Image sensing device, camera, and transportation equipment

Abstract

An image sensing device is provided. The device comprises pixels including a first pixel which belongs to a first row and a first column, a second pixel which belongs to a second row and the first column and a third pixel which belongs to the second row and a second column, and readout units including a first readout circuit connected to the first and second pixels and a second readout circuit connected to the third pixel. The device performs a first operation and a second operation after the first operation. In the first operation, signal readout from the first and third pixels are performed. In the second operation, signal readout from the second pixel is performed. A controller determines, based on the signal generated by the first operation, a control parameter using to control the second operation.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An image sensing device that comprises a first semiconductor chip which includes a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a matrix and a second semiconductor chip which includes a plurality of readout circuits configured to read out signals from the pixel array,
 wherein the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip are stacked on each other,   the plurality of pixels includes a plurality of first-type pixels and a plurality of second-type pixels,   a number of the plurality of first-type pixels is less than a number of the plurality of the second-type pixels,   the image sensing device performs a first image sensing operation and performs a second image sensing operation,   in a first image sensing operation, first signal read out from the plurality of first-type pixels by the plurality of readout circuits is performed,   in a second image sensing operation, second signal read out from the plurality of second-type pixels by the plurality of readout circuits is performed, and   a control parameter for reading out the second signal from the plurality of second-type pixels in the second image sensing is determined based on the first signal read out from the plurality of first-type pixels in the first image sensing operation.   
     
     
         22 . The device according to  claim 21 , wherein the control parameter comprises at least one of an exposure time of accumulating charges, a gain of the plurality of readout circuits, conversion resolution of the plurality of readout circuits, and a signal readout region of the pixel array in the second image sensing operation. 
     
     
         23 . The device according to  claim 21 , wherein the control parameter comprises an exposure time of accumulating charges in the second image sensing operation. 
     
     
         24 . The device according to  claim 23 , wherein at least one of the plurality of first-type pixels is arranged in a first pixel row, and
 the plurality of the first-type pixels is not arranged in a second pixel row adjacent to the first pixel row.   
     
     
         25 . The device according to  claim 23 , wherein at least one of the plurality of first-type pixels is arranged in a first pixel column, and
 the plurality of the first-type pixels is not arranged in a second pixel column adjacent to the first pixel column.   
     
     
         26 . The device according to  claim 23 , wherein the control parameter is determined by at least one of not less than one row of the pixel array and not less than one column of the pixel array. 
     
     
         27 . The device according to  claim 23 , wherein a signal is read out from the plurality of second-type pixels in a second image sensing operation. 
     
     
         28 . The device according to  claim 23 , wherein
 in each of pixel rows to which the plurality of the first-type pixels belong, each of the plurality of first-type pixels is arranged for every M pixels (M is a positive integer not less than 2),   in the pixel array, the pixel row to which the plurality of the first-type pixels belong is arranged for every N rows (N is an integer not less than 2), and   signal readout is performed simultaneously from first-type pixels belonging to continuous L pixel rows (L is an integer not less than 2) among pixel rows to which the plurality of the first-type pixels belong.   
     
     
         29 . The device according to  claim 28 , further comprising in each of the pixel rows to which the plurality of the first-type pixels belong, a first signal line group configured to control the first-type pixels belonging to each of the pixel rows among the plurality of first-type pixels, and a second signal line group configured to control a pixel other than the plurality of first-type pixels. 
     
     
         30 . The device according to  claim 29 , further comprising a third signal line group configured to control a pixel included in each of plurality of pixel rows which do not include the plurality of first-type pixels, and
 a total signal line count of the first signal line group and the second signal line group and a line count of the third signal line group are equal to each other.   
     
     
         31 . The device according to  claim 21 , wherein an image sensing operation of performing one first image sensing operation and one second image sensing operation is repeated, and
 in the image sensing operation, after signals generated by the first image sensing operation are read out by the plurality of readout circuits, signals generated by the second image sensing operation are read out by the plurality of readout circuits.   
     
     
         32 . The device according to  claim 31 , further comprising a controller configured to determine the control parameter,
 wherein the first image sensing operation comprises a first preliminary image sensing operation and a second preliminary image sensing operation which is performed after the first preliminary image sensing operation,   the plurality of first-type pixels comprise a first preliminary image sensing pixel which is used in the first preliminary image sensing operation and a second preliminary image sensing pixel which is different from the first preliminary image sensing pixel and is used in the second preliminary image sensing operation,   the controller determines, based on a signal generated by the first preliminary image sensing pixel in the first preliminary image sensing operation, a preliminary image sensing parameter to be used for accumulating charges in the second preliminary image sensing operation and controlling the second preliminary image sensing operation,   the controller causes the plurality of readout circuits to read out each signal generated by the second preliminary image sensing pixel in the second preliminary image sensing operation, and   the controller determines the control parameter by using the signal generated by the second preliminary image sensing pixel.   
     
     
         33 . The device according to  claim 32 , wherein in the pixel array, a region in which the first preliminary image sensing pixel is arranged comprises a region in which the second preliminary image sensing pixel is arranged. 
     
     
         34 . The device according to  claim 33 , wherein in the pixel array, a region in which the second preliminary image sensing pixel is arranged comprises a region in which of the plurality of pixels, a pixel whose signal is to be read out in the second image sensing operation is arranged. 
     
     
         35 . The device according to  claim 34 , wherein the preliminary image sensing parameter comprises at least one of an exposure time of accumulating charges, a gain of the plurality of readout circuits, conversion resolution of the plurality of readout circuits, and a signal readout region of the pixel array in the second preliminary image sensing operation. 
     
     
         36 . The device according to  claim 21 , wherein a scanning time of the first image sensing operation is shorter than a scanning time of the second image sensing operation. 
     
     
         37 . A camera comprising:
 an image sensing device defined in  claim 21 ; and   a control device configured to control an operation of the image sensing device.   
     
     
         38 . A transportation equipment that includes a driving device, comprising:
 an image sensing device defined in  claim 21 ; and   a control device configured to control the driving device based on information acquired by the image sensing device.