Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation

Sony Corporation

Yusuke Moriyama

Yosuke Ueno

Shizunori Matsumoto

Tatsuki Nishino

Yusuke Ikeda

Fumihiko Koga

Sozo Yokogawa

Hayato Wakabayashi

Yoshiki Ebiko

Nobuhiro Kawai

Yuhi Yorikado

Kumiko Mahara

Kazuhide Namba

Suzunori Endo

Keitarou Amagawa

A distance measurement accuracy is improved. A solid-state imaging device according to an embodiment includes a pixel array part in which a plurality of pixels is arranged in a matrix, in which each of the pixels includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion units that each photoelectrically converts incident light to generate a charge, a floating diffusion region that accumulates the charge, a plurality of transfer circuits that transfer the charge generated in each of the plurality of photoelectric conversion units to the floating diffusion region, and a first transistor that causes a pixel signal of a voltage value corresponding to a charge amount of the charge accumulated in the floating diffusion region to appear in a signal line.

Solid-state imaging device and distance measurement device

There is provided a time of flight sensor. The time of flight sensor includes a light receiving element PD, a first signal line TRGO and a second signal line TRG, a first transistor TGA in electrical communication with the light receiving element, the first transistor comprising a first gate in electrical communication with the first signal line TRGO, a second transistor TGB in electrical communication with the light receiving element, the second transistor comprising a second gate in electrical communication with the second signal line TRG, and a control circuit Pcomprising at least one comparatorA,B, wherein the control circuit is in electrical communication with the first and second signal lines TRGO, TRG. The transistors TGA and TGB of the pixel circuit Pare turned on and off so that any one of the transistors TGA and TGB is turned on, and the electric charges generated by the photodiode PD are selectively accumulated at the floating diffusion FDA and the floating diffusion FDB. First and second voltages VSLA, VSLB depending on voltages at first and second floating diffusions FDA, FDB, respectively, are compared to a reference voltage VREF. The first signal TRGO is a logical product of a clock signal SCK and the comparator output QO, and the second signal TRGis the logical product of the inverted clock signal SCK and the comparator output QO. A distance measurement device has an imaging unit including a pixel array of a plurality of imaging pixels P arranged in a matrix. One control circuit Pis provided for one pixel circuit P. The control circuit Pcontrols the exposure time in the pixel circuit P. The pixel circuit Psupplies the voltages VSLA and VSLB to the control circuit P, and the control circuit Pgenerates the signals TRGO and TRGon the basis of the voltages VSLA and VSLB, and supplies these signals TRGO and TRGto the pixel circuit P. Thus, since the exposure time can be individually set in each of the plurality of imaging pixels, the measurement accuracy in distance measurement can be enhanced.

Distance sensor and distance measurement device

The present technology relates to a distance measuring device and a distance measuring method that can improve the accuracy of distance measurement. A control unit controls a light emitting operation by supplying a light emitting unit with a light emission timing signal for controlling the light emitting operation for emitting irradiation light and controls the light receiving operation by supplying a light receiving unit with a light reception timing signal for controlling the light receiving operation for receiving reflected light. A measuring unit measures a deviation time between the light emission timing at which the light emitting unit emits the irradiation light and the light reception timing at which the light receiving unit receives the reflected light, using the light emission timing signal and the light reception timing signal. The present technology can be applied, for example, to a case where distance measurement is performed by using the ToF method.

Distance measuring device and distance measuring method

There is provided a light receiving device including: a pixel including a first tap configured to detect a charge photoelectrically converted by a photoelectric conversion unit, and a second tap configured to detect a charge photoelectrically converted by the photoelectric conversion unit; a first comparison circuit configured to compare a first detection signal detected by the first tap and a reference signal; a second comparison circuit configured to compare a second detection signal detected by the second tap and the reference signal; a first zero reset signal generation circuit configured to generate a first zero reset signal that is supplied to the first comparison circuit when the first comparison circuit performs an auto zero operation; and a second zero reset signal generation circuit configured to generate a second zero reset signal that is supplied to the second comparison circuit when the second comparison circuit performs an auto zero operation.

Light receiving device and method for controlling same, and electronic apparatus comprising dual comparison circuits with supplied zero reset signals

The present technology relates to a distance measurement device and a distance measurement method that can easily suppress interference. A first frame being a period that a distance to a target object is calculated includes a plurality of subframes being periods that irradiation light is emitted, and the emission of the irradiation light is controlled so that timing of head subframes differs between a first frame and a second frame following the first frame, and intervals between the subframes become constant during the period of the first frame. The present technology can be applied to a case where distance measurement for measuring a distance is performed.

Distance measurement device and distance measurement method

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

Noise is suppressed in an electronic apparatus including a light emission section and a solid state imaging element. The electronic apparatus includes an imaging section, a prohibition period setting section, and a light emission section. In the electronic apparatus, the imaging section captures image data. The light emission section emits irradiation light. The prohibition period setting section sets, as a prohibition period, a period during which noise is generated in the imaging section due to start or stoppage of light emission of the irradiation light. A light emission control section controls the light emission section so as to prohibit start and stoppage of the light emission during the prohibition period.

Electronic apparatus and electronic apparatus controlling method

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

To reduce fluctuations in image signals when the voltage of a negative power supply supplied to pixels changes. A pixel operates based on a first ground potential applied to a first ground line and outputs an analog image signal according to emitted light. An analog-digital converter operates based on a second ground potential applied to a second ground line, the second ground potential higher than the first ground potential, and converts the analog image signal into a digital image signal based on a reference voltage as a standard for the conversion. A reference voltage generation unit operates based on the second ground potential and generates the reference voltage. A reference voltage correction unit corrects the reference voltage generated according to a change in the first ground potential and supplies the reference voltage to the analog-digital converter.

Growing community of inventors

Kanagawa, Japan

Yusuke Moriyama