Electronic device and method for generating image data

A method for operating an electronic device, the method comprising:

• obtaining, by a controller included in a camera module of the electronic device, from an image sensor including a plurality of unit pixels, a plurality of unit pixel signals, each unit pixel of the plurality of unit pixels comprising a first subpixel and a second subpixel, the plurality of unit pixel signals comprising a first subpixel signal corresponding to the first subpixel and a second subpixel signal corresponding to the second subpixel;
• generating, by the controller, for each unit pixel of the plurality of unit pixels, phase difference information based at least in part on a difference between the first subpixel signal and the second subpixel signal from each unit pixel of the plurality of unit pixels;
• generating, by the controller, a plurality of image data using the plurality of unit pixel signals;
• and
• transmitting, by the controller, the plurality of image data and the phase difference information via an interface electrically coupling the controller to a processor of the electronic device such that the processor presents the plurality of image data via a display and adjusts a focus with respect to the camera module using the phase difference information,
• wherein the plurality of unit pixels are all unit pixels included in the image sensor,
• wherein the plurality of unit pixel signals are read out from the plurality of unit pixels, respectively, and
• wherein each of the plurality of image data corresponds to each of all the unit pixels.

An apparatus comprising:

• a memory;
• a processor;
• a display;
• and
• a camera module comprising:
• an image sensor including a plurality of unit pixels, the plurality of unit pixels including a plurality of subpixels, the image sensor being configured to acquire an optical signal corresponding to an external object, and
• a controller electrically connected with the processor via an interface, the controller being configured to:
• identify a mode for generating an image corresponding to the external object by using the optical signal;
• determine a setting of at least one image attribute to be used for generating the image at least based on the mode;
• generate image data by using pixel data corresponding to the optical signal at least based on the setting, wherein a type of phase difference calculation, from among at least two types of phase difference calculations, used on the pixel data is determined based on the mode;
• and
• transmit the image data through the interface to the processor,
• wherein the processor is configured to display the image data through the display.