Image pickup circuit having multiple shared counters

An imaging device comprising:

• a pixel array including a plurality of pixels;
• a plurality of signal lines coupled to the plurality of pixels;
• a plurality of comparators coupled to the plurality of signal lines and arranged in columns, the plurality of comparators including:
• a first comparator in a nth column;
• a second comparator in a (n+1)th column;
• a third comparator in a (n+2)th column;
• and
• a fourth comparator in a (n+3)th column, wherein the first, second, third and fourth comparators are arranged in order along a first direction;
• a plurality of counters including a first counter and a second counter, wherein the first counter and the second counter are disposed on a same side of the pixel array, wherein the pixel array and the first counter are arranged along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
• and
• a reference signal generation circuit,
• wherein the first comparator is coupled to the reference signal generation circuit and the first counter, the second comparator is coupled to the reference signal generation circuit and the second counter, the third comparator is coupled to the reference signal generation circuit and the first counter, and the fourth comparator is coupled to the reference signal generation circuit and the second counter.