Patent ID: 7746394

Claim:
An image-capturing apparatus comprising: a pixel array comprising a plurality of pixel matrices, each pixel matrix having a plurality of pixels, each pixel having a respective position in said pixel matrix, each pixel comprising a transducer for generating a respective signal charge according to an intensity of an incident light beam; an output circuit for outputting from each pixel, based on the respective signal charge, a respective pixel signal outside the pixel array at a respective frame rate, said respective frame rate depending on the respective position of the pixel in the pixel matrix; an output-controlling unit for controlling the output circuit; and a signal-processing unit comprising a plurality of signal-processing circuits, said signal-processing unit configured to receive each respective pixel signal, select a predetermined one of said signal-processing circuits for processing each pixel signal, said selection depending on the respective position of each pixel in the pixel matrix; wherein said signal processing unit is configured to process pixel signals at a plurality of different respective frame rates simultaneously during a single frame period.