Imager, imaging circuit, and image processing circuit

Abstract

The number of channels is changed in accordance with an operation mode in an image pickup apparatus. An image-pickup control unitdetermines the number of operation channels W in accordance with an operation mode. A sensor unitoutputs an image pickup signal corresponding to each pixel in accordance with the number of operation channels W. A data sending unitperforms serial conversion on image pickup signals, and transfers them to the image processing unitusing a high-speed interface (a signal line) such as an LVDS in accordance with the number of operation channels W. A data receiving unitperforms parallel conversion on the transferred serial signal for each of the channels in units of M bits. A data reconstruction unitdetects a synchronization code embedded in the parallel signals, extracts data windows, and supplies, to a signal line, image pickup signals of bit length n which are reconstructed from the data windows. A clock gating circuitsupplies a clock CLKto a signal lineonly during a period in which a valid flag (a signal line) indicates validity.