# US 2019/0379853 A1 · Imaging system and imaging device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0379853 A1 - Document ID: US20190379853A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/481,685 - Filed: 2018-01-17 - Published: 2019-12-12 - Earliest claimed: 2017-02-16 - Assignees: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation - Applicants: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation - Inventors: NAOKI KAWAZU; ATSUSHI SUZUKI; JUNICHIRO AZAMI; YUICHI MOTOHASHI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190379853A1 ## CPC - H04N 25/76: Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors - H04N 25/78: Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters - H04N 25/69: SSIS comprising testing or correcting structures for circuits other than pixel cells - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An imaging system according to the present disclosure includes: an imaging device that is mounted in a vehicle, and captures and generates an image of a peripheral region of the vehicle; and a processing device that is mounted in the vehicle, and executes processing related to a function of controlling the vehicle on the basis of the image. The imaging device includes: a first pixel, a second pixel, a first signal line that is coupled to the first pixel, a second signal line that is coupled to the second pixel, and is different from the first signal line, a first latch that is coupled to the first signal line, and stores a first digital code, a second latch that is coupled to the second signal line, is adjacent to the first latch, and stores a second digital code, a transfer section that transfers digital codes outputted from the first latch and the second latch, and a diagnosis section that performs diagnosis processing on the basis of the digital codes transferred from the first latch and the second latch. The processing device restricts the function of controlling the vehicle on the basis of a result of the diagnosis processing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An imaging system comprising: an imaging device that is mounted in a vehicle, and captures and generates an image of a peripheral region of the vehicle; and a processing device that is mounted in the vehicle, and executes processing related to a function of controlling the vehicle on a basis of the image, the imaging device including: a first pixel, a second pixel, a first signal line that is coupled to the first pixel, a second signal line that is coupled to the second pixel, and is different from the first signal line, a first latch that is coupled to the first signal line, and stores a first digital code, a second latch that is coupled to the second signal line, is adjacent to the first latch, and stores a second digital code, a transfer section that transfers digital codes outputted from the first latch and the second latch, and a diagnosis section that performs diagnosis processing on a basis of the digital codes transferred from the first latch and the second latch, and the processing device restricting the function of controlling the vehicle on a basis of a result of the diagnosis processing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The imaging system according to claim 1, wherein the first digital code and the second digital code are set to digital codes different from each other, and the diagnosis section diagnoses that a breakdown state arises in a case where the digital code transferred from the first latch is different from the first digital code, and diagnoses that the breakdown state arises in a case where the digital code transferred from the second latch is different from the second digital code. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The imaging system according to claim 2, wherein respective bits of the first digital code are set to a first logic value, and respective bits of the second digital code are set to a second logic value. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The imaging system according to claim 2, wherein respective bits of the first digital code are alternately set to a first logic value and a second logic value, and respective bits of the second digital code are set to reverse bits of the respective bits of the first digital code. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The imaging system according to claim 2, wherein the imaging device includes a plurality of latches including the first latch and the second latch, latches adjacent to each other of the plurality of latches store digital codes different from each other of the first digital code and the second digital code, and the transfer section alternately transfers the digital code outputted from the latch storing the first digital code and the digital code outputted from the latch storing the second digital code. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The imaging system according to claim 2, wherein the transfer section is allowed to change transfer order in a case where the digital code outputted from the first latch and the digital code outputted from the second latch are transferred. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The imaging system according to claim 1, wherein the diagnosis section performs the diagnosis processing in a blanking period. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The imaging system according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device further includes: a first AD converter provided between the first pixel and the first latch, and a second AD converter provided between the second pixel and the second latch, the first digital code is generated by the first AD converter, and the second digital code is generated by the second AD converter. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The imaging system according to claim 8, wherein the first AD converter includes a first counter, the second AD converter includes a second counter, the first digital code is generated through controlling the first counter, and the second digital code is generated through controlling the second counter. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The imaging system according to claim 1, wherein the transfer section includes: a bus wiring line, a first switch section that is provided corresponding to the first latch, and is turned to an ON state, thereby supplying the digital code outputted from the first latch to the bus wiring line, and a second switch section that is provided corresponding to the second latch, and is turned to the ON state, thereby supplying the digital code outputted from the second latch to the bus wiring line. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The imaging system according to claim 1, wherein the transfer section includes: a plurality of bus wiring lines, a first switch section that is provided corresponding to the first latch, and is turned to an ON state, thereby supplying the digital code outputted from the first latch to any one of the plurality of bus wiring lines, and a second switch section that is provided corresponding to the second latch, and is turned to the ON state, thereby supplying the digital code outputted from the second latch to any one of the plurality of bus wiring lines. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The imaging system according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device further includes a first coupling section, the first signal line and the first pixel are formed in a first substrate, the diagnosis section is formed in a second substrate stacked on the first substrate, the first coupling section electrically couples the first signal line in the first substrate and the diagnosis section in the second substrate to each other, and the diagnosis section performs diagnosis processing related to the first coupling section. ### Claim 13 An imaging device comprising: a first pixel; a second pixel; a first signal line that is coupled to the first pixel; a second signal line that is coupled to the second pixel, and is different from the first signal line; a first latch that is coupled to the first signal line, and stores a first digital code; a second latch that is coupled to the second signal line, is adjacent to the first latch, and stores a second digital code; a transfer section that transfers digital codes outputted from the first latch and the second latch; and a diagnosis section that performs diagnosis processing on a basis of the digital codes transferred from the first latch and the second latch. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The imaging device according to claim 13, wherein the first digital code and the second digital code are set to digital codes different from each other, and the diagnosis section diagnoses that a breakdown state arises in a case where the digital code transferred from the first latch is different from the first digital code, and diagnoses that the breakdown state arises in a case where the digital code transferred from the second latch is different from the second digital code. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The imaging device according to claim 14, wherein respective bits of the first digital code are set to a first logic value, and respective bits of the second digital code are set to a second logic value. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The imaging device according to claim 14, wherein respective bits of the first digital code are alternately set to a first logic value and a second logic value, and respective bits of the second digital code are set to reverse bits of the respective bits of the first digital code. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The imaging device according to claim 14, comprising a plurality of latches including the first latch and the second latch, wherein latches adjacent to each other of the plurality of latches store digital codes different from each other of the first digital code and the second digital code, and the transfer section alternately transfers the digital code outputted from the latch storing the first digital code and the digital code outputted from the latch storing the second digital code. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The imaging device according to claim 14, wherein the transfer section is allowed to change transfer order in a case where the digital code outputted from the first latch and the digital code outputted from the second latch are transferred. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The imaging device according to claim 13, wherein the diagnosis section performs the diagnosis processing in a blanking period. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The imaging device according to claim 13, further comprising: a first AD converter provided between the first pixel and the first latch; and a second AD converter provided between the second pixel and the second latch, wherein the first digital code is generated by the first AD converter, and the second digital code is generated by the second AD converter. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The imaging device according to claim 20, wherein the first AD converter includes a first counter, the second AD converter includes a second counter, the first digital code is generated through controlling the first counter, and the second digital code is generated through controlling the second counter. ### Claim 22 (depends on 13) The imaging device according to claim 13, wherein the transfer section includes: a bus wiring line, a first switch section that is provided corresponding to the first latch, and is turned to an ON state, thereby supplying the digital code outputted from the first latch to the bus wiring line, and a second switch section that is provided corresponding to the second latch, and is turned to the ON state, thereby supplying the digital code outputted from the second latch to the bus wiring line. ### Claim 23 (depends on 13) The imaging device according to claim 13, wherein the transfer section includes: a plurality of bus wiring lines, a first switch section that is provided corresponding to the first latch, and is turned to an ON state, thereby supplying the digital code outputted from the first latch to any one of the plurality of bus wiring lines, and a second switch section that is provided corresponding to the second latch, and is turned to the ON state, thereby supplying the digital code outputted from the second latch to any one of the plurality of bus wiring lines. ### Claim 24 (depends on 13) The imaging device according to claim 13, further comprising a first coupling section, wherein the first signal line and the first pixel are formed in a first substrate, the diagnosis section is formed in a second substrate stacked on the first substrate, the first coupling section electrically couples the first signal line in the first substrate and the diagnosis section in the second substrate to each other, and the diagnosis section performs diagnosis processing related to the first coupling section. ### Claim 25 An imaging device comprising: a plurality of signal lines; a plurality of pixels that each applies a pixel voltage to the plurality of signal lines; a plurality of converters that is provided corresponding to the plurality of signal lines, each performs AD conversion on a basis of a voltage of a corresponding signal line of the plurality of signal lines to generate a digital code and output the digital code, and sets, to a predetermined digital code, the digital code to be outputted in a first period; a processor that performs predetermined processing on a basis of the digital code, and performs diagnosis processing in the first period; and a transfer section that transfers the digital code outputted from each of the plurality of converters to the processor.