Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation

Sony Group Corporation

Sony Corporation

Shin Kitano

Koya Tsuchimoto

Kei Nakagawa

Yusuke Murakawa

Takuya Hanada

Yuki Noda

Makoto Nakamura

Mitsuaki Osame

Hidekazu Kikuchi

Masaki Sakakibara

Hongbo Zhu

A solid-state image sensor according to the present disclosure includes a photodiode, a conversion circuit (current-voltage conversion circuit), a luminance change detection circuit (comparator), and a light-shielding unit (light-shielding film). The photodiode photoelectrically converts incident light to generate a photocurrent. The conversion circuit (current-voltage conversion circuit) converts the photocurrent into a voltage signal. The luminance change detection circuit (comparator) detects a change in luminance of the incident light on the basis of the voltage signal. The light-shielding unit (light-shielding film) shields incidence of light on the impurity diffusion region included in a circuit that inputs the voltage signal to the luminance change detection circuit (comparator).

Solid-state image sensor

An imaging device includes a photoelectric conversion region that converts incident light into electric charge. The imaging device includes a first readout circuit coupled to the photoelectric conversion region at a first location, and a second readout circuit including a portion coupled to the photoelectric conversion region at a second location. The second readout circuit is configured to control the first readout circuit. The first location and the second location are on a same side of the photoelectric conversion region.

Solid-state imaging device and imaging device

Provided is an imaging apparatus that includes a photoelectric converter that generates a charge according to a received light amount, and a charge transfer region that is disposed at a place inside a substrate not exposed to a substrate surface and in contact with the photoelectric converter, and to which the charge generated by the photoelectric converter is transferred. The imaging apparatus further includes a charge accumulation region that is disposed apart from the charge transfer region in a substrate surface direction and accumulates the charge transferred from the charge transfer region, a transistor that performs control to transfer the charge from the charge transfer region to the charge accumulation region, and a detector that outputs a detection signal indicating whether or not an absolute value of a change amount of an electrical signal according to an amount of the charge transferred by the transistor exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

Imaging apparatus and imaging method to surpresss dark current and improve quantum efficiency

To output event information at high sensitivity and high speed with a simple configuration. An imaging device includes: a plurality of pixels each having a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements that photoelectrically converts incident light to generate an electric signal; a detecting section that outputs a detection signal in a case where an absolute value of a change amount of the electric signal in a pixel of the plurality of pixels exceeds a predetermined threshold; a signal processing section that performs predetermined signal processing on the basis of the detection signal output from the detecting section; an AZ output section that outputs an auto-zero signal for initializing the detecting section; a time code generator that outputs a time code changing at a predetermined cycle; a first holding circuit that holds the time code output from the time code generator when the auto-zero signal is output; a second holding circuit that holds the time code output from the time code generator when the detection signal is output; and a transfer section that transfers the time code held in the first holding circuit and the time code held in the second holding circuit to the signal processing section in association with each other.

Imaging device and imaging method

A state of a driver is detected more quickly. A state detection device according to an embodiment is provided with a first solid-state imaging device provided with a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, the first solid-state imaging device that detects, according to a light amount incident on each of the pixels, occurrence of an event in the pixel, and a state detection unit that detects a state of a driver on the basis of the occurrence of the event detected by the first solid-state imaging device.

State detection device, state detection system, and state detection method

Please replace the currently pending Abstract with the following amended A solid-state imaging device is provided with a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, a plurality of current-voltage conversion circuits, a plurality of address event detection circuits, first ground wiring, and second ground wiring. The plurality of photoelectric conversion elements is arranged side by side in a first region. The plurality of current-voltage conversion circuits converts currents output from the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements into voltages, respectively. The plurality of address event detection circuits detects changes in voltages output from the plurality of current-voltage conversion circuits, respectively. The first ground wiring is provided in a second region located outside the first region, and supplies first ground potential to the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements. The second ground wiring is provided in the second region and supplies second ground potential having a voltage value different from that of the first ground potential to the plurality of current-voltage conversion circuits.

A solid-state imaging element according to the present disclosure includes a plurality of first photoelectric conversion elements, a plurality of second photoelectric conversion elements, a plurality of current-voltage conversion circuits, and a plurality of address event detection circuits. The first photoelectric conversion elements are arranged side by side in a first region. The second photoelectric conversion elements are arranged side by side in a second region adjacent to the first region. The current-voltage conversion circuits each convert currents output from the first photoelectric conversion elements or the second photoelectric conversion elements into voltages. The address event detection circuits each detect a change in the voltages output from the current-voltage conversion circuits. At least either the current-voltage conversion circuits or the address event detection circuits connected to the second photoelectric conversion elements prevent output of signals based on the currents output from the second photoelectric conversion elements.

Solid-state imaging element and imaging device

To suppress occurrence of a delay in detection of a valid address event to be originally detected. An image pickup element includes a plurality of pixels (), a pixel address event detection unit (), a region address event detection unit (), and a pixel selection unit (). The pixel () includes a photoelectric conversion unit () that performs photoelectric conversion of incident light. The pixel address event detection unit () is arranged in each pixel and detects a pixel address event that is an address event of a pixel itself. The pixel address event is detected based on a change amount of charge generated by the photoelectric conversion. The region address event detection unit () detects a region address event that is an address event in a predetermined region. The region address event is detected based on a change in a charge amount generated by the photoelectric conversion in a plurality of pixels in the predetermined region among the plurality of pixels. The pixel selection unit () selects the pixel () based on the detected pixel address event and region address event, and causes the selected pixel to output a detection result of the pixel address event.

Image pickup element and image pickup method

An imaging device includes at least one floating diffusion region, and a set of photoelectric conversion regions sharing the at least one floating diffusion region and that convert incident light into electric charges. The imaging device includes a first readout circuit and a second readout circuit. The first readout circuit is coupled to the at least one floating diffusion region and located at a first side of the set of photoelectric conversion region, and the second readout circuit is coupled to the at least one floating diffusion region. The second readout circuit includes a portion located at a second side of the set of photoelectric conversion regions that is opposite the first side, and the second readout circuit is configured to control the first readout circuit.

Solid-state imaging device and imaging device including a dynamic vision sensor (DVS)

A characteristic of a flicker component is detected to perform object detection at a higher speed and with higher accuracy. An object detection device according to an embodiment is provided with a solid-state imaging device () provided with a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, the solid-state imaging device that detects, according to a light amount incident on each of the pixels, occurrence of an event in the pixel, a flicker detection unit () that generates flicker information on the basis of the occurrence of the event detected by the solid-state imaging device, and an object detection unit () that detects an object on the basis of the flicker information detected by the solid-state imaging device.

Object detection device, object detection system, and object detection method

In a solid-state image sensor that transfers electric charges to a floating diffusion layer, exposure is started before transferring the electric charges to the floating diffusion layer. A photodiode generates electric charges by photoelectric conversion. An electric charge accumulation unit accumulates electric charges. The floating diffusion layer converts electric charges into a signal level corresponding to the amount of the electric charges. An exposure end transfer transistor transfers the electric charges from the photodiode to the electric charge accumulation unit when a predetermined exposure period ends. A reset transistor initializes a voltage of the floating diffusion layer to a predetermined reset level when the exposure period ends. When a new exposure period is started after the electric charges are transferred to the electric charge accumulation unit, a discharge transistor discharges electric charges newly generated in the photodiode. When processing of converting a predetermined reset level into a digital signal ends, a conversion end transistor transfers the electric charges from the electric charge accumulation unit to the floating diffusion layer.

Solid-state image sensor, imaging device, and method of controlling solid-state image sensor

The signal quality of a solid-state imaging element configured to detect address events is enhanced. The solid-state imaging element has open pixels and light-blocked pixels arrayed therein. In the solid-state imaging element, the open pixels each detect whether or not an amount of change in incident light amount exceeds a predetermined threshold, and output a detection signal indicating a result of the detection. On the other hand, in the solid-state imaging element, the light-blocked pixels each output a correction signal based on an amount of noise generated in the open pixels each configured to detect whether or not an amount of change in incident light amount exceeds the predetermined threshold and to output a detection signal indicating a result of the detection.

In a solid-state image sensor that detects presence or absence of an address event, erroneous detection of the address event is suppressed. Each of a plurality of pixels executes detection processing for detecting whether or not a change amount of an incident light amount exceeds a predetermined threshold, and outputting a detection result. An abnormal pixel determination unit determines whether or not each of the plurality of pixels has an abnormality, and enables a pixel without an abnormality and disables a pixel with an abnormality. A control unit performs control for causing the enabled pixel to execute detection processing and control for fixing the detection result of the disabled pixel to a specific value.

Solid-state image sensor and imaging device

To improve image quality of image data in a solid-state image sensor that detects an address event. The solid-state image sensor includes a photodiode, a pixel signal generation unit, and a detection unit. In the solid-state image sensor, the photodiode generates electrons and holes by photoelectric conversion. The pixel signal generation unit generates a pixel signal having a voltage according to an amount of one of the electrons and the holes. The detection unit detects whether or not a change amount in the other of the electrons and the holes has exceeded a predetermined threshold and outputs a detection signal.

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Kanagawa, Japan

Shin Kitano