Image taking device and camera system
AssigneeSony Corporation
InventorToshiyuki Nishihara
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An image sensor includes a plurality of pixels, a plurality of sense circuits, and a count circuit. Each sense circuit is configured to read out electrical signals from at least one pixel associated with the sense circuit in order to generate data representing whether or not photons have been received by the sense circuit. The count circuit is in communication with a sense circuit selected from the plurality of sense circuits. The count circuit is configured to provide integration results for the pixels associated with the sense circuits based on the data received from the sense circuits.
Claims12
A solid-state imaging device comprising:
- a pixel section having a plurality of pixels or a plurality of pixel groups including the pixels, each of which has a photoelectric conversion element and outputs a signal generated by the photoelectric conversion element in response to photons;
- a sense section having a plurality of sense circuits, each of which makes a binary decision as to whether the photon is input to the photoelectric conversion element during a predetermined period;
- and
- an integration section that stores the binary decision result for each of the pixels or the pixel groups;
- wherein,
- each of the sense circuits includes at least two capacitors, at least two switches, and at least one amplifier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.