To reduce power consumption of a driver circuit used in a vertical drive circuit of an image processing device.

In the driver circuit, a drive signal output circuit outputs a drive signal in accordance with a predetermined trigger signal. Furthermore, at a time of rising of the drive signal, a step-up switch sequentially selects a plurality of voltages in ascending order, and supplies the selected voltage to the drive signal output circuit. Moreover, at a time of falling of the drive signal, a step-down switch sequentially selects a plurality of voltages in descending order, and supplies the selected voltage to the drive signal output circuit.

A dynamic vision sensor may include a pixel array including at least a first photoreceptor and a second photoreceptor, the first photoreceptor and the second photoreceptor including at least one first pixel and at least one second pixel, respectively, the at least one first pixel and the at least one second pixel configured to generate at least one first photocurrent and at least one second photocurrent in response to an incident light, respectively, and the first photoreceptor and the second photoreceptor configured to a first and second log voltages based on the at least one first photocurrent and the at least one second photocurrent, respectively, processing circuitry configured to, amplify the first and second log voltages, detect a change in intensity of the light based on the amplified first log voltage, the amplified second log voltage, and a reference voltage, and output an event signal corresponding to the detected value.

The present disclosure provides an image sensor, which includes: a pixel collection circuit array including a plurality of pixel collection circuits, each pixel collection circuit being configured to monitor a change in a light intensity in a field of view and enter a triggered state when the change in the light intensity meets a predetermined condition; a global control unit configured to reset the pixel collection circuit array when the image sensor is powered on, and control the pixel collection circuit array in a stable initial state to operate; a photo current detection unit configured to determine whether there is the change in the light intensity, and control an operating state of at least one pixel collection circuit in accordance with the detected change in the light intensity; and a reading unit configured to respond to the pixel collection circuit in the triggered state and output corresponding address information.

A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a driving unit and a plurality of pixels. The pixel includes a first photoelectric conversion unit, a second photoelectric conversion unit, a charge-voltage conversion unit, a first transfer transistor, a second transfer transistor, a reset transistor, a microlens configured to condense incident light to the first photoelectric conversion unit and the second photoelectric conversion unit, and an output unit. The driving unit performs a first operation including a first reset operation and a first readout operation, and a second operation including a second reset operation and a second readout operation.

Imaging devices are disclosed. In one example, an imaging device includes a photoelectric conversion unit with plural photoelectric conversion elements, a detector that outputs a detection signal indicating whether or not an amount of change in the electric signal of each of the photoelectric conversion elements exceeds a predetermined threshold value, a pixel signal generation unit that generates a pixel signal on the basis of the electric signal, a transfer controller that controls transfer of the electric signal to the pixel signal generation unit, and an analog-to-digital converter that converts the pixel signal into a digital signal. The low-potential-side reference potentials of the photoelectric conversion unit, the detector, the pixel signal generation unit, and the analog-to-digital converter, and the off-potential of the transfer controller include three or more potentials having different potential levels.

A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes a plurality of element arrays, a signal-processing circuit, and a comparison-voltage generation circuit. Each element array is selectively connected to a vertical signal line and includes an amplification transistor configured to output a first analog signal on the basis of an input analog voltage and an actual value of variation of a characteristic value of each element array included in the plurality of element arrays. The comparison-voltage generation circuit is configured to output a gradually increasing or gradually decreasing comparison voltage. The signal-processing circuit includes a storage circuit and is configured to compare the first analog signal with the comparison voltage and store a timing at which the comparison voltage and a value of a second analog signal generated by adding a predetermined absolute value to the first analog signal match each other onto the storage circuit.

A solid state image sensor includes a pixel array, as well as charge-to-voltage converters, reset gates, and amplifiers each shared by a plurality of pixels in the array. The voltage level of the reset gate power supply is set higher than the voltage level of the amplifier power supply. Additionally, charge overflowing from photodetectors in the pixels may be discarded into the charge-to-voltage converters. The image sensor may also include a row scanner configured such that, while scanning a row in the pixel array to read out signals therefrom, the row scanner resets the charge in the photodetectors of the pixels sharing a charge-to-voltage converter with pixels on the readout row. The charge reset is conducted simultaneously with or prior to reading out the signals from the pixels on the readout row.

An image sensor comprises a row driver, a first row line which is connected to the row driver, first to fourth pixels connected to the first row line, first to fourth column lines connected to the first to fourth pixels and configured to receive respective first to fourth output signals from the first to fourth pixels, a boosting circuit connected to the first to fourth column lines, a second row line connected to the boosting circuit, first and second boosting drivers connected, respectively, to first and second terminals of the second row line. The boosting circuit may adjust voltage of the first and second output signals based on a first boosting enable signal received from the first boosting driver and may adjust a voltage of the third and fourth output signals based on a second boosting enable signal received from the second boosting driver.

An image sensor comprises a row driver, a first row line which is connected to the row driver, first to fourth pixels connected to the first row line, first to fourth column lines connected to the first to fourth pixels and configured to receive respective first to fourth output signals from the first to fourth pixels, a boosting circuit connected to the first to fourth column lines, a second row line connected to the boosting circuit, first and second boosting drivers connected, respectively, to first and second terminals of the second row line. The boosting circuit may adjust voltage of the first and second output signals based on a first boosting enable signal received from the first boosting driver and may adjust a voltage of the third and fourth output signals based on a second boosting enable signal received from the second boosting driver.

A radiography system comprising a radiography device and a power supply device is provided. The radiography device includes a sensor unit for obtaining a radiographic image and is capable of non-contact power reception, and the power supply device is capable of non-contact power supply to the radiography device. In a period in which a fluctuation in a power supply frequency of the power supply from the power supply device to the radiography device affects a signal obtained by the radiography device from the sensor unit, the power supply device supplies power to the radiography device at a constant power supply frequency.