Semiconductor device

An image processing method, comprising:

• outputting, by a control signal generating circuit, an exposure time switching pulse and a sweep period pulse, the exposure time switching pulse indicating a length of an exposure time in which light-receiving elements receive incident light, and the sweep period pulse specifying a time in which a ramp signal generating circuit sweeps a ramp signal;
• storing, by a ramp waveform control circuit, a short-time exposure slope setting value and a long-time exposure slope setting value, and switching between the short-time exposure slope setting value and the long-time exposure slope setting value according to the exposure time switching pulse, and outputting the switched one of the short-time exposure slope setting value and the long-time exposure slope setting value, the short-time exposure slope setting value setting a slope of the ramp signal used when the exposure time switching pulse indicates a short-time exposure period, and the long-time exposure slope setting value being a setting value for the slope of the ramp signal used when the exposure time switching pulse indicates a long-time exposure period, and the long-time exposure slope setting value indicating a slope different than that indicated by the short-time exposure gradient setting value;
• wherein
• the control signal generating circuit sets a sweep time specified by the sweep period pulse output in a period indicated by the exposure time switching pulse as being the short-time exposure period such that it will be different than a sweep period specified by the sweep period pulse output in a period indicated by the exposure time switching pulse as being the long-time exposure period.