Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Hisashi Takado

Noriyuki Kaifu

Tomoya Onishi

Fujio Kawano

Kazuyuki Shigeta

Masahiro Kobayashi

Tetsuya Itano

Yasushi Iwakura

Takeshi Ichikawa

Yusuke Onuki

Hiroshi Sekine

Fumihiro Inui

Hiroaki Sano

Kazunari Kawabata

Shinji Yamanaka

Takashi Sugai

Takahiro Yamasaki

Toshiki Tsuboi

A photoelectric conversion device includes: pixels each including a photoelectric conversion unit and a counting unit generating a count value based on incident light to the photoelectric conversion unit; and a calculation unit performing interpolation processing on the count value. Each pixel is controlled to either a first state in which generation of the count value is enabled or a second state in which that is disabled. In a first sub-frame period, a first pixel is in the first state, and a second pixel is in the second state. In a second sub-frame period, the second pixel is in the first state, and the first pixel is in the second state. The calculation unit calculates a second count value of the first pixel in the second sub-frame period by performing the interpolation processing using a first count value generated in the second pixel in the second sub-frame period.

Photoelectric conversion device

An imaging device includes a pixel unit including pixels arranged in rows and columns, a pixel control unit that outputs, from each pixels, a first signal based on a charge generated during a first exposure period and a second signal based on a charge generated during a second exposure period, and an exposure time determination processing unit that determines a length of the second exposure period based on the first signal. The pixel unit includes areas each including at least one pixel, the exposure time determination processing unit determines the length of the second exposure period in each areas based on the first signal in each areas, and the pixel control unit starts the second exposure period in the pixels in a first area after outputting the first signal from the pixels in the first area and before outputting the first signal from the pixels in a second area.

Imaging device and imaging system

A photoelectric conversion apparatus including a plurality of pixels each having: a photoelectric conversion unit; a first charge holding unit; a second charge holding unit; a first gate; and a second gate. In a period when the photoelectric conversion unit is storing charges to be transferred to the first charge holding unit, the potential of the first gate is set to a first potential, and the potential of the second gate is set to a second potential. Both the first potential and the second potential are higher than the potential of the first gate in a period when the charges of the photoelectric conversion unit are transferred to the first charge holding unit and the potential of the second gate in a period when the charges of the photoelectric conversion unit are transferred to the second charge holding unit. The first potential is lower than the second potential.

Photoelectric conversion apparatus

In an imaging apparatus as an embodiment, a drive unit drives pixels so that a photoelectric conversion unit alternately performs accumulation of charges in a first exposure period and accumulation of charges in a second exposure period having different length from the first exposure period. A control unit performs a first exposure in a first cycle and performs a second exposure in second cycle when a result of detection indicates that a subject is not blinking. Further, the control unit performs a first exposure in a cycle different from the first cycle when the result of detection indicates that the subject is blinking.

Imaging apparatus, imaging system, and drive method of imaging apparatus

A solid-state imaging device includes a first detection pixel and a second detection pixel, each of the first detection pixel and the second detection pixel including a transfer transistor and an amplifier transistor connected to the transfer transistor via a first node, a voltage supply unit that supplies a predetermined voltage, and a connection switch connected between the voltage supply unit and a second node at which the transfer transistor of the first detection pixel and the transfer transistor of the second detection pixel are connected.

Solid-state imaging device, method of driving solid-state imaging device, and imaging system that can detect a failure while performing capturing

An image sensing device includes a plurality of pixels and a receiver configured to receive, from an outside, a trigger signal that gives a first timing and a second timing. Each of the plurality of pixels includes a photoelectric converter, a first charge holding portion configured to hold charges generated by the photoelectric converter, and a second charge holding portion configured to hold charges generated by the photoelectric converter. In each of the plurality of pixels, the charges whose accumulation is started in the photoelectric converter in accordance with the first timing are held by the first charge holding portion, and the charges whose accumulation is started in the photoelectric converter in accordance with the second timing are held by the second charge holding portion.

Image sensing device and image sensing system

An imaging device includes multiple pixels each having a photoelectric converter, a control unit that controls the pixels to output, from each pixel, a first signal based on charges generated by the photoelectric converter during first exposure time and a second signal based on charges generated by the photoelectric converter during second exposure time shorter than the first exposure time, a decision unit that decides whether or not a predetermined value is exceeded for each first signal output from the pixels and outputs a decision signal indicating a decision result, and a signal select unit that selects one of the first and second signals as an image forming signal of each pixel, and based on the decision signals of a target pixel and another pixel arranged in a predetermined region including the target pixel, the signal select unit selects the image forming signal of the target pixel.

Solid-state imaging device, method of driving solid-state imaging device, and imaging system having detection pixels and image acquisition pixels

A solid-state imaging apparatus comprises a pixel unit including G-pixels-G, R-pixels-R, and B-pixels-B, an image signal output interval of the G-pixelsmade shorter than image signal output intervals of the R-pixels and B-pixels. Regarding lights respectively having wavelength bands near a green color, near a red color, and near a blue color, the G-pixels-G have higher sensitivity to the wavelength band near the green color than both to the wavelength band near the red color and wavelength band near the blue color, the R-pixels-R have higher sensitivity to the wavelength band near the red color than both to the wavelength band near the green color and wavelength band near the blue color, and the B-pixels-B have higher sensitivity to the wavelength band near the blue color than both to the wavelength band near the green color and wavelength band near the red color.

Solid-state imaging apparatus, driving method therefor, and imaging system

A method for driving an image pickup apparatus is a method that generates image data using signals output by R, G, and B pixels contained in n frames, where n is an integer greater than or equal to two, and a signal or signals output by a W pixel contained in m frame or frames, where m is smaller than n, or that generates image data using signals output by R and B pixels contained in n frames and a signal or signals output by a G pixel contained in m frame or frames.

Method for driving image pickup apparatus, and signal processing method

In a state where an electric charge is held in a first charge holding unit, starting accumulation of an electric charge in a photoelectric conversion unit simultaneously in a plurality of pixel rows, and performing a first transfer operation for transferring an electric charge from the photoelectric conversion unit to the first charge holding unit simultaneously in the plurality of pixel rows.

Method for driving imaging apparatus

An image capturing apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises an image sensor comprising pixels and a controller. The pixels include a photoelectric converter, a holding unit, an output unit and a first and second transfer unit. The controller causes the sensor to repeatedly perform a holding operation that the first transfer unit transfer charge from the photoelectric conversion unit to the holding unit, and a transfer operation that the second transfer unit transfer the charge from the holding unit to the output unit. The controller causes the sensor to perform, as the holding operation, holding operations including a first holding operation for performing the first transfer unit transfer charge generated in a first exposure time and a second holding operation for performing the first transfer unit transfer charge generated in a second exposure time longer than the first exposure time.

Image capturing apparatus and driving method of image sensor

Resolution data is generated by using signals output by a first pixel group. Color data is generated by using signals output by a second pixel group. The resolution data is combined with the color data to generate first data. Up-conversion processing is performed on the first data to generate second data, and mosaic processing is performed on the second data to generate data of a predetermined array.

Apparatus, system, and signal processing method for image pickup using resolution data and color data

To increase image quality of a moving image by suppressing a color afterimage while reducing color noise, provided is an imaging apparatus, including: an imaging device; and a signal processing unit, in which: the imaging device includes a first pixel group and a second pixel group each including a plurality of pixels each configured to output a pixel signal; and the signal processing unit is configured to perform weighted addition for a second pixel signal output from the second pixel group by inter-frame processing, and to change a weight on each frame in the weighted addition based on an inter-frame differential of a first pixel signal.

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Kawasaki, Japan

Hisashi Takado