffusion node configured to integrate photocharges generated in the photodiode; a first sampling transistor electrically connected to a first node; a first capacitor electrically connected to a first node and configured to store a charge corresponding to a voltage of the floating diffusion node which is reset; a second sampling transistor electrically connected to a second node; a second capacitor electrically connected to the second node and configured to store a charge corresponding to a voltage of the floating diffusion node in which the photocharges are integrated; and at least one mode transistor configured to adjust an equivalent capacitance of each of the first node and the second node according to a mode control signal.

An image sensor generates first digital samples and second digital samples during respective first and second sampling intervals, the first digital samples including at least one digital sample of each pixel of a first plurality of pixels, and the second digital samples including at least one digital sample of each pixel of a second plurality of pixels. A sum of the first digital samples is accumulated within a first counter as the first sampling interval transpires, and a sum of the second digital samples is accumulated within the first counter as the second sampling interval transpires.

An imaging apparatus which communicates with an external apparatus via a network, includes an imaging unit; a first image processing unit configured to change, by image processing, a brightness of a captured image output from the imaging unit; a second image processing unit configured to change, by image processing that is different from the image processing by the first image processing unit, a brightness of a captured image output from the imaging unit; a receiving unit configured to receive, from the external apparatus, a single command in which first image processing information for controlling an operation of the first image processing unit and second image processing information for controlling an operation of the second image processing unit may be described; and a control unit configured to control the first image processing unit and the second image processing unit in accordance with the command received by the receiving unit.

A solid-state imaging device includes: a pixel unit in which pixels are arranged in a matrix pattern; and a pixel signal read-out unit including an AD conversion unit performing analog-to-digital (AD) conversion of a pixel signal read out from the pixel unit, wherein each pixel included in the pixel unit includes division pixels divided into regions in which photosensitivity levels or electric charge accumulating amounts are different from one another, the pixel signal reading unit includes a normal read-out mode and a multiple read-out mode, and includes a function of changing a configuration of a frame in accordance with a change of the read-out mode, and wherein the AD conversion unit acquires a pixel signal of one pixel by adding the division pixel signals while performing AD conversion for the division pixel signals.

A high dynamic range imaging pixel may include a photodiode that generates charge in response to incident light. When the generated charge exceeds a first charge level, the charge may overflow through a first transistor to a first storage capacitor. When the generated charge exceeds a second charge level that is higher than the first charge level, the charge may overflow through a second transistor. The charge that overflows through the second transistor may alternately be coupled to a voltage supply and drained or transferred to a second storage capacitor for subsequent readout. Diverting more overflow charge to the voltage supply may increase the dynamic range of the pixel. The amount of charge diverted to the voltage supply may therefore be updated to control the dynamic range of the imaging pixel.

An image sensor includes first photodiodes sharing a first node that is connected to a first capacitor, second photodiodes sharing a second node that is connected to a second capacitor, a common transistor configured to selectively connect a third node to a pixel voltage node, the third node connected to a third capacitor, a first reset transistor that may selectively connect the first node to the third node, and a second reset transistor that may selectively connect the second node to the third node. The first reset transistor and the second reset transistor may electrically connect the first node, the second node, and the third node to each other according to an operation of the first reset transistor and the second reset transistor. The common transistor is configured to reset the third node to the pixel voltage according to an operation of the common transistor.