# US 7,746,394 B2 · Pixel array and image processing apparatus for image-capturing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,746,394 B2 - Document ID: US7746394B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/094,653 - Filed: 2005-03-30 - Published: 2005-10-20 - Granted: 2010-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 2004-04-02 - Assignees: Sony Corporation - Inventors: Toshinobu Sugiyama - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7746394B2 ## CPC - G01S 11/12: using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves - H04N 9/03: Circuitry for demodulating colour component signals modulated spatially by colour striped filters by frequency separation - H04N 23/667: Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes - H04N 25/00: Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof - H04N 25/133: including elements passing panchromatic light, e.g. filters passing white light - H04N 25/134: {based on three different wavelength filter elements} - H04N 25/707: Pixels for event detection - H04N 25/76: Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors - H04N 25/767: Horizontal readout lines, multiplexers or registers - H04N 25/77: Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components - H04N 25/78: Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image-capturing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein at least one pixel in each pixel matrix has a color filter, and a wavelength selectivity of said color filter corresponds to the respective position of the pixel in the pixel matrix. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image-capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one pixel in each pixel matrix has a color filter, and a wavelength selectivity of said color filter corresponds to the respective position of the pixel in the pixel matrix, and each pixel is classified into a first type of pixel, said first type of pixel having at least one of a no color filter and a color filter without wavelength-selectivity, and a second type of pixel having a color filter, and each respective position in the pixel matrix corresponds to one said first type and said second type. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image-capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each pixel is controlled through a control line corresponding to the frame rate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image-capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output circuit outputs the pixel signal through a signal line corresponding to the frame rate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image-capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each pixel is classified into a first type of pixel adapted for capturing natural images and a second type of pixel adapted for detecting an infrared light beam, and each respective position in the pixel matrix corresponds to one of said first type and said second type. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The image-capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each pixel is classified into a first type of pixel adapted for capturing natural images and a second type of pixel adapted for detecting the resulting reflected light beam from an emitted probe light beam in a light-section method, a first set of output circuits associated with the first type of pixel and a second set of output circuits associated with the second type of pixel simultaneously output pixel signals, and each respective position in the pixel matrix corresponds to one of said first type and said second type. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The image-capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each pixel is classified into a first type of pixel adapted for capturing natural images and a second type of pixel adapted for detecting an optical signal generated by changing light intensity, a first set of output circuits associated with the first type of pixel and a second set of output circuits associated with the second type of pixel simultaneously output pixel signals, and each respective position in the pixel matrix corresponds to one of said first type and said second type. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The image-capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a pixel matrix detects a plurality of types of optical signals generated by changing light intensity, and each respective position in the pixel matrix corresponds to one of said plurality of types. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The image-capturing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the natural images are read out from the pixel array in a column-parallel mode through a plurality of output signal lines. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6, 7) The image-capturing apparatus according to claim 6, 7, or 8, wherein the natural images are read out from the pixel array in a pixel-by-pixel mode. ### Claim 12 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. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The imaging module according to claim 12 wherein at least one pixel in each pixel matrix has a color filter, and a wavelength selectivity of said color filter corresponds to the respective position of the pixel in the pixel matrix. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The imaging module according to claim 12, wherein at least one pixel in each pixel matrix has a color filter, and a wavelength selectivity of said color filter corresponds to the respective position of the pixel in the pixel matrix, and each pixel is classified into a first type of pixel, said first type of pixel having at least one of a no color filter and a color filter without wavelength-selectivity, and a second type of pixel having a color filter, and each respective position in the pixel matrix corresponds to one of said first type and said second type. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The imaging module according to claim 12, wherein each pixel is controlled through a control line corresponding to the frame rate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The imaging module according to claim 12, wherein the output circuit outputs the pixel signal through a signal line corresponding to the frame rate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The imaging module according to claim 12, wherein each pixel is classified into a first type of pixel adapted for capturing natural images and a second type of pixel adapted for detecting an infrared light beam, and each respective position in the pixel matrix corresponds to one of said first type and said second type. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The imaging module according to claim 12, wherein each pixel is classified into a first type of pixel adapted for capturing natural images and a second type of pixel adapted for detecting the resulting reflected light beam from an emitted probe light beam in a light-section method, a first set of output circuits associated with the first type of pixel and a second set of output circuits associated with the second type of pixel simultaneously output pixel signals, and each respective position in the pixel matrix corresponds to one of said first type and said second type. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The imaging module according to claim 12, wherein each pixel is classified into a first type of pixel adapted for capturing natural images and a second type of pixel adapted for detecting an optical signal generated by changing light intensity, a first set of output circuits associated with the first type of pixel and a second set of output circuits associated with the second type of pixel simultaneously output pixel signals, and each respective position in the pixel matrix corresponds to one of said first type and said second type. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The imaging module according to claim 12, wherein a pixel matrix detects a plurality of types of optical signals generated by changing light intensity, and each respective position in the pixel matrix corresponds to one of said plurality of types. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The imaging module according to claim 17, wherein the natural images are read out from the pixel array in a column-parallel mode through a plurality of output signal lines. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17, 18) The imaging module according to claim 17, 18, or 19, wherein the natural images are read out from the pixel array in a pixel-by-pixel mode.