Hardware implementation of sensor architecture with multiple power states

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11856305-B2
Application number	US-202117401385-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 13, 2021
Priority date	Mar 27, 2019
Publication date	Dec 26, 2023
Grant date	Dec 26, 2023

Abstract

In one implementation, an event sensor includes a plurality of pixels and an event compiler. The plurality of pixels are positioned to receive light from a scene disposed within a field of view of the event sensor. Each pixel is configured to have an operational state that is modified by control signals generated by a respective state circuit. The event compiler is configured to output a stream of pixel events. Each respective pixel event corresponds to a breach of a comparator threshold related to an intensity of incident illumination. Each control signal is generated based on feedback information that is received from an image pipeline configured to consume image data derived from the stream of pixel events.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An event sensor comprising:
a plurality of pixels positioned to receive light from a scene disposed within a field of view of the event sensor, each pixel configured to have an operational state that is modified by control signals generated by a respective state circuit,
wherein each pixel comprises:
a photodetector circuit configured to generate pixel data indicative of an intensity of incident illumination;
an event circuit configured to generate event data when the pixel data indicates that the photodetector circuit detected a change in light intensity that exceeds a comparator threshold; and
a state circuit configured to transition the pixel between an active state, an inactive state, and a standby state, wherein:
in the active state, both the photodetector circuit and the event circuit are activated;
in the standby state, one of the photodetector circuit and the event circuit is deactivated and one of the photodetector circuit and the event circuit is activated; and
in the inactive state, both the photodetector circuit and the event circuit are deactivated; and

wherein, based on the control signals, pixels of the plurality of pixels in a first region are in the active state while pixels of the plurality of pixels in a second region surrounding the first region are in the standby state; and
an event compiler configured to output a stream of pixel events, each respective pixel event corresponding to a breach of a comparator threshold related to an intensity of incident illumination,
wherein each control signal is generated based on feedback information that is received from an image pipeline configured to consume image data derived from the stream of pixel events.

2. The event sensor of claim 1 , wherein the event circuit includes a differencing circuit, a comparator, a controller, or a combination thereof.

3. The event sensor of claim 1 , wherein the photodetector circuit includes a photodiode, a logarithmic amplifier, a buffer amplifier, or a combination thereof.

4. The event sensor of claim 1 , wherein each state circuit generates the control signals based on signals received from an associated column controller, an associated row controller, or a combination thereof.

5. The event sensor of claim 1 , wherein the feedback information corresponds to a region of interest within the image data that is tracked by a processing unit.

6. The event sensor of claim 1 , wherein the control signals include a first control signal configured to deactivate a respective controller coupling a particular pixel to the event compiler.

7. The event sensor of claim 1 , wherein the control signals include a second control signal configured to deactivate a respective photodetector circuit and a switched capacitor amplifier within a particular pixel.

8. The event sensor of claim 1 , wherein the feedback information corresponds to a bitmask encoding a target operational state for each pixel among the plurality of pixels.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein, based on the control signals:
pixels of the plurality of pixels in a first region have an active state;
pixels of the plurality of pixels in a second region surrounding the first region have a standby state; and
pixels of the plurality of pixels in a third region surrounding the second region have an inactive state.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein, based on the control signals, the pixels of the plurality of pixels in the first region are in the active state while pixels of the plurality of pixels in the second region surrounding the first region are in the standby state and pixels of the plurality of pixels in a third region surrounding the second region are in the inactive state.

11. A pixel comprising:
a photodetector circuit configured to generate pixel data indicative of an intensity of incident illumination;
an event circuit configured to generate event data when the pixel data indicates that the photodetector circuit detected a change in light intensity that exceeds a comparator threshold; and
a state circuit configured to transition the pixel between an active state, an inactive state, and a standby state based on feedback information generated by an image pipeline that consumes image data derived using the event data, wherein:
in the active state, both the photodetector circuit and the event circuit are activated;
in the standby state, one of the photodetector circuit and the event circuit is deactivated and one of the photodetector circuit and the event circuit is activated; and
in the inactive state, both the photodetector circuit and the event circuit are deactivated,
wherein the pixel is one of a plurality of pixels of an event sensor, each of the plurality of pixels configured to have an operational state that is modified by control signals wherein, based on the control signals, pixels of the plurality of pixels in a first region are in the active state while pixels of the plurality of pixels in a second region surrounding the first region are in the standby state.

12. The pixel of claim 11 , wherein the event circuit is deactivated when the pixel transitions from the active state to the standby state while the photodetector circuit remains operational.

13. The pixel of claim 11 , wherein the event circuit includes a differencing circuit with a switched capacitor amplifier, and wherein a bias current of the switched capacitor amplifier is minimized when the pixel transitions from the active state to the standby state.

14. The pixel of claim 13 , wherein a virtual ground for a capacitor intervening between the photodetector circuit and the switched capacitor amplifier is maintained within a target error margin when the bias current is minimized.

15. The pixel of claim 13 , wherein the bias current is returned to a nominal value prior to completing a transition of the pixel between the standby state and the active state.

16. The pixel of claim 13 , wherein deactivating a controller of the event circuit when the pixel transitions from the active state to the standby state also bypasses a feedback capacitor of the switched capacitor amplifier.

17. A pixel comprising:
a photodetector circuit configured to generate pixel data indicative of an intensity of incident illumination;
an event circuit configured to generate event data when the pixel data indicates that the photodetector circuit detected a change in light intensity that breaches a comparator threshold; and
a state circuit configured to generate control signals that modify an operational state of the pixel based on feedback information generated by an image pipeline that consumes image data derived using the event data, wherein the control signal transitions the operational state of the pixel to an active state, a standby state, or an inactive state, wherein,
in the inactive state, both a photodetector circuit and an event circuit of a respective pixel are deactivated,
in the standby state, one of the photodetector circuit and the event circuit is deactivated and one of the photodetector circuit and the event circuit is activated; and
in the inactive state, both the photodetector circuit and the event circuit are deactivated,

wherein the pixel is one of a plurality of pixels of an event sensor, each of the plurality of pixels configured to have an operational state that is modified by respective control signals, at least some of the control signals controlling a first subset of the plurality of pixels outside of a region of interest to provide less than fully functional event detection while a second subset of the pluralit

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Mandelli Emanuele
• Nistico Walter

Classifications

• H04N25/707

  Pixels for event detection · CPC title

• H04N25/42 Primary

  by switching between different modes of operation using different resolutions or aspect ratios, e.g. switching between interlaced and non-interlaced mode · CPC title

• H04N25/44

  by partially reading an SSIS array · CPC title

• H04N25/70 Primary

  SSIS architectures; Circuits associated therewith · CPC title

• G06V20/52 Primary

  Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects (recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69) · CPC title