Imaging device and imaging system

1. An imaging device comprising:

a plurality of pixels, respective ones of the pixels including a photoelectric converter configured to generate a signal in response to entering light, a storage configured to store data corresponding to the signal, and output circuitry configured to output the data stored in the storage; and

a controller configured to control the output circuitry to output the data in a case where the data stored in the storage satisfies a predetermined condition, wherein

the plurality of pixels is grouped into a plurality of groups including a first group,

the controller is configured to generate a plurality of control signals including a first control signal, and

the output circuitry of each of a first plurality of pixels that belongs to the first group among the plurality of pixels is configured to output the data on a basis of the first control signal.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein

the storage is configured to perform a counting operation on a basis of the signal, and

the data comprises a count value generated by the counting operation.

3. The imaging device according to claim 2 , wherein

the predetermined condition is that the count value reaches a predetermined count value, and

the controller is configured to control the output circuitry to output bit data included in the data.

4. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein

the data comprises data for 1 bit, and

the predetermined condition is that the data reaches a predetermined logical value.

5. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the photoelectric converter and the storage are integrally configured.

6. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the output circuitry of each of the first plurality of pixels to output the data using the first control signal in a case where the data in at least one of the first plurality of pixels satisfies the predetermined condition.

7. The imaging device according to claim 6 , further comprising

a control signal line coupled to each of the plurality of pixels that belongs to the first group, the control signal line being coupled to a power source through a resistor, wherein

each of the plurality of pixels that belongs to the first group includes a switch configured to apply a predetermined voltage to the control signal line in a case where the data satisfies the predetermined condition, and

the controller is configured to generate the first control signal on a basis of a voltage in the control signal line.

8. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of groups includes a second group,

the plurality of control signals includes a second control signal, and

the output circuitry of each of a second plurality of pixels that belongs to the second group among the plurality of pixels is configured to output the data on a basis of the second control signal.

9. The imaging device according to claim 8 , wherein

the controller is configured to selectively perform a first control operation or a second control operation in a case where the data in at least one of the first plurality of pixels and the data in at least one of the second plurality of pixels satisfy the predetermined condition,

the first control operation indicates controlling, using the first control signal, the output circuitry of each of the first plurality of pixels to output the data and thereafter controlling, using the second control signal, the output circuitry of each of the second plurality of pixels to output the data, and

the second control operation indicates controlling, using the second control signal, the output circuitry of each of the second plurality of pixels to output the data and thereafter controlling, using the first control signal, the output circuitry of each of the first plurality of pixels to output the data.

10. The imaging device according to claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to perform the first control operation and the second control operation within one frame period.

11. The imaging device according to claim 8 , wherein

the controller includes a first timing detector configured to detect a first timing for the data in at least one of the first plurality of pixels to satisfy the predetermined condition and a second timing detector configured to detect a second timing for the data in at least one of the second plurality of pixels to satisfy the predetermined condition, is configured to identify which of the first timing and the second timing is earlier on a basis of a detection result of each of the first timing detector and the second timing detector, and is configured to perform a third control operation in a case where the first timing is earlier, and

the third control operation indicates controlling, using the first control signal, the output circuitry of each of the first plurality of pixels to output the data and thereafter controlling, using the second control signal, the output circuitry of each of the second plurality of pixels to output the data.

12. The imaging device according to claim 11 , wherein

the controller is configured to selectively perform a first control operation or a second control operation in a case where it is not possible to identify which of the first timing and the second timing is earlier,

the first control operation indicates controlling, using the first control signal, the output circuitry of each of the first plurality of pixels to output the data and thereafter controlling, using the second control signal, the output circuitry of each of the second plurality of pixels to output the data, and

the second control operation indicates controlling, using the second control signal, the output circuitry of each of the second plurality of pixels to output the data and thereafter controlling, using the first control signal, the output circuitry of each of the first plurality of pixels to output the data.

13. The imaging device according to claim 8 , wherein

the controller includes a first counter configured to count a number of times that the data in the first plurality of pixels has satisfied the predetermined condition and a second counter configured to count a number of times that the data in the second plurality of pixels has satisfied the predetermined condition, is configured to compare a first count value of the first counter and a second count value of the second counter, and is configured to perform a third control operation in a case where the first count value is larger than the second count value, and

the third control operation indicates controlling, using the first control signal, the output circuitry of each of the first plurality of pixels to output the data and thereafter controlling, using the second control signal, the output circuitry of each of the second plurality of pixels to output the data.

14. The imaging device according to claim 13 , wherein

the first count value indicates a number of, among the first plurality of pixels, pixels in which the data has satisfied the predetermined condition, and

the second count value indicates a number of, among the second plurality of pixels, pixels in which the data has satisfied the predetermined condition.

15. The imaging device according to claim 13 , wherein

the controller is configured to selectively perform a first control operation or a second control operation in a case where the first count value and the second count value are equal,

the first control operation indicates controlling, using the first control signal, the output circuitry of each of the first plurality of pixels to output the data and thereafter controlling, using the second control signal, the output circuitry of each of the second plurality of pixels to output the data, and

the second control operation indicates controlling, using the second control signal, the output circuitry of each of the second plurality of pixels to output the data and thereafter controlling, using the first control signal, the output circuitry of each of the first plurality of pixels to output the data.

16. The imaging device according to claim 1 , further comprising an accumulation circuitry configured to accumulate the data outputted from the pixel.

17. An imaging device comprising:

a plurality of pixels, respective ones of the pixels including a photoelectric converter configured to generate a signal in response to entering light, a storage configured to store data corresponding to the signal, and an output circuitry configured to output the data stored in the storage; and

a controller configured to control the output circuitry to output the data stored in the storage on a basis of accumulated data obtained by an accumulation circuitry configured to accumulate the data outputted from the pixel, wherein

the plurality of pixels is grouped into a plurality of groups including a first group,

the controller is configured to generate a plurality of control signals including a first control signal, and

the output circuitry of each of a first plurality of pixels that belongs to the first group among the plurality of pixels is configured to output the data on a basis of the first control signal.

18. The imaging device according to claim 17 , wherein

the storage is configured to perform a counting operation on a basis of the signal, and

the data comprises a count value generated by the counting operation.

19. The imaging device according to claim 17 , wherein the data comprises data for 1 bit.

20. The imaging device according to claim 17 , wherein the controller is configured to: set a first output number of times that the output circuitry of each of the first plurality of pixels outputs the data on a basis of a first plurality of pieces of the accumulated data obtained on a basis of the data outputted from the first plurality of pixels; and generate the first control signal on a basis of the first output number of times.

21. The imaging device according to claim 20 , wherein

the plurality of groups includes a second group,

the plurality of control signals includes a second control signal,

the output circuitry of each of a second plurality of pixels that belongs to the second group among the plurality of pixels is configured to output the data on a basis of the second control signal, and

in a case where a total of values indicated by the first plurality of pieces of the accumulated data is larger than a total of values indicated by a second plurality of pieces of the accumulated data obtained on a basis of the data outputted from the second plurality of pixels, the controller is configured to: set the first output number of times and a second output number of times that the output circuitry of each of the second plurality of pixels outputs the data to cause the first output number of times to be larger than the second output number of times; and generate the first control signal and the second control signal on a basis of the first output number of times and the second output number of times.

22. An imaging system comprising:

a plurality of pixels, respective ones of the pixels including a photoelectric converter configured to generate a signal in response to entering light, a storage configured to store data corresponding to the signal, and an output circuitry configured to output the data stored in the storage;

accumulation circuitry configured to accumulate the data outputted from the pixel; and

a controller configured to control the output circuitry to output the data in a case where the data stored in the storage satisfies a predetermined condition, wherein

the plurality of pixels is grouped into a plurality of groups including a first group,

the controller is configured to generate a plurality of control signals including a first control signal, and

the output circuitry of each of a first plurality of pixels that belongs to the first group among the plurality of pixels is configured to output the data on a basis of the first control signal.