Image sensor for supporting plural capturing modes
AssigneeSK hynix Inc.
InventorJunghyun Kim
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Abstract
An image sensor includes a pixel array including a central region in which plural first pixels output first pixel information and a peripheral region in which plural second pixels output second pixel information, the peripheral region surrounding the central region. A size of a second pixel, of the plural second pixels, is 4n times greater than that of a first pixel, of the plural first pixels, n being an integer.
Claims18
An image sensor comprising a pixel array including a central region in which plural first pixels output first pixel information and a peripheral region in which plural second pixels output second pixel information, the peripheral region surrounding the central region,
- wherein a size of a second pixel, of the plural second pixels, is 4n times greater than that of a first pixel, of the plural first pixels, n being an integer,
- wherein the first pixel information is transferred via a single column line coupling the first pixel of the pixel array to signal output circuitry, and the second pixel information is transferred via one of plural column lines each coupling the second pixel of the pixel array to the signal output circuitry.
An image sensor, comprising:
- a pixel array including a central region in which plural first pixels each output first pixel information and a peripheral region in which plural second pixels each output second pixel information, the peripheral region surrounding the central region;
- and
- signal output circuitry configured to combine first pixel information, individually outputted from each pixel in a set of adjacent pixels, among the plural first pixels, to generate third pixel information for output in a first operation mode,
- wherein the first pixel information is transferred via a single column line coupling the first pixel of the pixel array to signal output circuitry, and the second pixel information is transferred via one of plural column lines each coupling the second pixel of the pixel array to the signal output circuitry.
An image sensor, comprising:
- a pixel array including a first region including plural first pixels, each having a first planar area, and a second region including plural second pixels, each having a second planar area;
- and
- signal output circuitry configured, based on an operation mode, to output either first pixel information outputted from each of the plural first pixels or third pixel information obtained and combined from the plural first pixels,
- wherein the first pixel information corresponds to a size of the first planar area and the third pixel information corresponds to a size of the second planar area, and
- wherein the first pixel information is transferred via a single column line coupling the first pixel of the pixel array to the signal output circuitry, and second pixel information is transferred via one of plural column lines each coupling the second pixel of the pixel array to the signal output circuitry.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.