Image sensors and methods of fabricating the same are provided. The image sensor includes a blocking pattern disposed on photodiodes. The blocking pattern is formed of insulation material having a metal diffusion coefficient which is lower than a silicon oxide diffusion coefficient. Therefore, dark defects of the image sensor are reduced. In addition, the image sensor includes a color-ratio control layer. The color ratio control layer controls color ratios between the sensitivities to blue, green and red. As a result, color distinction of the picture that is embodied by the image sensor can be improved.

Image sensor, and method of fabricating the same

The present invention is an image pickup apparatus including an image pickup device having an image pickup plane on which pixels are two-dimensionally arranged, a mechanical rear curtain shutter that runs along the image pickup plane to control passage/shielding of light, a system control section that divides the image pickup plane into a plurality of pixel groups along the running direction ahead of running of the mechanical rear curtain shutter and collectively resets charge of all pixels in one pixel group sequentially at timing per pixel group according to running characteristics of the mechanical rear curtain shutter, and an image processing section that corrects a signal level of an image signal read from the image pickup device to approximate to an image signal obtained when the pixels have a same exposure time based on the running characteristics of the mechanical rear curtain shutter and reset timing for each pixel group.

Image pickup apparatus

Provided are a cell imaging control device, method, and program with which it is possible to capture cell images where the focus position matches cells under observation, without being impacted for example by suspended solids such as dead cells or debris or the height of the cells themselves, in the capturing of cell images based on transmitted light or reflected light of non-stained cells. The invention is provided with: a cell detection unit (22) for acquiring cell images obtained by imaging transmitted light or reflected light of non-stained cells, and detecting cells or intracellular structures in the cell images; and an autofocus control unit (24) for calculating an autofocus assessment value on the basis of image information on the cells or structures detected by the cell detection unit (22), and outputting an autofocus control signal based on the autofocus assessment value to an imaging device that has an autofocus function and captures the cell images.

Cell imaging control device, method, and program

An image sensor includes a photoelectric conversion layer including a plurality of first photoelectric conversion elements and a plurality of second photoelectric conversion elements adjacent to the first photoelectric conversion elements. A light shield layer shields the second photoelectric conversion elements and has respective openings therein that provide light transmission to respective ones of the first photoelectric conversion elements. The image sensor further includes an array of micro-lenses on the photoelectric conversion layer, each of the micro-lenses overlapping at least one of the first photoelectric conversion elements and at least one of the second photoelectric conversion elements.

Image sensor with selective light-shielding for reference pixels

An imaging apparatus for the present invention comprises an image sensor which repeatedly reads out image data, an OB calculating unit which calculates a representative value of OB output levels read from the image sensor; and a memory which stores the representative value of OB pixel output levels calculated by the OB calculating unit in a manner of dividing into a part for subtraction (a integer part) and a part for carrying-over (a decimal part); and an image synthesizing unit which sequentially adds the image data read from an effective pixel region in the image sensor and generates an added image, wherein the above-described image synthesizing unit subtracts the part for subtraction of the representative value of OB pixel output levels stored in the memory (OB subtraction part) from either the generated added image, or the image read from the effective pixel region, and, when a next OB value for addition after second addition is calculated, the OB calculating unit adds the carrying-over (decimal) part to the representative value of OB output levels stored in the memory for the representative value of OB output levels calculated using the image data read from the OB pixel regions.

Methods and apparatus for providing optical black compensation of added images

A pixel array for an image sensor is provided. The pixel array includes a dark pixel which is configured to detect a local dark current in an active pixel block. The dark pixel is distinguished from an optical black pixel block which is arranged around the active pixel block and is configured to detect a global dark current. The pixel array is configured to compensate for dark shading, which is not compensated through global dark current compensation, using the local dark current output from the dark pixel which is arranged within the active pixel block.

Pixel array, image sensor including the same, and method of compensating for local dark current

A method of compensating for dark signal in an image signal, the method including generating a dark signal model from a dark signal measurement, the dark signal being a digital signal representing a dark frame captured by an image sensor when shielded from exposure to light; and estimating the dark signal present in an object signal using the dark signal model, the object signal being a digital signal representing an object frame captured by the image sensor when exposed to light.

Dark signal modeling

Ein Pixelarray (31) fur einen Bildsensor (30) ist vorgesehen. Das Pixelarray (31) weist ein Dunkelpixel (31a) auf, das derart konfiguriert ist, dass es einen lokalen Dunkelstrom in einem aktiven Pixelblock (31_APB) erfasst. Das Dunkelpixel (31a) wird von einem optischen Dunkelpixelblock (32a, 32b, 32c) unterschieden, der um den aktiven Pixelblock (31_APB) angeordnet ist und derart konfiguriert ist, dass er einen globalen Dunkelstrom erfasst. Das Pixelarray (31) ist derart konfiguriert, dass es eine Dunkel-Schattierung, die nicht durch eine globale Dunkelstrom-Kompensation kompensiert wird, unter Verwenden des Dunkelstroms kompensiert, der von dem in dem aktiven Pixelblock (31_APB) angeordneten Dunkelpixel (31a) ausgegeben wird.

Tomer Livneh

Papers

Pixel array, image sensor including the same, and method of compensating for local dark current

Dark signal modeling

Pixelarray, Bildsensor mit demselben und Verfahren zum Kompensieren von lokalem Dunkelstrom