Image sensor for capsule endoscope enabling dual mode operation

An image sensor for a capsule endoscope enabling dual mode operation, comprising:

• a clock generation unit generating a clock signal;
• a master image sensor device including
• a master image sensor encoding an image acquired through a lens,
• a master control unit receiving the clock signal from the clock generation unit and outputting the clock signal and a control signal, and
• a master communication unit for communicating with a slave communication unit;
• and
• a slave image sensor device including
• a slave image sensor encoding an image acquired through a lens,
• a slave control unit receiving the clock signal and the control signal from the master control unit, and
• the slave communication unit communicating with the master communication unit;
• and
• an operation selection device including
• a mode-operation selection unit setting the image sensor to work in one of a single mode in which either the master image sensor device or the slave image sensor device is operated, a dual mode in which the master image sensor device and the slave image sensor device are operated in an alternate manner, and a sleep mode in which none of the master image sensor device and the slave image sensor device is operated, and
• a means-operation selection unit selecting only one of the master image sensor device and the slave image sensor device to work in the single mode when the image sensor is set in the single mode,
• wherein the master image sensor device, the slave image sensor device, the clock generation unit and the operation selection device are disposed inside a same capsule endoscope, and
• wherein the master control unit controls, through the clock signal and the control signal, an operation of the slave image sensor device and a frame synchronization between the master image sensor and the slave image sensor.