Sony Corporation

Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation

Kenichi Takamiya

Yosuke Ueno

Natsuko Seino

Ken Koseki

Hiroki Ui

Noritaka Fujita

Yasunori Tsukuda

Atsushi Suzuki

Atsumi Niwa

Yusuke Ikeda

Tsutomu Imoto

Yasuaki Hisamatsu

Takuya Maruyama

Yuji Gendai

Shinichirou Etou

Junji Toyomura

Tadafumi Nagata

Ren Hiyoshi

Suppressing a dead period at the time of mode switching. A solid-state imaging device includes: a plurality of pixels () that each outputs a luminance change of incident light; and a detection circuit () that outputs an event signal based on the luminance change output from each of the pixels, in which each of the pixels includes: a photoelectric conversion element () that generates a charge according to an incident light amount; a logarithmic conversion circuit () that is connected to the photoelectric conversion element and converts a photocurrent flowing out of the photoelectric conversion element into a voltage signal corresponding to a logarithmic value of the photocurrent; and a first transistor () having a drain connected to a sense node of the logarithmic conversion circuit.

Solid-state imaging device with transistor drain connected to sense node of logarithmic conversion circuit

An imaging device comprising a pixel substrate including pixel element circuitry, a logic substrate including read circuitry configured to receive an output signal voltage from the pixel element circuitry, and electrically-conductive material arranged between the pixel substrate and the logic substrate, wherein the electrically-conductive material is configured to transfer at least one reference voltage from the logic substrate to the pixel substrate, wherein the electrically-conductive material comprises a Cu&#x2014;Cu bonding portion.

Stacked imaging device with Cu-Cu bonding portion

The present disclosure relates to a solid-state imaging device, an image pickup apparatus, and an electronic device capable of stably supplying high-speed control signals and clock signals. In the area AD method in which analog-digital conversion of a pixel signal is performed for each ADC area corresponding to a pixel group including a plurality of pixels, a repeater element is regularly arranged in each area group unit including one or more ADC areas, to re-drive control signals for controlling a plurality of the ADC areas. The present disclosure is applicable to a solid-state imaging device.

Solid-state imaging device, image pickup apparatus, and electronic device

There is provided a solid-state imaging device including an imaging unit including a plurality of image sensors, and an analog to digital (AD) conversion unit including a plurality of AD converters arranged in a row direction, each AD converter performing AD conversion of an electrical signal output by the image sensor. Each of the AD converters includes a comparator having a differential pair at an input stage, the differential pair including a first transistor and a second transistor, the first and second transistors are each divided into an equal number of a plurality of division transistors, and an arrangement pattern of the plurality of division transistors constituting the comparator in a predetermined column and an arrangement pattern of the plurality of division transistors constituting the comparator in an adjacent column adjacent to the predetermined column are different from each other.

Imaging device with analog to digital coverters

Solid-state imaging device and electronic apparatus having a plurality of comparators and a plurality of division transistors

Solid-state imaging device and electronic apparatus

A signal processing circuit includes: a reference signal generating circuit that generates a reference signal of a ramp waveform of which a voltage value varies with the lapse of time by changing a current; and a signal processing unit including a plurality of processing sections that process the reference signal as a ramp wave and a potential of a supplied analog signal, wherein the reference signal processing circuit has a function of adjusting an offset of the reference signal by adjusting the current from the time of starting the generation of the reference signal or adjusting the level of the reference signal at least at the time of starting the generation of the reference signal.

Signal processing circuit, solid-state imaging device, and camera system

The present invention relates to an image sensor capable of obtaining a good-quality image with a simple configuration. A pixel accumulates a charge by performing photoelectric conversion on incident light, and outputs a pixel signal corresponding to the charge. A vertical scanning circuit controls the pixel to cause the pixel to perform a shutter process of discharging an unnecessary charge accumulated in the pixel, a charge accumulation process of accumulating a charge generated through photoelectric conversion in a predetermined exposure time in the pixel, and a read process of outputting a pixel signal corresponding to the charge accumulated in the pixel in the charge accumulation process. Also, the control means causes the charge generated through photoelectric conversion in the pixel to be discharged in a non-accumulation period, which is a period other than a period when the shutter process is being performed, a period when the charge accumulation process is being performed, and a period when the read process is being performed. The present invention can be applied to a CMOS sensor, for example.

Image sensor

Solid-state imaging device and manufacturing method

A solid-state imaging device includes: a pixel array unit that includes a plurality of pixels arranged two dimensionally and a plurality of read-out signal lines used for reading out pixel signals from the plurality of pixels; test voltage applying units that are disposed at the read-out signal lines and apply test voltages of various voltage levels to the read-out signal lines; a reference voltage generating circuit that includes a MOS transistor used for generating a reference voltage and can change an operating point of the MOS transistor; and an operating point control unit that controls a process of adjusting the operating point of the MOS transistor based on the test voltages and the reference voltage.

Solid-state imaging device and method of adjusting reference voltage

A pixel drive circuit including a plurality of pixel circuits, each including a photoelectric converting unit for converting an incident light into an electric charge and accumulating the converted electric charge, the plurality of pixel circuits being arranged in a matrix shape, an address decoder for selecting the pixel circuits to be controlled which are arranged on an identical line, a storage circuit for storing operation information to be executed by the pixel circuits selected by the address decoder, and a control circuit for controlling an operation of the pixel circuits selected by the address decoder in accordance with a storage state of the storage circuit. The control circuit controls a charge discharging operation of discharging an electric charge remaining in the photoelectric converting unit of each of the pixel circuits. The storage circuit holds the storage state until the charge discharging operation is completed.

Pixel drive circuit, image capture device, and camera system

A pixel drive circuit includes a plurality of pixel circuits each including a photoelectric converting unit for converting an incident light into an electric charge and accumulating the converted electric charge, the plurality of pixel circuits being arranged in a matrix shape, an address decoder for selecting the pixel circuits to be controlled which are arranged on an identical line, a storage circuit for storing operation information to be executed by the pixel circuits selected by the address decoder, and a control circuit for controlling an operation of the pixel circuits selected by the address decoder in accordance with a storage state of the storage circuit. The control circuit controls a charge discharging operation of discharging an electric charge remaining in the photoelectric converting unit of each of the pixel circuits. The storage circuit holds the storage state until the charge discharging operation is completed.

Growing community of inventors

Kanagawa, Japan

Kenichi Takamiya