The present disclosure relates generally to apparatus and methods for image sensing, and, more particularly, to a multi-bit quanta image sensor (QIS) having a controllable (e.g., adjustably variable) exposure response characteristic. Some embodiments provide an apparatus and method wherein the non-linearity of the response of a multi-bit QIS is controllable (e.g., selectively variable) by dynamically choosing the bit depth n during AID conversion, and/or later (i.e., post-conversion) by firmware and/or software.

A dynamic vision sensor (DVS) or change detection sensor reacts to changes in light intensity and in this way monitors how a scene changes. This disclosure covers both single pixel and array architectures. The DVS may contain one pixel or 2-dimensional or 1-dimensional array of pixels. The change of intensities registered by pixels are compared, and pixel addresses where the change is positive or negative are recorded and processed. Analyzing frames based on just three values for pixels, increase, decrease or unchanged, the proposed DVS can process visual information much faster than traditional computer vision systems, which correlate multi-bit color or gray level pixel values between successive frames.

Some embodiments provide an apparatus and method wherein the non-linearity of the response of a multi-bit QIS is controllable (e.g., selectively variable) by dynamically choosing the bit depth n during A/D conversion, and/or later (i.e., post-conversion) by firmware and/or software.

Some embodiments provide an apparatus and method wherein the non-linearity of the response of a multi-bit QIS is controllable (e.g., selectively variable) by dynamically choosing the bit depth n during A/D conversion, and/or later (i.e., post-conversion) by firmware and/or software.

In a case where illuminance is high, an error between the number of photons per frame calculated from time information and the number of photons and the actually expected number of photons per frame is reduced. In a time counter that counts a clock from the start of exposure in one frame, one-count time in the clock is switched depending on the illuminance. In a case where a pixel counter is saturated within a period of one frame, the illuminance is determined to be high, and a high-illuminance clock in which one-count time is set more minutely in the first half of one frame is used to count. In a case where the illuminance is not determined to be high, a normal clock is used to count.

In a digital camera having an imaging array including a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns, the digital camera having a mechanical shutter, a method for performing neutral density filtering of images captured by the imaging array, the method comprising opening the mechanical shutter, operating each row in the array by resetting all of the pixel sensors in the row, starting exposure for all of the pixel sensors in the row, closing the mechanical shutter, reading pixel values from the pixels in the array after the mechanical shutter has closed at a time unrelated to a time at which any pixel-select signal was de-asserted, and wherein the interval of time between starting exposure for all of the pixel sensors in the row and closing the mechanical shutter for each row a function of a neutral density filter function applied to an image to be captured.

An imaging device includes: a photoelectric converter including first and second electrodes, and a photoelectric conversion layer located between the first electrode and the second electrode; a voltage supply circuit applying a bias voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode; an amplifier transistor including a gate electrically connected to the second electrode, the amplifier transistor configured to output a signal corresponding to a potential of the second electrode; and a detection circuit configured to detect a level of the signal from the amplifier transistor. The voltage supply circuit applies the bias voltage in a first voltage range when the level detected by the detection circuit is greater than or equal to a first threshold value, and applies the bias voltage in a second voltage range that is greater than the first voltage range when the level detected by the detection circuit is less than a second threshold value.

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.

The invention relates to a structure of an active pixel of the CMOS type (1) that comprises: at least one photodiode (10), characterized in that it comprises means for reading any bias voltage in the evolution phase of the photodiode (10) upon exposure.

An imaging device includes at least one pixel having a phototransistor which converts light energy into signal charge and varies an amplification factor relative to the intensity of the received light energy, wherein the signal charge of the phototransistor is read out while receiving the light energy with the phototransistor for each pixel.