# US 2019/0174080 A1 · Electronic device, method of controlling same, and image sensor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0174080 A1 - Document ID: US20190174080A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/205,563 - Filed: 2018-11-30 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-06 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Hiroshi Kaibara - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190174080A1 ## CPC - H04N 25/76: Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors - H04N 25/42: by switching between different modes of operation using different resolutions or aspect ratios, e.g. switching between interlaced and non-interlaced mode - H04N 25/53: Control of the integration time - H04N 25/60: Noise processing, e.g. detecting, correcting, reducing or removing noise - H04N 25/78: Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters - H04N 25/79: Arrangements of circuitry being divided between different or multiple substrates, chips or circuit boards, e.g. stacked image sensors - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An image sensor capable of switching between a first path configured to output an image signal read from a plurality of pixels to an external after storing the image signal in a memory, and a second path configured to output the image signal to the external without storing the image signal in the memory is configured. In a case of shooting using a supplemental light source, the image sensor is controlled so as to use the first path and to have a speed for reading the image signal from the plurality of pixels be faster than a speed for outputting the image signal from the memory to the external. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electronic device comprising: an image sensor having a plurality of pixels and capable of switching between a first path in which an image signal read from the plurality of pixels is stored in a memory and then outputted from the memory to an external, and a second path in which the image signal read from the plurality of pixels is output to the external without being stored in the memory; a processor that executes a program stored in a memory and functions as: a control unit configured to, in a case of performing shooting that uses a supplemental light source, control the image sensor so as to use the first path and to make a speed at which the image signal is read from the plurality of pixels faster than a speed at which the image signal is outputted from the memory to the external. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein, in a case of performing shooting that uses a supplemental light source and with a shutter speed that is faster than or equal to or a predefined threshold value, the control unit controls the image sensor so as to use the first path and to make the speed at which the image signal is read from the plurality of pixels faster than the speed at which the image signal is outputted from the memory to the external. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein, in a case of performing shooting where a shutter speed is slower than a predefined threshold value, the control unit controls the image sensor so as to use the second path even in a case where the shooting uses a supplemental light source. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein, in a case of performing shooting that uses a mechanical shutter, the control unit controls the image sensor so as to use the second path even in a case where the shooting uses a supplemental light source. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein, in a case of using the second path, the speed at which the image signal is outputted to the external is based on a processing capacity of external circuitry for processing the image signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein, in a case of using the first path, the speed at which the image signal is read from the plurality of pixels is defined so that a light emission period of the supplemental light source fits within a charge accumulation period common to all of the plurality of pixels. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein shooting that uses the supplemental light source is shooting for adjustment of brightness of the supplemental light source. ### Claim 8 An image sensor comprising: a plurality of pixels; and switching circuitry that switches between a path in which an image signal read from the plurality of pixels is stored in a memory and then outputted from the memory to an external, and a path in which the image signal read from the plurality of pixels is output to the external without being stored in the memory. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The image sensor according to claim 8, further comprising an A/D conversion circuitry that applies an A/D conversion to the image signal before outputting the image signal to an external of the image sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The image sensor according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of pixels are provided in a first semiconductor chip, the memory is provided in a second semiconductor chip, and the first semiconductor chip and second semiconductor chip are vertically stacked and are electrically and mechanically connected. ### Claim 11 A method of controlling an electronic device having an image sensor having a plurality of pixels and capable of switching between a first path in which an image signal read from the plurality of pixels is stored in a memory and then outputted from the memory to an external, and a second path in which the image signal read from the plurality of pixels is output to the external without being stored in the memory, the method comprising: in a case of performing shooting that uses a supplemental light source, controlling the image sensor so as to use the first path and to make a speed at which the image signal is read from the plurality of pixels faster than a speed at which the image signal is outputted from the memory to the external. ### Claim 12 A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program for a computer included in an electronic device, wherein the electronic device comprises an image sensor having a plurality of pixels and capable of switching between a first path in which an image signal read from the plurality of pixels is stored in a memory and then outputted from the memory to an external, and a second path in which the image signal read from the plurality of pixels is output to the external without being stored in the memory, and wherein the program, when executed by the computer, causes the computer to function as a control unit configured to, in a case of performing shooting that uses a supplemental light source, control the image sensor so as to use the first path and to make a speed at which the image signal is read from the plurality of pixels faster than a speed at which the image signal is outputted from the memory to the external.