The present invention discloses an image sensor, an image readout method, and an electronic device. The image sensor comprises: a pixel array and a plurality of readout conversion circuits, the readout conversion circuit comprises: a comparison circuit for comparing an output signal of the column pixel with a ramp signal to obtain a first output signal and a second output signal; a selection module for selecting the first output signal during a first sampling count, and selecting the second output signal during a second sampling count; a counter for counting according to the first output signal and the second output signal to obtain total quantization value of the first sampling count and the second sampling count, so as to obtain actual signal quantization result according to the total quantization value. The image readout speed of the image sensor is improved.

In an embodiment a pixel arrangement includes a photodetector configured to accumulate charge carriers by converting electromagnetic radiation, a transfer transistor electrically coupled to the photodetector, a diffusion node electrically coupled to the transfer transistor, a reset transistor electrically coupled to the diffusion node and to a pixel supply voltage and a sample-and-hold stage including at least a first capacitor and a second capacitor, an input of the sample-and-hold stage being electrically coupled to the diffusion node via an amplifier, wherein the transfer transistor is configured to be pulsed to different voltage levels for transferring parts of the accumulated charge carriers to the diffusion node, wherein at least the second capacitor is configured to store a low conversion gain signal representing a first part of the accumulated charge carriers, and wherein the first capacitor is configured to store a high conversion gain signal representing a remaining part of the accumulated charge carriers.

A comparison circuit that includes an input sampling capacitor and an image sensor including the same are provided. The comparison circuit includes an amplifier configured to receive a pixel signal and a ramp signal to perform a correlated double sampling operation, a first pixel capacitor connected to the amplifier through a first floating node and configured to transmit the pixel signal, a first ramp capacitor connected to the amplifier through a second floating node and configured to transmit the ramp signal, a second pixel capacitor connected in parallel to the first pixel capacitor, and a second ramp capacitor connected in parallel to the first ramp capacitor, wherein the second pixel capacitor is formed between the first floating node and first peripheral routing lines, and the second ramp capacitor is formed between the second floating node and second peripheral routing lines.

A solid-state imaging device, a method for driving a solid-state imaging device, and an electronic apparatus are provided that are capable of reducing memory circuits of a column reading system, so that the column reading system can achieve a reduced layout area and eventually a reduced size. A column reading circuit includes an AD converting part and a calculating part. The AD converting part is configured to analog-to-digital convert a read-out reset signal and a read-out signal of a pixel signal read to a vertical signal line into an n-bit digital pixel signal. The calculating part includes an n-bit asynchronous counter including a retention circuit with a control logic function, which is configured to obtain a difference between an n-bit read-out reset signal and an n-bit read-out signal produced by the AD conversion performed by the AD converting part.

Provided is a pixel array including a plurality of pixels, each of which includes a photodiode configured to generate a photocharge in a frame including a plurality of unit frames, a floating diffusion node configured to receive the photocharge, a first storage capacitor configured to receive and store a first photocharge generated by the photodiode through the floating diffusion node during a first unit accumulation time period in each of the plurality of unit frames, and a second storage capacitor configured to receive and store a second photocharge generated by the photodiode through the floating diffusion node during a second unit accumulation time period in each of the plurality of unit frames.

A unit cell for use in an optical active pixel sensor (APS) includes a photodiode having a first terminal connected to a photodiode biasing PDB line, and a second terminal opposite from the first terminal; a reset switch transistor having a first terminal connected to the second terminal of the photodiode, and a second terminal connected to a reference voltage line, and a gate of the reset switch transistor is connected to a reset signal RST supply line; and an amplification transistor having a first terminal connected to an output readout line, and a second terminal connected to a driving voltage supply line, and a gate of the amplification transistor is connected to a node constituting the connection of the second terminal of the photodiode and the first terminal of the reset switch transistor. An optical APS device includes a sensor matrix formed of a plurality of unit cells according to any of the embodiments arranged in an array of rows and columns.

An analog-to-digital converter includes a generator, a comparator, and a counter. The generator generates a reference signal whose voltage changes with respect to time. The voltage of the reference signal changes with a constant slope in a predetermined first period since the voltage starts changing. The slope of the voltage becomes steeper with respect to time in a second period after the first period. The comparator compares the reference signal and a voltage output from outside, and outputs a comparison result. The counter counts at a predetermined first cycle since the voltage of the reference signal starts changing until the comparison result is inverted.

An image sensor includes: a pixel substrate that includes a plurality of pixels each having a photoelectric conversion unit that generates an electric charge through photoelectric conversion executed on light having entered therein and an output unit that generates a signal based upon the electric charge and outputs the signal; and an arithmetic operation substrate that is laminated on the pixel substrate and includes an operation unit that generates a corrected signal by using a reset signal generated after the electric charge in the output unit is reset and a photoelectric conversion signal generated based upon an electric charge generated in the photoelectric conversion unit and executes an arithmetic operation by using corrected signals each generated in correspondence to one of the pixels.

An imaging apparatus including a light source is provided. The imaging apparatus includes a light-emitting device and a photoelectric conversion device in a pixel, and a pixel circuit has a function of outputting third data generated by multiplying obtained first data by second data (weight). Calculating the third data externally enables more detailed information on a subject with respect to a specific wavelength to be obtained. In addition, reading out collectively a plurality of pixels to which proper weight is given enables output of difference data between pixels and the like, which allows external calculation to be omitted.

In a solid-state imaging element that transfers data in a vertical direction, the number of times of transfer is reduced. The solid-state imaging element is provided with a plurality of storage units and a data transfer circuit. In the solid-state imaging element, each of the plurality of storage units is provided with a holding unit that holds predetermined reset data and signal data according to an amount of light, and an arithmetic circuit that obtains a difference between the reset data and the signal data to output as pixel data. Furthermore, the data transfer circuit in the solid-state imaging element transfers the output pixel data.