Image Sensor Pixel Array Segmentation for Simultaneous Still and Movie Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image sensing apparatuses face challenges in achieving high spatial resolution for still images without compromising movie frame rates, as they often require high-speed pixel readout for still image shooting, leading to high power consumption and impaired simultaneity of accumulation, especially when capturing moving objects.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus employs a pixel array with two groups of pixels, where one group performs accumulation operations in each frame period and the other group accumulates signals over successive frame periods, allowing for simultaneous readout of signals from both groups during still image shooting without significantly reducing the movie frame rate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If all pixels are read out at high speed for still image shooting, then spatial resolution is improved, but power consumption increases and movie frame rate decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The pixel array is divided into first pixel groups and second pixel groups that are read out at different times. The first pixel groups are read out in each frame period while the second pixel groups are read out in alternating frame periods, enabling parallel still image and movie shooting without reading out all pixels simultaneously, thus reducing power consumption while maintaining spatial resolution
Solution Approach 2:
Signals from the second pixel groups are accumulated in advance during movie shooting frame periods before being read out when needed for still image generation, allowing the system to prepare data beforehand without interfering with real-time movie capture or increasing instantaneous power consumption
2Measurement precision
If all pixels are read out at high speed for still image shooting, then spatial resolution is improved, but the simultaneity of accumulation is impaired
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the pixel array into first and second pixel groups with different readout schedules, the system maintains simultaneous accumulation across all pixels while enabling selective readout. The first pixel groups accumulate and read out in each frame period, while the second pixel groups accumulate and read out in alternating frame periods, preserving temporal coherence for moving objects
Solution Approach 2:
The second pixel groups perform preliminary accumulation during movie shooting frame periods, storing signals before they are needed for still image generation. This preliminary action ensures that when still images are generated, all pixel data represents the same moment in time, maintaining simultaneity of accumulation even though readout occurs at different times
3Measurement precision
If movie frame rate is decreased to read out all pixels for still image shooting, then spatial resolution is improved, but temporal resolution of movie deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The pixel array is segmented into first and second pixel groups that operate independently with different readout schedules. The first pixel groups maintain continuous readout at movie frame rate while the second pixel groups are read out in alternating frame periods, enabling still image generation without decreasing the movie frame rate, thus preserving temporal resolution
Solution Approach 2:
The second pixel groups perform preliminary accumulation during movie shooting frame periods at the normal movie frame rate, then their signals are read out and composed with the first pixel group signals for still image generation. This allows high spatial resolution still images to be generated without slowing down the movie capture process, maintaining temporal resolution
Data Source
AI summary
An image sensing apparatus comprises: a pixel array; a driving unit; a readout unit which, when performing still image shooting parallel to movie shooting, reads out, in each of successive frame periods, first signals from a first pixel group, and reads out, over the successive frame periods, second signals of a first frame period from pixels of a second pixel group that are different from each other between the successive frame periods; and a generation unit which generates an image signal for a movie of one frame in each of the successive frame periods from the first signals read out in each of the successive frame periods, and also generates an image signal for a still image of one frame in the first frame period by composing the first signals read out in the first frame period and the second signals read out over the successive frame periods.