Control device, control method and non-transitory computer readable storage medium
Provided is a control device for controlling an imaging condition of a sensor having one or more pixels, comprising an event detection unit for detecting an event indicating that a luminance signal changes in excess of a predetermined threshold value in one or more pixels, and for outputting an event detection signal; a counter for counting a number of events detected by the event detection unit; and a control unit for controlling the imaging condition of the sensor, based on the event detection signal. In addition, provided is a control method for controlling an imaging condition of a sensor having one or more pixels. The control method comprises detecting an event indicating that a luminance signal changes in excess of a predetermined threshold value in one or more pixels; counting a number of events; and controlling the imaging condition of the sensor, based on the detection of events.
1 . A sensor comprising:
a first substrate that has a first pixel block, including a first photoelectric conversion element for converting light into charges and a second photoelectric conversion element for converting light into charges, and a second pixel block, including a third photoelectric conversion element for converting light into charges and a fourth photoelectric conversion element for converting light into charges; and
a second substrate that is a substrate stacked with the first substrate and that has a first processing block, including a first event detection unit for detecting an event using a signal that is based on the charges converted at the first photoelectric conversion element and a first control unit for performing an exposure control of the second photoelectric conversion element based on a detection result of the first event detection unit, and a second processing block, including a second event detection unit for detecting an event using a signal that is based on the charges converted at the third photoelectric conversion element and a second control unit for performing an exposure control of the fourth photoelectric conversion element based on a detection result of the second event detection unit.
2 . The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
the first control unit controls an exposure time of the second photoelectric conversion element based on the detection result of the first event detection unit, and
the second control unit controls an exposure time of the fourth photoelectric conversion element based on the detection result of the second event detection unit.
3 . The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
the first processing block includes a first counting unit for counting the event detected at the first event detection unit,
the second processing block includes a second counting unit for counting the event detected at the second event detection unit,
the first control unit performs the exposure control of the second photoelectric conversion element based on a counting result of the first counting unit, and
the second control unit performs the exposure control of the fourth photoelectric conversion element based on a counting result of the second counting unit.
4 . The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
the first processing block includes a first signal processing unit for performing a signal processing on a signal that is based on the charges converted at the second photoelectric conversion element, and
the second processing block includes a second signal processing unit for performing a signal processing on a signal that is based on the charges converted at the fourth photoelectric conversion element.
5 . The sensor according to claim 4 , wherein
the first signal processing unit includes a first conversion unit for converting the signal that is based on the charges converted at the second photoelectric conversion element into a digital signal, and
the second signal processing unit includes a second conversion unit for converting the signal that is based on the charges converted at the fourth photoelectric conversion element into a digital signal.
6 . The sensor according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a third substrate that is a substrate stacked with the first substrate and that has a holding unit for holding a first digital signal, which is converted into the digital signal at the first conversion unit from the signal that is based on the charges converted at the second photoelectric conversion element, and a second digital signal, which is converted into the digital signal at the second conversion unit from the signal that is based on the charges converted at the fourth photoelectric conversion element.
7 . The sensor according to claim 6 , wherein
the third substrate has an output unit for outputting the first digital signal held at the holding unit and the second digital signal held at the holding unit.
8 . The sensor according to claim 4 , wherein
the first control unit controls the first signal processing unit based on the detection result of the first event detection unit, and
the second control unit controls the second signal processing unit based on the detection result of the second event detection unit.
9 . The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
the first processing block is arranged at a position facing the first pixel block in a stacking direction in which the first substrate and the second substrate are stacked, and
the second processing block is arranged at a position facing the second pixel block in the stacking direction.
10 . The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
the second pixel block is arranged alongside the first pixel block in a direction of row.
11 . The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
the second pixel block is arranged alongside the first pixel block in a direction of column.
12 . The sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
the first substrate has a third pixel block, including a fifth photoelectric conversion element for converting light into charges and a sixth photoelectric conversion element for converting light into charges, and
the second substrate has a third processing block, including a third event detection unit for detecting an event using a signal that is based on the charges converted at the fifth photoelectric conversion element and a third control unit for performing an exposure control of the sixth photoelectric conversion element based on a detection result of the third event detection unit.
13 . The sensor according to claim 12 , wherein
the first control unit controls an exposure time of the second photoelectric conversion element based on the detection result of the first event detection unit,
the second control unit controls an exposure time of the fourth photoelectric conversion element based on the detection result of the second event detection unit, and
the third control unit controls an exposure time of the sixth photoelectric conversion element based on the detection result of the third event detection unit.
14 . The sensor according to claim 12 , wherein
the first processing block includes a first counting unit for counting the event detected at the first event detection unit,
the second processing block includes a second counting unit for counting the event detected at the second event detection unit,
the third processing block includes a third counting unit for counting the event detected at the third event detection unit,
the first control unit performs the exposure control of the second photoelectric conversion element based on a counting result of the first counting unit,
the second control unit performs the exposure control of the fourth photoelectric conversion element based on a counting result of the second counting unit, and
the third control unit performs the exposure control of the sixth photoelectric conversion element based on a counting result of the third counting unit.
15 . The sensor according to claim 12 , wherein
the first processing block includes a first signal processing unit for performing a signal processing on a signal that is based on the charges converted at the second photoelectric conversion element,
the second processing block includes a second signal processing unit for performing a signal processing on a signal that is based on the charges converted at the fourth photoelectric conversion element, and
the third processing block includes a third signal processing unit for performing a signal processing on a signal that is based on the charges converted at the sixth photoelectric conversion element.
16 . The sensor according to claim 15 , wherein
the first signal processing unit includes a first conversion unit for converting the signal that is based on the charges converted at the second photoelectric conversion element into a digital signal,
the second signal processing unit includes a second conversion unit for converting the signal that is based on the charges converted at the fourth photoelectric conversion element into a digital signal, and
the third signal processing unit includes a third conversion unit for converting the signal that is based on the charges converted at the sixth photoelectric conversion element into a digital signal.
17 . The sensor according to claim 16 , further comprising:
a third substrate that is a substrate stacked with the first substrate and that has a holding unit for holding a first digital signal, which is converted into the digital signal at the first conversion unit from the signal that is based on the charges converted at the second photoelectric conversion element, a second digital signal, which is converted into the digital signal at the second conversion unit from the signal that is based on the charges converted at the fourth photoelectric conversion element, and a third digital signal, which is converted into the digital signal at the third conversion unit from the signal that is based on the charges converted at the sixth photoelectric conversion element.
18 . The sensor according to claim 17 , wherein
the third substrate has an output unit for outputting the first digital signal held at the holding unit, the second digital signal held at the holding unit, and the third digital signal held at the holding unit.
19 . The sensor according to claim 15 , wherein
the first control unit controls the first signal processing unit based on the detection result of the first event detection unit,
the second control unit controls the second signal processing unit based on the detection result of the second event detection unit, and
the third control unit controls the third signal processing unit based on the detection result of the third event detection unit.
20 . The sensor according to claim 12 , wherein
the first processing block is arranged at a position facing the first pixel block in a stacking direction in which the first substrate and the second substrate are stacked,
the second processing block is arranged at a position facing the second pixel block in the stacking direction, and
the third processing block is arranged at a position facing the third pixel block in the stacking direction.
21 . The sensor according to claim 12 , wherein
the second pixel block is arranged alongside the first pixel block in a direction of row.
22 . The sensor according to claim 21 , wherein
the third pixel block is arranged alongside the first pixel block in the direction of row.
23 . The sensor according to claim 21 , wherein
the third pixel block is arranged alongside the first pixel block in a direction of column.
24 . The sensor according to claim 12 , wherein
the second pixel block is arranged alongside the first pixel block in a direction of column.
25 . The sensor according to claim 24 , wherein
the third pixel block is arranged alongside the first pixel block in the direction of column.