H04N5/369

Solid-state imaging device and electronic apparatus

Provided is a solid-state imaging device and an electronic apparatus capable of achieving both of a high dynamic range operation and an auto focus operation in a pixel configuration in which a plurality of unit pixels includes two or more subpixels. The solid-state imaging device includes a first pixel separation region that separates a plurality of unit pixels including two or more subpixels, a second pixel separation region that separates each of the plurality of unit pixels separated by the first pixel separation region and an overflow region that causes signal charges accumulated in the subpixels to overflow to at least one of adjacent subpixels, in which the overflow region is formed between a first subpixel and a second subpixel.

Measurement device

Provided is a measurement device that includes a pixel including a light receiver, a plurality of storage sections, and an electric charge supplying section. The light receiver generates received-light electric charge by performing photoelectric conversion on the basis of light. The plurality of storage sections stores the received-light electric charge and the plurality of storage sections includes a first storage section and a second storage section. The electric charge supplying section selectively supplies the received-light electric charge generated by the light receiver to the plurality of storage sections. The measurement device includes a processor that generates a first detection value on the basis of an electric charge amount of the received-light electric charge stored in the first storage section, and generates a second detection value on the basis of an electric charge amount of the received-light electric charge stored in the second storage section. The processor generates a first pixel value on the basis of a difference between the first detection value and the second detection value.

Solid-state imaging device and imaging device

Improvement of noise characteristics is achievable. A solid-state imaging device according to an embodiment includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements (333) arranged in a two-dimensional grid shape in a matrix direction and each generating a charge corresponding to a received light amount, and a detection unit (400) that detects a photocurrent produced by the charge generated in each of the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements. A chip (201a) on which the photoelectric conversion elements are disposed and a chip (201b) on which at least a part of the detection unit is disposed are different from each other.

Disparity-preserving binning for phase detection autofocus in digital imaging systems

Techniques are described for disparity-preserving pixel binning during consistently binned parallel readout of an imaging sensor array having both phase detection autofocus (PDAF) pixels and imaging pixels. Each group of PDAF pixels and each group of imaging pixels is coupled with pixel actuators according to an particular arrangement, so that consistently applied control of the pixel actuators results in desired binning of both the PDAF pixels and the imaging pixels. According to some implementations, though such control of the pixel actuators is consistently applied across the pixels of the array, parallel readout of the sensor array yields diagonally binned imaging pixels, but vertically binned PDAF pixels to preserve horizontal PDAF disparity information. Additionally or alternatively, disparity-inducing structures are configured to position same-disparity PDAF pixels so that consistently applied control of the pixel actuators preserves disparity information during binning.

IMAGING SYSTEMS WITH ADJUSTABLE AMPLIFIER CIRCUITRY

An image sensor may include an array of image pixels. The array of image pixel may be coupled to column readout circuitry. A given image pixel may generate a low light signal and a high light signal for a given exposure. A column line may couple the given image pixel to readout circuitry having amplifier circuitry. The column line may be coupled to an autozeroing transistor for reading out the high light signal and a source follower stage for readout out the low light signal. The amplifier circuitry may receive different common mode voltage depending on whether it is amplifying the low or high light signal. The gain and other operating parameters of the amplifier circuitry may be adjusted based on whether it is amplifying the low or high signal. If desired, separate amplifier circuitry may be implemented for the low and high light signals.

IMAGING ELEMENT AND IMAGING DEVICE
20220385844 · 2022-12-01 · ·

An imaging element includes a first substrate that is provided with a photoelectric conversion unit which generates an electric charge by photoelectric conversion, a signal line to which a signal based on the electric charge generated by the photoelectric conversion unit is output, and a supply unit which supplies a voltage to the signal line such that a voltage of the signal line does not fall below a predetermined voltage, and a second substrate that is provided with a processing unit which processes the signal output to the signal line and is stacked on the first substrate.

SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
20220384498 · 2022-12-01 ·

A solid-state imaging device capable of improving image quality and functionality is provided.

Provided is a solid-state imaging device including a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels are two-dimensionally disposed, in which each of the pixels includes a photoelectric conversion unit and a concavo-convex portion, the photoelectric conversion unit photoelectrically converting incident light formed on a semiconductor substrate, and the concavo-convex portion being positioned above the photoelectric conversion unit and formed on a light receiving surface side of the semiconductor substrate, and the number of irregularities of a concavo-convex portion included in a pixel disposed in a central portion of the pixel region and the number of irregularities of a concavo-convex portion included in a pixel disposed in a peripheral portion of the pixel region are different from each other.

IMAGING APPARATUS AND METHOD

Provided are an imaging apparatus and a method capable of capturing a high-quality multi spectral image. The imaging apparatus includes: an optical system that has three or more aperture regions at a pupil position or near the pupil position, each of the aperture regions being provided with a different combination of a polarizing filter and a bandpass filter such that the aperture region transmits light having a combination of a different polarization angle and a different wavelength range; an image sensor in which three or more types of pixels that receive light having different polarization angles are arranged two-dimensionally; and a processor that performs interference removal processing on a signal output from the image sensor and generates an image signal for each of the aperture regions. In a case where the optical system has three or more types of the polarizing filters and the polarizing filters are arranged in an order of the polarization angles, at least one of differences in the polarization angles of the adjacent polarizing filters is different from the others.

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OBTAINING COLOR IMAGERY USING SINGLE PHOTON AVALANCHE DIODES

A system for obtaining color imagery using SPADs includes a SPAD array that has a plurality of SPAD pixels. Each of the plurality of SPAD pixels includes a respective color filter positioned thereover. The system is configurable to capture an image frame using the SPAD array and generate a filtered image by performing a temporal filtering operation using the image frame and at least one preceding image frame. The at least one preceding image frame is captured by the SPAD array at a timepoint that temporally precedes a timepoint associated with the image frame. The system is also configurable to, after performing the temporal filtering operation, generate a color image by demosaicing the filtered image.

ENHANCED CONVERSION-GAIN IMAGE SENSOR
20220385853 · 2022-12-01 ·

An amplifier transistor within an image-sensor pixel is implemented upside down relative to conventional orientation such that a substrate-resident floating diffusion node of the pixel forms the gate of the amplifier transistor—achieving increased pixel conversion gain by eliminating the conventional metal-layer interconnection between the floating diffusion node and amplifier-transistor gate and concomitant parasitic capacitance.