Sony Corporation

Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation

Sony Group Corporation

Shizunori Matsumoto

Kazuichiro Itonaga

Yosuke Ueno

Tatsuki Nishino

Yusuke Ikeda

Yusuke Moriyama

Takahiro Miura

Haruhisa Naganokawa

Hiroki Hiyama

Katsuhiko Hanzawa

Tsutomu Haruta

Tomohiro Matsumoto

Rei Yoshikawa

Hideki Tanaka

Akihiko Miyanohara

Yuuichi Kaji

Pawankumar Pradeepkumar Moyade

Atsumi Niwa

Eiji Hirata

Atsushi Suzuki

Yoshinori Muramatsu

Yasuaki Hisamatsu

Eiji Makino

Thomas Ayers

Youji Sakioka

Yuuki Yamagata

Takaki Watanabe

Masaki Odahara

Chikao Miyazaki

Yasuhiro Kaneo

Thomas Richard Ayers

Provided is an imaging device with low noise and a high dynamic range. An imaging device includes: a conversion unit that converts an incident electromagnetic wave into a charge; a first capacitor that accumulates the charge when a voltage corresponding to the charge is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold; a second capacitor that accumulates the charge when the voltage exceeds the threshold; a voltage conversion circuit that converts the charges accumulated in the first capacitor and the second capacitor into voltages; a first storage unit that stores a voltage corresponding to the accumulated charge in the first capacitor after a lapse of a first period since the first capacitor has started accumulating the charge; and a second storage unit that stores a voltage corresponding to the accumulated charges in the first capacitor and the second capacitor after a lapse of a second period longer than the first period since the first capacitor has started accumulating the charge.

Imaging device

To control an excess bias to an appropriate value in a light detection device. A solid-state image sensor includes a photodiode, a resistor, and a control circuit. In this solid-state image sensor, the photodiode photoelectrically converts incident light and outputs a photocurrent. Furthermore, in the solid-state image sensor, the resistor is connected to a cathode of the photodiode. Furthermore, in the solid-state image sensor, the control circuit supplies a lower potential to an anode of the photodiode as a potential of the cathode of when the photocurrent flows through the resistor is higher.

Solid-state image sensor and electronic device

The present technology is provided to accurately correct uneven luminance while suppressing an increase in the size of the solid-state imaging element. A pixel array unit includes a plurality of lines each including a predetermined number of pixels each being arrayed in a predetermined direction. An analog-to-digital conversion unit includes more than the predetermined number of analog-to-digital converters that convert analog signals into digital signals. A scanning circuit controls to sequentially select the plurality of lines and output more than the predetermined number of analog signals to the analog-to-digital conversion unit every time the line is selected. A correction unit performs black level correction processing on the digital signal.

Solid-state imaging element, electronic device, and method for controlling correction of luminance in the solid-state imaging element

An image signal output unit is controlled in accordance with a first control signal indicating either voltage state of an on voltage for causing a conductive state and an off voltage having a polarity different from that of the on voltage, and outputs an analog image signal corresponding to the electric charge held by an electric charge holding unit in the conductive state. A reset unit is controlled in accordance with a second control signal indicating either voltage state of the on voltage and the off voltage, resets the electric charge holding unit in the conductive state, transmits a fluctuation in the off voltage to the electric charge holding unit, and fluctuates the analog image signal. A reference signal generation unit generates a reference signal being a signal serving as a reference used when conversion from an analog image signal output from the image signal output unit into a digital image signal is performed. A reference signal correction unit corrects the generated reference signal in accordance with the fluctuation in the off voltage. An analog-to-digital conversion unit performs the conversion on the basis of the corrected reference signal.

Image sensor and imaging apparatus

A comparator includes: a first amplifying unit that includes a differential pair configured with a pair of transistors which are first and second transistors, and amplifies a difference of signals input to each of the gate electrodes of the first and second transistors, to output; a second amplifying unit that amplifies the signal output from the first amplifying unit; a third transistor that connects the first transistor to a power source voltage; a fourth transistor that connects the second transistor to the power source voltage; a fifth transistor that connects a connection point of gate electrodes of the third transistor and the fourth transistor to a drain of the third transistor; and a sixth transistor that connects a connection point of gate electrodes of the third transistor and the fourth transistor to a drain of the fourth transistor.

Comparator, solid-state imaging device, electronic apparatus, and driving method

Solid-state imaging element, electronic device, and method for correcting uneven luminance

An imaging element comprises a photoelectric conversion unit formed in a pixel region and configured to convert light into electrical charge. Further, the imaging element includes a transistor formed in the pixel region and configured to transfer electric charge from the photoelectric conversion unit. The photoelectric conversion unit of the imaging element may be connected to a well of the pixel region, where the well of the pixel region has a negative potential.

Imaging element and imaging apparatus

A solid-state imaging device includes a layout in which one sharing unit includes an array of photodiodes of 2 pixels by 4&#xd7;n pixels (where, n is a positive integer), respectively, in horizontal and vertical directions.

Solid-state imaging device and electronic apparatus

To prevent a decline in image quality by reducing a fluctuation in an image signal that is based on a fluctuation in a voltage of a negative voltage power source. An image signal output unit is controlled in accordance with a first control signal indicating either voltage state of an on voltage for causing a conductive state and an off voltage having a polarity different from that of the on voltage, and outputs an analog image signal corresponding to the electric charge held by an electric charge holding unit in the conductive state. A reset unit is controlled in accordance with a second control signal indicating either voltage state of the on voltage and the off voltage, resets the electric charge holding unit in the conductive state, transmits a fluctuation in the off voltage to the electric charge holding unit, and fluctuates the analog image signal. A reference signal generation unit generates a reference signal being a signal serving as a reference used when conversion from an analog image signal output from the image signal output unit into a digital image signal is performed. A reference signal correction unit corrects the generated reference signal in accordance with the fluctuation in the off voltage. An analog-to-digital conversion unit performs the conversion on the basis of the corrected reference signal.

The present technique relates to an image pickup element and an electronic apparatus which enable a higher-quality image to be obtained. An image pickup element includes an input sense portion configured to produce a noise correction signal portion includes a first transistor and a second transistor configuring a current mirror circuit, a switch provided between a gate of the first transistor and a gate of the second transistor, and a capacitive element one electrode of which is connected between the switch and the gate of the second transistor on an output side of the current mirror circuit, and the other electrode of which is connected to the predetermined power source.

Image pickup element and electronic apparatus with noise correcting circuit

The present disclosure relates to a solid-state image sensing apparatus, a control method, and an electronic device capable of reducing a settling time of a vertical signal line at the time of a read operation of pixels. A column processing unit A/D converts pixel signals of a plurality of pixels. A vertical signal line feeds the pixel signals output from the pixels to the A/D converter. A pull-up circuit increases a potential of the vertical signal line at the time of starting a read operation of the pixels. For example, the present disclosure can be applied to a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor that performs an interleaving operation or the like.

Solid-state image sensing apparatus, control method, and electronic device

Growing community of inventors

Kanagawa, Japan

Shizunori Matsumoto