An image capturing apparatus comprises: an image sensor including a pixel region including a plurality of pixel units, arranged in a matrix, each having first and second photoelectric conversion units, and a storage unit provided for each column; and a driving unit configured to drive the image sensor by, for each pixel unit to be read of the plurality of pixel units, exclusively selecting an operation of combining a signal of the first photoelectric conversion unit and a signal of the second photoelectric conversion unit for each pixel unit and outputting the combined signal to the storage unit, an operation of reading a signal from the first photoelectric conversion unit of each pixel unit to the storage unit, or an operation of reading a signal from the second photoelectric conversion unit of each pixel unit to the storage unit.

The imaging device includes a pixel including a photoelectric converter, a first switch, a charge holding portion, and an output unit, an output line, a readout circuit unit connected to the output line, and a control unit. The readout circuit unit includes an amplifier circuit, a second switch between the output line and the amplifier circuit, and a comparator comparing the amplified pixel signal with a reference signal. The control unit performs outputting a pixel signal by transferring the charge in the photoelectric converter to the charge holding portion, determining a level of the pixel signal amplified by the amplifier circuit, and setting a gain of the amplifier circuit in accordance with a result of determination, and sets the second switch to off during the first switch is in on and until the output unit is settled after the first switch transitions from on to off.

An imaging apparatus includes a reading unit, a display unit, and a control unit. The reading unit reads pixel signals from imaging pixels and focus detection pixels. The display unit displays an image. When both exposure/reading of the imaging pixels and the focus detection pixels are achievable within time corresponding to a display frame rate of the display unit, the control unit controls to alternate the exposure/reading of the imaging pixels and the exposure/reading of the focus detection pixels. When both the exposure/reading of imaging pixels and the focus detection pixels are not achievable within the time, the control unit controls to perform the exposure of the imaging pixels and the focus detection pixels at the same time and read the pixel signals of the imaging pixels and the focus detection pixels after the end of the exposure of the imaging pixels and the focus detection pixels.

A solid-state imaging device including: a pixel array unit in which a plurality of pixels outputting an analog pixel signal are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix form; a ramp signal generation unit configured to generate and output a ramp wave; a clock generation unit configured to generate and output multiphase clocks; and a signal-processing unit, wherein the signal-processing unit including: a plurality of analog-to-digital conversion circuits, and a plurality of repeater circuits, wherein each of the plurality of analog-to-digital conversion circuits includes: a comparison unit, and a latch unit, wherein each of the plurality of the analog-to-digital conversion circuits outputs the digital value according to the state of the phase held by each latch circuit, and wherein each of the plurality of the repeater circuits corresponding to the same set are arranged side by side, and the repeater circuits are connected in series.

The present disclosure discloses an imaging method. The imaging method comprises: providing an image sensor, the image sensor comprising a photosensitive pixel array and a filter arranged on the photosensitive unit array, the filter comprising a filter cell array, and each filter cell covering a plurality of photosensitive pixels to form a merged pixel; and reading outputs of the photosensitive pixel array, and adding the outputs of the photosensitive pixels of the same merged pixel to obtain a pixel value of the merged pixel, thereby producing a merged image. Images, having higher signal to noise ratio, brightness, and definition, and less noise, can be captured by using the imaging method in low light. The present disclosure also discloses an imaging device using the imaging method and an electronic device using the imaging device.

An image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of unit pixels in a matrix including rows and columns, a selection unit configured to select outputs of some of the columns of the pixel array and output selection output signals, and an analog-digital conversion block including a plurality of analog-digital conversion units corresponding to the columns of the pixel array. First ones of the plurality of analog-digital conversion units include analog-digital conversion blocks configured to convert the selection output signals and output digital data. When the first analog-digital conversion units convert the selection output signals, second ones of the plurality of analog-digital conversion units are turned off.

Targets are read by image capture with a substantially constant resolution over an extended range of working distances. Return light returning from a far-out target located at a far-out working distance is sensed by an array of pixels over a relatively narrow field of view, and over a relatively wide field of view when a close-in target is located at a close-in working distance. A controller processes the sensed return light from the far-out target only from a set of the pixels located in a central region of the array. For the close-in target, the controller groups all the pixels into bins, each bin having a plurality of the pixels, and processes the sensed return light from the close-in target from each of the bins.

Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses for dynamic pixel binning are presented. In one example, an image sensor system includes a plurality of sensor elements; a plurality of floating diffusion regions in communication with the plurality of sensor elements, each floating diffusion region of the plurality of floating diffusion regions configured to be selectively enabled; and at least one comparison circuit coupled to at least two floating diffusion regions of the plurality of floating diffusion regions, the comparison circuit configured to: receive input signals from the two floating diffusion regions, compare the input signals, and output a comparison signal based on the comparison of the input signals.

Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses for image sensors with pixel binning with configurable shared floating diffusion are presented. In one example, an image sensor system includes a plurality of sensor elements; a photo-sensitive layer coupled to the plurality of sensor elements; a plurality of floating diffusion regions in communication with the photo-sensitive layer, each floating diffusion region of the plurality of floating diffusion regions configured to be selectively enabled; and at least one bridge coupled to two floating diffusion regions of the plurality of floating diffusion regions, the bridge configured to be selectively enabled and, when enabled, to allow a transfer of charge between the two floating diffusion regions.

An imaging device further includes a correction gain calculating unit configured to calculate a first correction gain of a first partial image captured by the first imaging element and calculate a second correction gain of a second partial image captured by the second imaging element based on the first exposure amount and the second exposure amount; a photographing processing unit configured to make an imaging element having a smaller one of the first exposure amount and the second exposure amount image with an exposure amount of the imaging element and makes an imaging element having a larger one of the first exposure amount and the second exposure amount image with the third exposure amount; and an image correction unit configured to correct the first partial image with the first correction gain and correct the second partial image with the second correction gain calculated by the correction gain calculating unit.