Imaging device and camera system including sense circuits to make binary decision

Abstract

An imaging device includes: a pixel array section having an array of pixels, each of which has a photoelectric converting device and outputs an electric signal according to an input photon; a sense circuit section having a plurality of sensor circuits each of which makes binary decision on whether there is a photon input to a pixel in a predetermined period upon reception of the electric signal therefrom; and a decision result IC section which integrates decision results from the sense circuits, pixel by pixel or for each group of pixels, multiple times to generate imaged data with a gradation, the decision result IC section including a count circuit which performs a count process to integrate the decision results from the sense circuits, and a memory for storing a counting result for each pixel from the count circuit, the sense circuits sharing the count circuit for integrating the decision results.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An imaging device comprising:
 a first substrate including
 a photoelectric converting device that outputs a signal according to an input photon; and 
   a second substrate including
 a sense circuit that performs a binary decision based on the signal from the photoelectric converting device in a predetermined period and outputs a decision result based on the binary decision, and 
 decision result circuitry including a count circuit configured to perform a count process to integrate decision results from the sense circuit, and a memory configured to store a counting result from the count circuit, 
   wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are stacked on one another.   
     
     
         3 . The imaging device according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the first substrate and the second substrate are laminated on one another, and   the photoelectric converting device faces the sense circuit.   
     
     
         4 . The imaging device according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the first substrate includes an array of a plurality of pixels, each pixel in the plurality of pixels having a photoelectric converting device that outputs a signal according to an input photon, and   the second substrate includes a plurality of sense circuits, the plurality of sense circuits performing binary decisions based on signals from the photoelectric converting devices in a predetermined period and outputting decision results based on the binary decisions.   
     
     
         5 . The imaging device according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the plurality of sense circuits are arranged in an array, and   the plurality of pixels and the plurality of sense circuits are formed in a one-to-one correspondence.   
     
     
         6 . The imaging device according to  claim 5 , wherein
 each pixel in the plurality of pixels is connected to a respective sense circuit in the plurality of sense circuits via a signal line.   
     
     
         7 . The imaging device according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the decision result circuitry includes a plurality of count circuits, and   every predetermined number of sense circuits share a respective count circuit.   
     
     
         8 . The imaging device according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the plurality of sense circuits are laid out in a matrix form in a row direction and in a column direction, and   sense circuits which are located in a same row or a same column share a respective count circuit.   
     
     
         9 . The imaging device according to  claim 2 , further comprising
 a reset transistor configured to reset the photoelectric converting device to a state where a photon is not input.   
     
     
         10 . The imaging device according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the reset transistor is configured to reset the photoelectric converting device according to a first exposure period and a second exposure period to acquire first exposure data and second exposure data.   
     
     
         11 . The imaging device according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the first exposure period is longer than the second exposure period.   
     
     
         12 . The imaging device according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the decision result circuitry is configured to store a counting result of the second exposure period in the memory upon determination that a counting result of the first exposure period exceeds a predetermined value.