Nuvoton Technology Corporation Japan

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.

Panasonic Semiconductor Solutions Co., Ltd.

Miraxia Edge Technology Corporation

Junichi Matsuo

Sei Suzuki

Mitsuhiko Otani

Haruka Takano

Toshiya Fujii

Makoto Ikuma

Shinichi Ogita

Hiroyuki Amikawa

Takayasu Kito

Yasuyuki Endoh

Takuya Asano

Katsumi Tokuyama

Tetsuya Abe

Shinzo Koyama

Nobukazu Teranishi

Shigeru Saitou

Keiichi Mori

Tohru Yamada

Mayu Ogawa

Yuki Minami

Takashi Kuwahara

Masaya Kishimoto

Nobutaka Nakamae

Mitsugu Yoshita

Shinichi Kawai

Wataru Matsumoto

A ranging device includes: a pulse generator; a controller that controls the pulse generator according to n (n is an integer greater than or equal to 4) types of packet generation codes indicating whether or not to expose or emit light in each of unit segments corresponding to distance segments into which a ranging range is divided; a light source; a solid-state image capturer; and a distance calculator that calculates the distance based on n types of signal values per unit segment obtained from the solid-state image capturer.

Ranging device and ranging method

An imaging apparatus includes a light emitter, a pixel section, and a signal processor which calculates distance information of a subject. The pixel section includes a photoelectric converter, first and second read-out gates, and a plurality of charge accumulators including a first charge accumulator and a second charge accumulator. The first read-out gate is activated in a first period and deactivated in a second period. The second read-out gate is activated in the first period and the second period. The signal processor calculates the distance information based on a total amount of signal charges accumulated in the charge accumulators in the first period and the second period and a difference between an amount of signal charges accumulated in the second charge accumulator in the first period and the second period and an amount of the signal charge accumulated in the first charge accumulator in the first period.

Imaging apparatus and distance information calculation method

A distance-measuring imaging device includes a light source that applies light according to timing of a light emission signal; a solid-state imager that performs, for an object, exposure according to timing of an exposure signal, and generates raw data corresponding to an exposure amount of the exposure; a signal amount comparator that determines a magnitude relationship in signal amount in the raw data; and a distance calculator that generates and outputs a distance signal based on a determination result. The solid-state imager accumulates, in each of different signal accumulation regions for accumulating signals detected in a same pixel, a signal by exposure in an exposure period that differs in exposure signal timing. The signal amount comparator determines the magnitude relationship between the signals accumulated in the signal accumulation regions. The distance calculator calculates the distance to the object using an arithmetic expression selected depending on the determination result.

Distance-measuring imaging device, distance measuring method of distance-measuring imaging device, and solid-state imaging device

A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of pixels arranged in matrix form, each pixel including a photoelectric converter and a plurality of first transfer electrodes, and a plurality of control lines connected to mutually-corresponding ones of the first transfer electrodes in a plurality of pixels arranged in a specific row. The plurality of pixels include a plurality of first pixels and second pixels. Each of the first pixels includes a floating diffusion layer and a readout circuit. Each of the second pixels shares the floating diffusion layer with one of the first pixels arranged in a column direction. At least some of the plurality of control lines are further connected to the first transfer electrodes of pixels that are arranged adjacent in the column direction to respective ones of the plurality of pixels arranged in the specific row and that share at least one of the floating diffusion layers.

Solid-state imaging device and imaging device provided with same

A solid-state imaging device includes: a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix on a semiconductor substrate, wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes: a photoelectric converter that converts received light into a signal charge; a plurality of read gates that each read the signal charge from the photoelectric converter; a plurality of charge accumulators that each accumulate the signal charge read by any one of the plurality of read gates; and a charge holder that receives, from one of the plurality of charge accumulators, transfer of the signal charge accumulated in the charge accumulator, holds the signal charge, and transfers, to one of the plurality of charge accumulators, the signal charge held.

Solid-state imaging device and imaging apparatus including same

A solid-state imaging device includes: an imager including pixels arranged in rows and columns; vertical transfer portions in one-to-one correspondence with columns of the pixels, each of which includes a readout electrode that reads out signal charges generated in the pixels and a transfer electrode that transfers the read-out signal charges in the column direction; and a horizontal transfer portion which transfers, in the row direction, the signal charges transferred by the vertical transfer portions, and outputs the signal charges. The imager is formed by alternately disposing, in the column direction, a first row in which visible light pixels each including a first photoelectric converter that converts visible light into signal charges are arranged adjacent in the row direction and a second row in which infrared light pixels each including a second photoelectric converter that converts infrared light into signal charges are arranged adjacent in the row direction.

Solid-state imaging device and distance-measuring imaging device

A solid-state imaging device includes: pixels arranged in a matrix on a semiconductor substrate. Each of the pixels includes: a photoelectric converter that converts received light into a signal charge; at least one read gate that reads the signal charge from the photoelectric converter; charge accumulators that each accumulate the signal charge read by the at least one read gate; and a charge holder that receives, from one of the charge accumulators, transfer of the signal charge accumulated in the charge accumulator, holds the signal charge, and transfers, to one of the charge accumulators, the signal charge held, each of the charge accumulators includes a part of a transfer channel and a part of a transfer electrode overlapping with the part of the transfer channel in a planar view of the semiconductor substrate, and the transfer channel per one pixel comprises transfer channels.

An imaging device includes: a light source emitting light based on a first pulse; a solid-state imaging element including pixel units and exposing the light based on a second pulse; and a signal processor. Each pixel unit includes a photoelectric converter and charge accumulating units, and generates first to third signal charges by first to third exposure processes in this order to be accumulated in the charge accumulating units. Each of the first and third exposure processes is based on the second pulse delayed from the first pulse by a first period, and the second exposure process is based on the second pulse delayed from the first pulse by a second period. A total period of the first and third exposure processes is equal to that of the second exposure process. The signal processor calculates a distance signal for each pixel unit by using the first to third signal charges.

Imaging device and solid-state imaging element and imaging method used therein

A solid-state imaging device includes pixels arranged in matrix form, each including a photoelectric converter and first transfer electrodes, and control lines connected to mutually-corresponding ones of the first transfer electrodes in pixels arranged in a specific row. The pixels include first pixels that receive visible light and second pixels that receive infrared light. Each of floating diffusion layer-including pixels, which are some of the plurality of pixels, further includes a floating diffusion layer and a readout circuit. Each floating diffusion layer-lacking pixel shares the floating diffusion layer with one of the first pixels arranged in a column direction. At least some of the control lines are further connected to the first transfer electrodes of pixels arranged adjacent in the column direction to respective ones of the pixels arranged in the specific row and that share at least one of the floating diffusion layers.

Solid-state imaging device and imaging device including the same

A solid-state imaging apparatus includes a plurality of high-sensitivity pixels that are arranged in a matrix, and perform a photoelectric conversion at a predetermined sensitivity; a plurality of low-sensitivity pixels that are arranged in a matrix in gaps between the plurality of high-sensitivity pixels, and perform a photoelectric conversion at a lower sensitivity than the predetermined sensitivity; and a signal processor that generates a pixel signal by (i) detecting a difference signal between a signal from the plurality of high-sensitivity pixels and a signal from the plurality of low-sensitivity pixels, and (ii) correcting the signal from the plurality of high-sensitivity pixels using the difference signal.

Solid-state imaging apparatus and imaging apparatus

An image-capturing device includes an infrared light source configured to emit infrared light, and a solid-state image-capturing device including a plurality of first pixels configured to convert visible light into signal charge and a plurality of second pixels configured to convert infrared light into signal charge, the plurality of first pixels and the plurality of second pixels being arranged on a semiconductor substrate in a matrix. The solid-state image-capturing device outputs, during the same single frame scanning period, a first signal obtained from the plurality of first pixels, a second signal obtained from the plurality of second pixels during a period of time when the infrared light is emitted, and a third signal obtained from the plurality of second pixels during a period of time when the infrared light is not emitted.

Image-capturing device and drive method therefor

An imaging device includes: a light source that applies light at a timing according to a light emission control signal; a light receiver that performs exposure to reflected light from an object at different timings according to an exposure control signal, and outputs exposure signals generated as a result of the exposure; a calculator that calculates a distance to the object; and a controller that outputs the light emission control signal and the exposure control signal for any of: modulating a length of a light emission period and an exposure period by increasing or decreasing the number of pulses of each of the light emission control signal and the exposure control signal; and modulating a repetition sequence of the light emission period and the exposure period while maintaining a phase relationship between the light emission control signal and the exposure control signal, randomly or in conformity with a specific rule.

Imaging device, and solid-state imaging element used for same

A solid-state imaging apparatus includes a pixel array, a column processor, and a test signal generating circuit that generates a first digital signal for testing purposes. The test signal generating circuit generates the first digital signal within one horizontal scanning period. The column processor converts a first analog signal, that is converted from the first digital signal, to a second digital signal within the one horizontal scanning period.

Each of pixels disposed in a matrix form on a substrate includes a photoelectric conversion unit that converts incident light into a signal charge, a reading electrode that reads the signal charge from the photoelectric conversion unit, and a vertical transfer electrode that constitutes a vertical transfer unit. A plurality of first pixels, and a plurality of second pixels disposed adjacent to the first pixels are alternately disposed for each row, and also alternately disposed for each column to form a checkered pattern. The reading electrode of each of the pixels is disposed such that a plurality of signal charges read from the identical photoelectric conversion unit contain a dark current generated under the common reading electrode.

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Osaka, Japan

Junichi Matsuo