# US 10,873,714 B2 · Image sensor with multiple pixel access settings > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,873,714 B2 - Document ID: US10873714B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/155,932 - Filed: 2018-10-10 - Published: 2019-05-09 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2017-11-09 - Assignees: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC - Applicants: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC - Inventors: Koji Hizume; Mariko Hirano - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873714B2 ## CPC - H04N 25/77: Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components - H04N 25/40: Extracting pixel data from image sensors by controlling scanning circuits, e.g. by modifying the number of pixels sampled or to be sampled - H04N 25/42: by switching between different modes of operation using different resolutions or aspect ratios, e.g. switching between interlaced and non-interlaced mode - H04N 25/44: by partially reading an SSIS array - H04N 25/531: by controlling rolling shutters in CMOS SSIS - H10F 39/802: {Geometry or disposition of elements in pixels, e.g. address-lines or gate electrodes} - H10F 39/803: {Pixels having integrated switching, control, storage or amplification elements} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION ## Abstract An image sensor may include an array of pixels arranged in rows and columns. Row control circuitry may be coupled to the array of pixels to reset, control charge transfer, and read out operations. Pixel access circuitry in processing circuitry may provide control signals to row control circuitry to access the array of pixels using multiple pixel access settings. In particular, by using multiple pixel access setting, the array of pixels may successively and efficiently generate image frames of different types. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image sensor, comprising: an array of image pixels; row control circuitry coupled to the array of image pixels; and pixel access control circuitry configured to control the row control circuitry to provide a first control signal to a first pixel in the array of image pixels based on a first pixel access mode and to provide a second control signal to a second pixel in the array of image pixels based on a second pixel access mode, wherein the row control circuitry is configured to assert the first control signal received by the first pixel to perform a shutter operation based on the first pixel access mode during a given time period, and the row control circuitry is configured to assert the second control signal received by the second pixel to perform a readout operation based on the second pixel access mode during the given time period. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image sensor defined in claim 1, wherein the first pixel is configured to generate a first image frame using the first pixel access mode and the second pixel is configured to generate a second image frame using the second pixel access mode, and wherein the second image frame has a different frame property than the first image frame. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The image sensor defined in claim 2, wherein the row control circuitry is configured to assert the first control signal before an integration time period. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The image sensor defined in claim 3, wherein the row control circuitry is configured to assert the second control signal after an additional integration time period different than the integration time period. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The image sensor defined in claim 2, wherein the first image frame is generated based on at least two exposure time periods and wherein the second image frame is generated based on at least two exposure time periods. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The image sensor defined in claim 2, wherein the first image frame is generated as a colorized image frame and the second image frame is generated as a monochrome image frame. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The image sensor defined in claim 2, wherein the first image frame has a first resolution and the second image frame has a second resolution that is different from the first resolution. ### Claim 8 An image sensor, comprising: an array of image pixels; row control circuitry coupled to the array of image pixels; and context switching circuitry coupled to the row control circuitry, wherein the context switching circuitry controls the array of image pixels to generate first, second, and third consecutive image frames using the row control circuitry, the first and second image frames having at least one differing frame property, wherein the context switching circuitry is configured to provide control signals associated with a context to the row control circuitry, and wherein the row control circuitry is configured to control the array to generate the first and third image frames using a shutter operation and a readout operation based on the context. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The image sensor defined in claim 8, wherein the first and third image frames have the same frame properties. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The image sensor defined in claim 9, wherein the at least one differing frame property comprises a pixel resolution. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The image sensor defined in claim 10, wherein the at least one differing frame property further comprises a color resolution. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The image sensor defined in claim 8, wherein the context switching circuitry is configured to provide additional control signals associated with an additional context to the row control circuitry and wherein the row control circuitry is configured to control the array to generate the second image frame using an additional shutter operation and an additional readout operation based on the additional context. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The image sensor defined in claim 12, wherein the row control circuitry is configured to control a first portion of the array to perform the shutter operation based on the context while controlling a second portion of the array to perform the additional readout operation based on the additional context. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The image sensor defined in claim 13, wherein the row control circuitry is configured to control the first portion of the array to perform the additional shutter operation based on the additional context while controlling the second portion of the array to perform the readout operation based on the context. ### Claim 15 An image sensor, comprising: an array of image pixels having a plurality of active pixels arranged in a first set of rows and a plurality of inactive pixels arranged in a second set of rows, the plurality of active pixels comprising a given active pixel; row control circuitry coupled to the first set of rows and the second set of rows; and context switching circuitry coupled to the row control circuitry, wherein the context switching circuitry controls the row control circuitry to access the given active pixel using a first pixel access setting during a first time period and to access the given active pixel using a second pixel access setting during a second time period. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The image sensor defined in claim 15, wherein the row control circuitry is configured to perform a first shuttering operation on the given active pixel based on the first pixel access setting during the first time period and is configured to perform a second shuttering operation on a given inactive pixel in the plurality of inactive pixels based on the first pixel access setting during a third time period. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The image sensor defined in claim 16, wherein the row control circuitry is configured to perform a third shuttering operation on the given active pixel based on the second pixel access setting during the second time period and is configured to perform fourth shuttering operation on the given inactive pixel based on the second pixel access setting during a fourth time period. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The image sensor defined in claim 17, wherein the first and second time periods are nonoverlapping and wherein the third and fourth time periods are nonoverlapping. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The image sensor defined in claim 15, wherein the plurality of active pixels comprises an additional active pixel and wherein the context switching circuitry controls the row control circuitry to access the additional active pixel using the second pixel access setting during the first time period.