Patent ID: 9374541
Filing Date: 2016-06-21
CPC Classification: G01J,H01L,H04N

Claim Text:
1. An imaging device comprising: an array of pixels each of which has a photoelectric converting device and outputs an electric signal according to an input photon; reset circuitry configured to reset each of the pixels to a reset state where a photon is not input; a plurality of sense circuits each of which makes a binary decision on whether there is a photon input to a pixel in a predetermined period upon reception of the electric signal therefrom, the binary decision for a respective pixel being made by reading a signal in the reset state, reading a signal after exposure to an input photon, adding an offset to one of the signal in the reset state or the signal after exposure, and comparing the signal in the reset state and the signal after exposure, one of which is added with the offset; and decision result circuitry configured to integrate decision results from the sense circuits, pixel by pixel or for each group of pixels, wherein the decision result circuitry includes a count circuit configured to perform 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.