Methods of sensor mode switching in event based sensor and imaging camera for low power application

Abstract

An image sensor comprises a plurality of pixels. Pixels are capable of detecting a change in an amount of light intensity and pixels are capable of detecting an amount of light intensity. In a first mode the sensor outputs data from the first one or more of the pixels. In a second mode the sensor outputs data from the second one or more of the pixels. At least one of the first mode and the second mode is selected by a processor based on at least one of a result of processing data output in the first mode and a result of processing data output in the second mode.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a first sensor configured to detect a change of an amount of light intensity;   a second sensor configured to detect an amount of light intensity; and   a processor configured to:
 process an output from the first sensor and output an event signal in a first mode, 
 process an output from the second sensor and output an image signal in a second mode, and 
 select at least one of the first mode and the second mode based on at least one of a result of processing in the first mode and a result of processing in the second mode. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein processing the output from the first sensor comprises analyzing data output from the first sensor with a neural network. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the neural network is trained to detect an object. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the second mode is selected when the neural network detects the object in the data output from the first sensor. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the first sensor is a EBS sensor and the second sensor is an RGB sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second mode is selected based on detecting event density in data output from the first sensor in the first mode exceeds a threshold. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the event density in a predefined region of a scene is output from the first sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second mode is selected based on detecting event density in data output from the first sensor in the first mode falls below a threshold. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a frame rate is adjusted based on the result of processing in the first mode. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to output time information with the event signal in the first mode. 
     
     
         11 . An imaging system comprising:
 a first sensor configured to detect a change of an amount of light intensity; and   a second sensor configured to detect an amount of light intensity, wherein:
 an output from the first sensor is processed by a processor in a first mode, 
 an output from the second sensor is processed by the processor in a second mode, and 
 at least one of the first mode and the second mode is selected by the processor based on at least one of a result of processing in the first mode and a result of processing in the second mode. 
   
     
     
         12 . The imaging system of  claim 11 , wherein processing the output from the first sensor comprises analyzing data output from the first sensor with a neural network. 
     
     
         13 . The imaging system of  claim 12 , wherein the neural network is trained to detect at least one object. 
     
     
         14 . The imaging system of  claim 13 , wherein the second mode is selected when the neural network detects the object in the data output from the first sensor. 
     
     
         15 . The imaging system of  claim 14 , wherein the first sensor is a EBS sensor and the second sensor is an RGB sensor. 
     
     
         16 . The imaging system of  claim 11 , wherein the second mode is selected based on detecting event density in data output from the first sensor in the first mode exceeds a threshold. 
     
     
         17 . The imaging system of  claim 11 , wherein the second mode is selected based on detecting event density in data output from the first sensor in the first mode falls below a threshold. 
     
     
         18 . The imaging system of  claim 11 , wherein a frame rate is adjusted based on the result of processing in the first mode. 
     
     
         19 . An image sensor comprising a plurality of pixels, wherein
 a first one or more of the pixels are capable of detecting a change in an amount of light intensity,   a second one or more of the pixels are capable of detecting an amount of light intensity,   in a first mode the sensor outputs data from the first one or more of the pixels,   in a second mode the sensor outputs data from the second one or more of the pixels, and   at least one of the first mode and the second mode is selected by a processor based on at least one of a result of processing data output in the first mode and a result of processing data output in the second mode.   
     
     
         20 . The image sensor of  claim 19 , wherein at least one pixel is in both the first one or more of the pixels and the second one or more of the pixels.