An imaging device includes a pixel unit having a plurality of pixels forming a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, and a readout unit that divides the pixel unit into a plurality of pixel blocks based on a division pattern, each pixel block including at least two pixels, and combines signals from the at least two pixels included in one pixel block to generate one signal for each of the pixel blocks. A detection unit detects a change in signal values between a plurality of signals sequentially generated by the readout unit of the one pixel block. A control unit controls the readout unit to output a signal individually from each of the pixels included in at least one pixel block in response to detecting a change in the signal values, and controls the readout unit so that the division patterns are different in at least two frames.

A computer implemented method for controlling read-out from a digital image sensor device, comprising a plurality of pixels, the method comprising the steps of setting a first read-out scheme, based on a first level of pixel binning and/or pixel skipping, reading, based on the first read-out scheme, from the digital image sensor device, a first image, determining an exposure value for the first image, based on the intensity value of each one of the first plurality of regions of the first image and comparing the exposure value with a predetermined maximum value. A second read-out scheme based on a second level of pixel binning and/or pixel skipping is set. The level of pixel binning and/or pixel skipping in the second read-out scheme is increased compared to the first read-out scheme, if the exposure value is higher than the predetermined maximum value. Based on the second read-out scheme, a subsequent second image is read. A system configured to perform the method is also described.

An imaging device with a novel structure is provided. The imaging device includes an imaging region provided with a plurality of pixels. The plurality of pixels included in the imaging region include a first pixel and a second pixel. The imaging device has a function of selecting a first region or a second region. The first region includes the same number of pixels as the second region. The first region includes at least the first and second pixels. The second region includes at least the second pixel. The pixels included in the first region or the second region have a function of outputting imaging signals obtained by the pixels. The imaging device generates first image data by concurrently reading the imaging signals output from the pixels included in the first region and performing arithmetic operation on the signals. The imaging device generates second image data by concurrently reading the imaging signals output from the pixels included in the second region and performing arithmetic operation on the signals. A first conceptual image can be generated with the use of the first image data and the second image data.

The present technology relates to a sensor and a control method that achieve flexible acquisition of event data. A pixel block of the sensor includes one or more pixels each configured to receive light and perform photoelectric conversion to generate an electrical signal and an event detecting section configured to detect an event that is a change in electrical signal of each of the pixels. The sensor switches connections between a plurality of the pixel blocks. The present technology is applicable to a sensor configured to detect events that are changes in electrical signal of pixels, for example.

Methods and apparatus to capture images are disclosed. An example apparatus disclosed herein includes an image sensor to observe a first image of a face, and a logic circuit to determine whether the face in the first image is in a first orientation with respect to the image sensor, and when the face in the first image is in the first orientation: trigger the image sensor to capture a second image of the face, and perform a facial recognition process on the second image, but not on the first image.

Disclosed herein is a method, comprising: exposing an image sensor to a scene; measuring, as analog signals, intensities of light from the scene by a plurality of pixels of the image sensor; converting the analog signals to digital signals; and determining a total intensity of light of the scene by calculating a sum of the digital signals.

An information processing apparatus including a specification section specifying, from among a plurality of blocks that are set by dividing pixels included in at least a partial region of a pixel region having a plurality of pixels arrayed therein and each of which includes at least one or more of the pixels, at least one or more of the blocks, and a generation section generating a unique value based on pixel values of the pixels included in the specified blocks and a dispersion of the pixel values of the pixels among the plurality of blocks.

An image sensor includes a pixel, the pixel has: a first photoelectric conversion unit and a second photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically convert light to generate a charge; an accumulation unit that accumulates at least one of the charge generated by the first photoelectric conversion unit and the charge generated by the second photoelectric conversion unit; a first output unit and a second output unit that output a signal based on the charge accumulated in the accumulation unit; and an adjustment unit that adjusts a capacitance of the accumulation unit if a signal based on the charges generated by the first photoelectric conversion unit and the second photoelectric conversion unit is output from the first output unit.

The present disclosure relates to a solid-state imaging device and an electronic device that can be provided with phase difference pixels with a lower degree of difficulty in manufacturing. Provided is a solid-state imaging device including a pixel array unit in which a plurality of pixels is two-dimensionally arrayed, in which the pixel array unit has an array pattern in which a plurality of pixel groups each including neighboring pixels of an identical color is regularly arrayed, and among the plurality of pixel groups arrayed in the array pattern, pixels configuring a light-shielded pixel group are shielded in an identical direction side from light, the light-shielded pixel group being a pixel group including pixels each being shielded in a part of a light incident side from the light. The present technology can be applied to, for example, a CMOS image sensor including pixels for phase difference detection.

An image processing apparatus includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to detect a positional shift amount of each of a plurality of images; select a composite target image from the plurality of images based on the detected positional shift amount; and obtain a composite image based on the positional shift amount and the selected composite target image.