US 12,445,743 B2
Solid-state imaging element, electronic device, and imaging method
Kazutoshi Kodama, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation, Kanagawa (JP)
Appl. No. 18/036,294
Filed by Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation, Kanagawa (JP)
PCT Filed Nov. 9, 2021, PCT No. PCT/JP2021/041132
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 10, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/107641, PCT Pub. Date May 27, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-191072 (JP), filed on Nov. 17, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0412936 A1, Dec. 21, 2023
Int. Cl. H04N 25/47 (2023.01); H04N 25/50 (2023.01); H04N 25/77 (2023.01); H04N 25/78 (2023.01)
CPC H04N 25/47 (2023.01) [H04N 25/50 (2023.01); H04N 25/77 (2023.01); H04N 25/78 (2023.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A solid-state imaging element comprising:
a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements respectively configured to perform photoelectric conversion to generate photoelectric conversion signals; and
a generation circuit that generates a first signal in a case where an amount of change of a single photoelectric conversion signal output from a single photoelectric conversion element among the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements exceeds a predetermined value, and generates a second signal in a case where a difference value between two photoelectric conversion signals output from two photoelectric conversion elements among the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements exceeds a predetermined value,
wherein the generation circuit includes:
a first difference circuit that generates a difference value between two signals;
a switching circuit that switches between a first photoelectric signal based on a first photoelectric conversion signal output from one first photoelectric conversion element of two photoelectric conversion elements and a second photoelectric signal based on a second photoelectric conversion signal output from another second photoelectric conversion element to output to the first difference circuit; and
a first logarithmic conversion circuit that logarithmically converts the first photoelectric conversion signal or the second photoelectric conversion signal, wherein
the switching circuit outputs the first photoelectric signal or the second photoelectric signal to the first difference circuit via the first logarithmic conversion circuit.