Imaging device, method of driving imaging device, and electronic equipment

A method of driving an imaging device, the method comprising, in driving the imaging device,

• reading out, via a first pixel control section, a plurality of pixel signals of a plurality of pixels in a pixel array section at a first frame rate;
• reading out, via a second pixel control section, a first set of pixel signals of a first set of pixels in a specific region in the pixel array section at a second frame rate, wherein
• the plurality of pixels includes the first set of pixels, and
• the second frame rate is higher than the first frame rate
• converting, from analog-to-digital, a pixel signal of each pixel of the plurality of pixel signals read out by one of the first pixel control section or the second pixel control section;
• and
• reading out, via two systems of read out signal lines, the pixel signal of each pixel of the plurality of pixels, wherein
• the two systems of readout signal lines include a first readout signal line and a second readout signal line on a per-pixel-column basis,
• each pixel of the plurality of pixels is configured to be connected to both the first readout signal line and the second readout signal line, and
• the pixel signal of each pixel of the plurality of pixels is read out by both the first readout signal line and the second readout signal line.

Electronic equipment comprising an imaging device, the imaging device including:

• a pixel array section including a plurality of pixels, wherein the plurality of pixels includes light receiving elements;
• a first pixel control section configured to control a first read out of a plurality of pixel signals of the plurality of pixels at a first frame rate;
• a second pixel control section configured to control a second read out of a first set of pixel signals of a first set of pixels in a specific region in the pixel array section at a second frame rate, wherein
• the plurality of pixels includes the first set of pixels, and
• the second frame rate is higher than the first frame rate;
• an analog-to-digital conversion section configured to execute analog-to-digital conversion on a pixel signal of each pixel of the plurality of pixel signals read out by one of the first pixel control section or the second pixel control section;
• and
• two systems of readout signal lines configured to read out pixel signal of each pixel of the plurality of pixels,
• wherein
• the two systems of readout signal lines include a first readout signal line and a second readout signal line on a per-pixel-column basis, and
• each pixel of the plurality of pixels is configured to be connected to both the first readout signal line and the second readout signal line.

An imaging device, comprising:

• a pixel array section including a plurality of pixels, wherein the plurality of pixels includes light receiving elements;
• a region-of-interest detector configured to detect a specific region, as a region of interest, in a captured image based on a result of comparison between image information of a current imaging frame and image information preceding by at least one imaging frame, wherein
• the region of interest corresponds to a region having motion in the captured image,
• the region-of-interest detector is further configured to include an image memory, a comparison section, a movement amount memory, and a region-of-interest determination section,
• the image memory is configured to hold the image information preceding by the at least one imaging frame,
• the comparison section is configured to acquire a difference absolute value between the image information of the current imaging frame and the image information held in the image memory,
• the movement amount memory is further configured to store the difference absolute value as a movement amount from a past image to a current image, and
• the region-of-interest determination section is further configured to determine the region of interest based on the movement amount stored in the movement amount memory;
• a first pixel control section configured to control a first read out of a plurality of pixel signals of the plurality of pixels at a first frame rate;
• a second pixel control section configured to control a second read out of a first set of pixel signals of a first set of pixels in the specific region in the pixel array section at a second frame rate, wherein
• the plurality of pixels includes the first set of pixels, and
• the second frame rate is higher than the first frame rate;
• and
• an analog-to-digital conversion section configured to execute an analog-to-digital conversion on a pixel signal, of each pixel of the plurality of pixel signals, read out by one of the first pixel control section or the second pixel control section.