Imaging device that prevents loss of shadow detail

• Main Authors: MATSUNAGA, YOSHIYUKI, MASUYAMA, MASAYUKI, MURAKAMI, MASASHI
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 15.07.2009
• Subjects: ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

An imaging device outputs brightness information according to an amount of incident light and includes: an imaging unit that includes a plurality of unit cells arranged one dimensionally or two-dimensionally, each unit cell including a photoelectric conversion part that generates a first output voltage in a reset state and a second output voltage according to an amount of incident light, and each unit cell generating a reset voltage that corresponds to the first output voltage and a read voltage that corresponds to the second output voltage; and an output unit operable to output, in relation to each unit cell, brightness information indicating a difference between the reset voltage and the read voltage when the read voltage is in a predetermined range, and brightness information indicating high brightness when the read voltage is not in the predetermined range.