Patent ID: 7969469
Filing Date: 2011-06-28
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An imaging system, comprising: (a) a primary integrated image sensor comprising: (b) a secondary image sensor operatively connected to the primary integrated image sensor, the secondary image sensor comprising: (c) a data bus connecting the digital serial interface on the primary integrated image sensor to the digital serial interface on the secondary image sensor and the secondary image sensor transmits non-image physical and operational information to the primary integrated image sensor using the data bus, wherein the non-image physical and operational information relates to the secondary image sensor; and (d) a bi-directional signal line connected to the bi-directional digital input/output circuit on the primary integrated image sensor, wherein the bi-directional digital input/output circuit on the primary integrated image sensor receives digital image signals from the digital output circuit on the secondary image sensor using the bi-directional signal line and the image signal processing circuit processes the digital image signals received from the secondary image sensor using the non-image physical and operational information received from the secondary image sensor on the data bus, wherein the image signal processing circuit also processes the image signals produced by the first pixel array, and wherein the bi-directional digital input/output circuit on the primary integrated image sensor outputs processed digital image signals using the bi-directional signal line.