Dynamically programmable image sensor

An apparatus comprising:

• an image sensor comprising an array of pixel cells, each pixel cell including one or more photodiodes and circuits to capture image frames and generate image data, the photodiodes being formed in a first semiconductor substrate;
• and
• a controller formed in one or more second semiconductor substrates that include the circuits of the array of pixel cells, the first and second semiconductor substrates forming a stack and housed within a semiconductor package;
• wherein the controller is configured to:
• determine whether first image data from a first image frame generated by the image sensor contains features of an object, the first image frame captured by the image sensor;
• based on whether the first image data contains the features of the object, generate programming signals for the image sensor;
• and
• control, based on the programming signals, the image sensor to generate second image data associated with a second image frame;
• wherein a first subset of the programming signals control at least one of a first power consumed by a first subset of the array of pixel cells, a first quantization resolution of first pixel data output by the first subset of the array of pixel cells, or a first bit length of the first pixel data;
• and
• wherein a second subset of the programming signals control at least one of a second power consumed by a second subset of the array of pixel cells, a second quantization resolution of second pixel data output by the second subset of the array of pixel cells, or a second bit length of the second pixel data.