| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20080231727 | EXTENDED DYNAMIC RANGE USING VARIABLE SENSITIVITY PIXELS - A method for reading out an image sensor, the method includes the steps of integrating charge in a photodetector with the photodetector at a first capacitance; reading the resulting signal level at a first time with the photodetector at the first capacitance; changing the photodetector capacitance to a second capacitance; and reading the signal level associated with the photodetector at the second capacitance. | 09-25-2008 |
| 20080273104 | IMAGE SENSOR PIXEL WITH GAIN CONTROL - A method for reading out an image signal, the method comprising: providing at least two photosensitive regions; providing at least two transfer gates respectively associated with each photosensitive region; providing a common charge-to-voltage conversion region electrically connected to the transfer gates; providing a reset mechanism that resets the common charge-to-voltage conversion region; after transferring charge from at least one of the photo-sensitive regions, disabling all transfer gates at a first time; enabling at least one transfer gate at a subsequent second time; and transferring charge from at least one of the photosensitive regions at a subsequent third time while the at least one transfer gate from the second time remains enabled. | 11-06-2008 |
| 20090021612 | MULTIPLE COMPONENT READOUT OF IMAGE SENSOR - A method for obtaining image data from an image sensor array including the steps of: providing an image sensor array having a first component subset of panchromatic pixels for integrating charge and a second component subset of color pixels for integrating charge; reading pixel charge to produce pixel signals from the first component subset of the panchromatic pixels while exposing the second component subset of color pixels and digitizing and storing the first component subset signals; and reading pixel charge to produce pixel signals from the second component subset of color pixels that were exposed for at least a portion of time during the reading of pixel signals from the first component subset of the panchromatic pixels and digitizing and storing the second component subset signals. | 01-22-2009 |
| 20090051984 | IMAGE SENSOR HAVING CHECKERBOARD PATTERN - An image sensor for capturing a color image, comprising a two-dimensional array of pixels having a plurality of minimal repeating units wherein each repeating unit is composed of eight pixels having four panchromatic pixels, two pixels having the same color response, and two pixels having different color responses that are different than the pixels having the same color response, with the minimal repeating units tiled to cause each row or each column of the image sensor to have color pixels of a single color or to cause each row and each column to have color pixels of only two colors. | 02-26-2009 |
| 20090195681 | Sampling and Readout of an Image Sensor Having a Sparse Color Filter Array Pattern - A CMOS image sensor or other type of image sensor comprises an array of pixels arranged in rows and columns, with the columns being separated into groups each comprising two or more columns that share a common output. The image sensor further comprises sampling and readout circuitry that includes, for each group of columns in the pixel array, a corresponding set of two or more column circuits. The sampling and readout circuitry is configured to sample the common output for each group of columns independently into one of the column circuits associated with that group, and to read out the common output for each group of columns as previously sampled into another of the column circuits associated with that group. The image sensor may be implemented in a digital camera or other type of image capture device. | 08-06-2009 |
| 20090230287 | STACKED IMAGE SENSOR WITH SHARED DIFFUSION REGIONS IN RESPECTIVE DROPPED PIXEL POSITIONS OF A PIXEL ARRAY - A CMOS image sensor or other type of image sensor comprises a sensor wafer and an underlying circuit wafer. The sensor wafer comprises a plurality of photosensitive elements arranged in respective positions of a two-dimensional array of positions in which a subset of the array positions do not include photosensitive elements but instead include diffusion regions each of which is shared by two or more of the photosensitive elements. The sensor wafer is interconnected with the circuit wafer utilizing a plurality of inter-wafer interconnects coupled to respective ones of the shared diffusion regions in respective ones of the array positions that do not include photosensitive elements. The image sensor may be implemented in a digital camera or other type of image capture device. | 09-17-2009 |
| 20090268055 | CONCENTRIC EXPOSURE SEQUENCE FOR IMAGE SENSOR - A method for image capture includes providing an image sensor having at least one segmented row of pixels, wherein the at least one segmented row comprises at least first and second disjoint row subsets of pixels, wherein the reset and readout operations for each row subset are controllably independent of each other; timing the exposure interval of the first subset to be photographically centered with the exposure interval of the second subset; and combining the image data obtained from the first and second row subset exposures to form a row of pixel values. | 10-29-2009 |
| 20100157120 | IMAGE SENSOR WITH CONTROLLABLE TRANSFER GATE OFF STATE VOLTAGE LEVELS - A CMOS image sensor or other type of image sensor comprises a pixel array and a signal generator coupled to the pixel array. The pixel array comprises a plurality of pixels each having a photosensitive element coupled to a transfer gate. The signal generator is configured to generate a transfer gate signal for application to at least one of the transfer gates. The transfer gate signal has at least an on state voltage level and first and second off state voltage levels, with the first off state voltage level typically having a higher magnitude than that of the second off state voltage level. In an illustrative embodiment, the second off state voltage level is utilized during a readout operation in order to reduce dark current in floating diffusion regions of the pixel array. | 06-24-2010 |
| 20100157126 | CHARGE-COUPLED DEVICE IMAGE SENSOR WITH EFFICIENT BINNING OF SAME-COLOR PIXELS - A CCD image sensor comprises photosensitive elements arranged in rows and columns, vertical CCDs each having vertical shift elements associated with respective ones of the photosensitive elements of a corresponding one of the columns, and a horizontal CCD coupled to each of the vertical CCDs. The horizontal CCD comprises horizontal shift elements of two different types interspersed with one another. The horizontal shift elements of the first type are configured to receive shifted charge packets directly from respective ones of the vertical CCDs. The horizontal shift elements of the second type are configured not to receive shifted charge packets directly from any of the vertical CCDs. This configuration facilitates binning of same-color pixels for both sparse CFA patterns and Bayer CFA patterns. | 06-24-2010 |
| 20100253833 | EXPOSING PIXEL GROUPS IN PRODUCING DIGITAL IMAGES - A method for producing a digital image from pixel signals captured by an image sensor array is disclosed. The method includes: providing an image sensor array having at least two groups of pixels wherein the pixels of each group are uniformly distributed over the sensor; exposing the image sensor array to scene light and reading pixel charge from only the first group of pixels to produce a first set of pixel signals; after producing the first set of pixel signals, exposing the image sensor array, and then reading pixel charge from the second group of pixels and reading again pixels from the first group to produce a second set of pixel signals; and using the first and second sets of pixel signals to produce the digital image. | 10-07-2010 |
| 20100309340 | IMAGE SENSOR HAVING GLOBAL AND ROLLING SHUTTER PROCESSES FOR RESPECTIVE SETS OF PIXELS OF A PIXEL ARRAY - A CMOS image sensor or other type of image sensor includes a pixel array comprising at least first and second sets of pixels. Image sensor circuitry is coupled to the pixel array and comprises a signal generator for controlling capture of image data from the first set of pixels of the pixel array using a global shutter process and for controlling capture of image data from the second set of pixels of the pixel array using a rolling shutter process, with the pixels of the second set being different than the pixels of the first set The image sensor may be implemented in a digital camera or other type of digital imaging device. | 12-09-2010 |
| 20110074980 | METHODS FOR CAPTURING AND READING OUT IMAGES FROM AN IMAGE SENSOR - Multiple images are captured where the exposure times for some of the images overlap and the images are spatially overlapped. Charge packets are transferred from one or more portions of pixels after particular integration periods, thereby enabling the portion or portions of pixels to begin another integration period while one or more other portions of pixels continue to integrate charge. Charge packets may be binned during readout of the images from the image sensor. Comparison of two or more images having different lengths of overlapping or non-overlapping exposure periods provides motion information. The multiple images can then be aligned to compensate for motion between the images and assembled into a combined image with an improved signal to noise ratio and reduced motion blur. | 03-31-2011 |
| 20110074981 | METHODS FOR CAPTURING AND READING OUT IMAGES FROM AN IMAGE SENSOR - Multiple images are captured where the exposure times for some of the images overlap and the images are spatially overlapped. Charge packets are transferred from one or more portions of pixels after particular integration periods, thereby enabling the portion or portions of pixels to begin another integration period while one or more other portions of pixels continue to integrate charge. Charge packets may be binned during readout of the images from the image sensor. Comparison of two or more images having different lengths of overlapping or non-overlapping exposure periods provides motion information. The multiple images can then be aligned to compensate for motion between the images and assembled into a combined image with an improved signal to noise ratio and reduced motion blur. | 03-31-2011 |
| 20110074997 | METHODS FOR CAPTURING AND READING OUT IMAGES FROM AN IMAGE SENSOR - Multiple images are captured where the exposure times for some of the images overlap and the images are spatially overlapped. Charge packets are transferred from one or more portions of pixels after particular integration periods, thereby enabling the portion or portions of pixels to begin another integration period while one or more other portions of pixels continue to integrate charge. Charge packets may be binned during readout of the images from the image sensor. Comparison of two or more images having different lengths of overlapping or non-overlapping exposure periods provides motion information. The multiple images can then be aligned to compensate for motion between the images and assembled into a combined image with an improved signal to noise ratio and reduced motion blur. | 03-31-2011 |
| 20110074998 | METHODS FOR CAPTURING AND READING OUT IMAGES FROM AN IMAGE SENSOR - Multiple images are captured where the exposure times for some of the images overlap and the images are spatially overlapped. Charge packets are transferred from one or more portions of pixels after particular integration periods, thereby enabling the portion or portions of pixels to begin another integration period while one or more other portions of pixels continue to integrate charge. Charge packets may be binned during readout of the images from the image sensor. Comparison of two or more images having different lengths of overlapping or non-overlapping exposure periods provides motion information. The multiple images can then be aligned to compensate for motion between the images and assembled into a combined image with an improved signal to noise ratio and reduced motion blur. | 03-31-2011 |
| 20110074999 | METHODS FOR CAPTURING AND READING OUT IMAGES FROM AN IMAGE SENSOR - Multiple images are captured where the exposure times for some of the images overlap and the images are spatially overlapped. Charge packets are transferred from one or more portions of pixels after particular integration periods, thereby enabling the portion or portions of pixels to begin another integration period while one or more other portions of pixels continue to integrate charge. Charge packets may be binned during readout of the images from the image sensor. Comparison of two or more images having different lengths of overlapping or non-overlapping exposure periods provides motion information. The multiple images can then be aligned to compensate for motion between the images and assembled into a combined image with an improved signal to noise ratio and reduced motion blur. | 03-31-2011 |
| 20110075000 | METHODS FOR CAPTURING AND READING OUT IMAGES FROM AN IMAGE SENSOR - Multiple images are captured where the exposure times for some of the images overlap and the images are spatially overlapped. Charge packets are transferred from one or more portions of pixels after particular integration periods, thereby enabling the portion or portions of pixels to begin another integration period while one or more other portions of pixels continue to integrate charge. Charge packets may be binned during readout of the images from the image sensor. Comparison of two or more images having different lengths of overlapping or non-overlapping exposure periods provides motion information. The multiple images can then be aligned to compensate for motion between the images and assembled into a combined image with an improved signal to noise ratio and reduced motion blur. | 03-31-2011 |
| 20110075001 | METHODS FOR CAPTURING AND READING OUT IMAGES FROM AN IMAGE SENSOR - Multiple images are captured where the exposure times for some of the images overlap and the images are spatially overlapped. Charge packets are transferred from one or more portions of pixels after particular integration periods, thereby enabling the portion or portions of pixels to begin another integration period while one or more other portions of pixels continue to integrate charge. Charge packets may be binned during readout of the images from the image sensor. Comparison of two or more images having different lengths of overlapping or non-overlapping exposure periods provides motion information. The multiple images can then be aligned to compensate for motion between the images and assembled into a combined image with an improved signal to noise ratio and reduced motion blur. | 03-31-2011 |
| 20110075006 | METHODS FOR CAPTURING AND READING OUT IMAGES FROM AN IMAGE SENSOR - Multiple images are captured where the exposure times for some of the images overlap and the images are spatially overlapped. Charge packets are transferred from one or more portions of pixels after particular integration periods, thereby enabling the portion or portions of pixels to begin another integration period while one or more other portions of pixels continue to integrate charge. Charge packets may be binned during readout of the images from the image sensor. Comparison of two or more images having different lengths of overlapping or non-overlapping exposure periods provides motion information. The multiple images can then be aligned to compensate for motion between the images and assembled into a combined image with an improved signal to noise ratio and reduced motion blur. | 03-31-2011 |
| 20110075007 | METHODS FOR CAPTURING AND READING OUT IMAGES FROM AN IMAGE SENSOR - Multiple images are captured where the exposure times for some of the images overlap and the images are spatially overlapped. Charge packets are transferred from one or more portions of pixels after particular integration periods, thereby enabling the portion or portions of pixels to begin another integration period while one or more other portions of pixels continue to integrate charge. Charge packets may be binned during readout of the images from the image sensor. Comparison of two or more images having different lengths of overlapping or non-overlapping exposure periods provides motion information. The multiple images can then be aligned to compensate for motion between the images and assembled into a combined image with an improved signal to noise ratio and reduced motion blur. | 03-31-2011 |
| 20110075008 | METHODS FOR CAPTURING AND READING OUT IMAGES FROM AN IMAGE SENSOR - Multiple images are captured where the exposure times for some of the images overlap and the images are spatially overlapped. Charge packets are transferred from one or more portions of pixels after particular integration periods, thereby enabling the portion or portions of pixels to begin another integration period while one or more other portions of pixels continue to integrate charge. Charge packets may be binned during readout of the images from the image sensor. Comparison of two or more images having different lengths of overlapping or non-overlapping exposure periods provides motion information. The multiple images can then be aligned to compensate for motion between the images and assembled into a combined image with an improved signal to noise ratio and reduced motion blur. | 03-31-2011 |
| 20110075009 | METHODS FOR CAPTURING AND READING OUT IMAGES FROM AN IMAGE SENSOR - Multiple images are captured where the exposure times for some of the images overlap and the images are spatially overlapped. Charge packets are transferred from one or more portions of pixels after particular integration periods, thereby enabling the portion or portions of pixels to begin another integration period while one or more other portions of pixels continue to integrate charge. Charge packets may be binned during readout of the images from the image sensor. Comparison of two or more images having different lengths of overlapping or non-overlapping exposure periods provides motion information. The multiple images can then be aligned to compensate for motion between the images and assembled into a combined image with an improved signal to noise ratio and reduced motion blur. | 03-31-2011 |
| 20110075010 | METHODS FOR CAPTURING AND READING OUT IMAGES FROM AN IMAGE SENSOR - Multiple images are captured where the exposure times for some of the images overlap and the images are spatially overlapped. Charge packets are transferred from one or more portions of pixels after particular integration periods, thereby enabling the portion or portions of pixels to begin another integration period while one or more other portions of pixels continue to integrate charge. Charge packets may be binned during readout of the images from the image sensor. Comparison of two or more images having different lengths of overlapping or non-overlapping exposure periods provides motion information. The multiple images can then be aligned to compensate for motion between the images and assembled into a combined image with an improved signal to noise ratio and reduced motion blur. | 03-31-2011 |
| 20110115954 | SPARSE COLOR PIXEL ARRAY WITH PIXEL SUBSTITUTES - An image sensor is disclosed for capturing a color image, including a two-dimensional array of pixels having a plurality of minimal repeating units wherein each repeating unit is composed of eight pixels having four panchromatic pixels, three pixels having different color responses, and one substitute pixel. | 05-19-2011 |
| 20110147875 | IMAGE SENSOR WITH WELL BOUNCE CORRECTION - An image sensor includes a pixel array having photoactive pixels and dark reference pixels. The photoactive pixels can be configured in a sub-array within the pixel array. Well contacts are only placed along opposing sides or edges of the sub-array of photoactive pixels or along opposing sides or edges of the pixel array. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110157395 | IMAGE SENSOR WITH FRACTIONAL RESOLUTION IMAGE PROCESSING - A system-on-chip (SOC) includes an image sensor, an image signal processor connected to an output of the image sensor, a bypass connected to the output of the image sensor, and a multiplexer connected to an output of the image signal processor and an output of the bypass. The image sensor, image signal processor, bypass, and multiplexer are all integrated on one silicon wafer. An image capture device includes the SOC and applications processor connected to an output of the multiplexer. The image capture device can further include a system memory and a display connected to the applications processor. | 06-30-2011 |
| 20110157433 | Generating column offset corrections for image sensors - An image sensor includes multiple photoactive pixels and multiple dark reference pixels typically arranged in rows and columns to form a pixel array. A dark signal is read out from a given number of dark reference pixels in each column at a first gain level. An initial column offset correction is determined for one or more columns in the pixel array using respective dark signals read out at the first gain level. The initial column offset corrections are repeatedly scaled in response to each detected change to a different gain level. The column offset corrections can be scaled based on an amount of change between each respective different gain level and the first gain level. | 06-30-2011 |
| 20110157438 | PAUSING COLUMN READOUT IN IMAGE SENSORS - An image sensor includes a two-dimensional array of pixels having multiple column outputs and an output circuit connected to each column output. Each output circuit is configured to operate concurrent sample and read operations. An analog front end (AFE) circuit processes pixel data output from the output circuits and an AFE clock controller transmits an AFE clocking signal to the AFE circuit to effect processing of the pixel data. A timing generator outputs a column address sequence that is received by a column decoder. During one or more sample operations the timing generator suspends the column address sequence and subsequently during the one or more sample operations the AFE clock controller suspends the AFE clocking signal. The AFE clocking signal and the column address sequence resume at the end of the one or more sample operations. | 06-30-2011 |
| 20110157444 | SUSPENDING COLUMN READOUT IN IMAGE SENSORS - An image sensor includes a two-dimensional array of pixels having multiple column outputs and an output circuit connected to each column output. Each output circuit is configured to operate concurrent sample and read operations. An analog front end (AFE) circuit processes pixel data output from the output circuits and an AFE clock controller transmits an AFE clocking signal to the AFE circuit to effect processing of the pixel data. A timing generator outputs a column address sequence that is received by a column decoder. During one or more sample operations the AFE clock controller suspends the output of the AFE clocking signal and the timing generator suspends the output of the column address sequence during the sample operation. The output of the AFE clocking signal and the column address sequence resume at the end of the sample operation. | 06-30-2011 |
