Imaging apparatus and imaging method, camera module, and electronic apparatus capable of detecting a failure in a structure in which substrates are stacked

A light detecting sensor comprising:

• a pixel array including a first pixel configured to output a first analog signal;
• a first circuit configured to output a second analog signal;
• a first column signal line coupled to the first pixel and the first circuit;
• a first plurality of connectors disposed outside the pixel array and along a first side edge of the pixel array;
• a first analog-to-digital converter coupled to the first column signal line via a first connector of the first plurality of connectors, the first analog-to-digital converter configured to output a first digital signal based on the first analog signal and to output a second digital signal based on the second analog signal;
• a failure detector configured to perform failure detection of a signal path including the first column signal line and the first connector based on the second analog signal,
• wherein the pixel array is disposed in a first substrate and the first analog-to-digital converter is disposed in a second substrate that is stacked with the first substrate via the first plurality of connectors.

A vehicle control system comprising:

• an imaging unit configured to capture an image of an outside of a vehicle and to output the image, the imaging unit including:
• a pixel array including a first pixel configured to output a first analog signal;
• a first circuit configured to output a second analog signal;
• a first column signal line coupled to the first pixel and the first circuit;
• a first plurality of connectors disposed outside the pixel array and along a first side edge of the pixel array;
• a first analog-to-digital converter coupled to the first column signal line via a first connector of the first plurality of connectors, the first analog-to-digital converter configured to output a first digital signal based on the first analog signal and to output a second digital signal based on the second analog signal;
• and
• a failure detector configured to perform failure detection of a signal path including the first column signal line and the first connector based on the second analog signal,
• wherein the pixel array is disposed in a first substrate and the first analog-to-digital converter is disposed in a second substrate that is stacked with the first substrate via the first plurality of connectors;
• and
• a control unit disposed in the vehicle, wherein the control unit is configured to stop an operation of the vehicle based on a result of the failure detection.