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US 7,746,394 B2Granted
Pixel array and image processing apparatus for image-capturing
AssigneeSony Corporation
InventorToshinobu Sugiyama
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An image-capturing apparatus includes a pixel array including pixels. Each of the pixels includes a transducer for generating signal charge according to the intensity of an incident light beam. The image-capturing apparatus further includes an output circuit for outputting a pixel signal outside the pixel array at a frame rate depending on the pixel position in the pixel array, based on the signal charge; and an output-controlling unit for controlling the operation of the output circuit.
Claims22
An image-capturing apparatus comprising:
- a pixel array comprising a plurality of pixel matrices, each pixel matrix having a plurality of pixels, each pixel having a respective position in said pixel matrix, each pixel comprising a transducer for generating a respective signal charge according to an intensity of an incident light beam;
- an output circuit for outputting from each pixel, based on the respective signal charge, a respective pixel signal outside the pixel array at a respective frame rate, said respective frame rate depending on the respective position of the pixel in the pixel matrix;
- an output-controlling unit for controlling the output circuit;
- and
- a signal-processing unit comprising a plurality of signal-processing circuits, said signal-processing unit configured to receive each respective pixel signal, select a predetermined one of said signal-processing circuits for processing each pixel signal, said selection depending on the respective position of each pixel in the pixel matrix;
- wherein said signal processing unit is configured to process pixel signals at a plurality of different respective frame rates simultaneously during a single frame period.
3 more elements
An imaging module comprising:
- an image-capturing portion comprising a pixel array comprising a plurality of pixel matrices, each pixel matrix having a plurality of pixels, each pixel having a respective position in said pixel matrix, each pixel comprising a transducer for generating a respective signal charge according to an intensity of an incident light beam;
- an output circuit for outputting from each pixel, based on the respective signal charge, a respective pixel signal outside the pixel array at a respective frame rate, said respective frame rate depending on the respective position of the pixel in the pixel matrix;
- an output-controlling portion for controlling the output circuit;
- and
- a signal processing portion comprising a plurality of signal-processing circuits, said signal-processing unit configured to receive each respective pixel signal, select a predetermined one of said signal-processing circuits for processing each pixel signal, said selection depending on the respective position of each pixel in the pixel matrix;
- wherein said signal processing unit is configured to process pixel signals at a plurality of different respective frame rates simultaneously during a single frame period.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.