Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090146196 | IMAGE SENSOR - An image sensor, in particular a CMOS image sensor, for electronic cameras having a plurality of light-sensitive pixels which are arranged in rows and columns and whose signals are conducted via a plurality of column lines to column amplifiers, with a column amplifier being associated with each column line. At least one further column amplifier which is simultaneously also associated with at least one other column line is associated with the respective column line. A switching device switches the respective column line selectively to one of the associated column amplifiers. | 06-11-2009 |
20100110251 | IMAGE SENSOR - The invention relates to an image sensor, in particular to a CMOS image sensor, for electronic cameras, having a plurality of light-sensitive pixels arranged in rows and columns, wherein the pixels of a respective column are divided into a first pixel group and a second pixel group, wherein, in each column, the pixels of the respective first pixel group are coupled to a common first column amplifier via a common first column line and the pixels of the respective pixel group are coupled to a common second column amplifier via a common second column line. The division of the pixels into the first pixel group and second pixel group is different for different columns. | 05-06-2010 |
20100149328 | FILM SCANNER - A film scanner for the optical scanning of a motion picture film having a sequence of a plurality of image regions and at least one row of a plurality of perforation holes in the longitudinal direction, in particular a motion picture film of the type 16 mm or 35 mm, comprises an image sensor for the detection at least of a respective image region of the motion picture film to generate a corresponding scanned image. The film scanner further comprises an evaluation unit for the evaluation of the scanned image to generate an image steadiness correction signal. The image sensor is made for the additional detection of only a respective part region of perforation holes in the environment of the detected image region of the motion picture film, with the evaluation unit being made to determine a position of the detected part region of at least one perforation hole. The evaluation unit generates the image steadiness correction signal on the basis of the at least one determined part region position. | 06-17-2010 |
20100177225 | IMAGE SENSOR - The invention relates to an image sensor for electronic cameras, having a plurality of light-sensitive pixels for the generation of at least one signal proportional to exposure, wherein the pixels are coupled to a read-out circuit having at least one amplifier and configured to amplify the at least one signal of a respective pixel with different amplification factors to generate differently amplified signals for the at least one signal of a respective pixel, wherein the read-out circuit has at least one output to output at least some of the differently amplified signals as output signals. At least three different amplification factors can be selected for the at least one signal of a respective pixel, wherein the read-out circuit includes a selection device which is configured to select those amplification factors in dependence on the level of the at least one signal of a respective pixel with which the output signals of the read-out circuit are amplified, wherein the number of output signals for the at least one signal of a respective pixel amounts to at least two and is less than the number of the selectable amplification factors. | 07-15-2010 |
20100177227 | IMAGE SENSOR - The invention relates to an image sensor for electronic cameras, comprising a plurality of light-sensitive pixels for the generation of signals proportional to exposure and at least one read-out circuit coupled to the pixels and having a first section and a second section disposed downstream of the first section in a signal read-out direction, wherein the first section and the second section of the read-out circuit are each connected to at least one bond pad provided for the supply of an operating voltage and/or to at least one bond pad provided for the supply of a reference potential. At least some of the bond pads provided for the supply of the operating voltage and/or of the reference potential to the read-out circuit are arranged between the first section and the second sections of the read-out circuit. | 07-15-2010 |
20110101204 | IMAGE SENSOR - The invention relates to an image sensor, in particular to a CMOS sensor, having a plurality of light sensitive pixels arranged in rows and columns for the generation of output signals proportional to the exposure, wherein column lines are associated with the columns to supply the output signals to at least one column amplifier for amplification, wherein the at least one column amplifier cooperates with the column lines such that the amplification of the respective output signal depends on the capacitance of the respective column line. | 05-05-2011 |
20110242287 | Stereoscopic Objective - A stereoscopic objective for a camera includes a first receiving optics which directs a first beam path along a first optical axis, further a second receiving optics which directs a second beam path along a second optical axis, wherein the first optical axis and the second optical axis extend in parallel to one another or intersect one another. The object moreover includes a combination section which combines the first beam path and the second beam path and an output optics which directs the combined first and second beam paths along a common optical axis, wherein the first bream path and the second beam path spatially coincide within the second beam path. | 10-06-2011 |
20110242331 | DIAGNOSIS UNIT FOR AN ELECTRONIC CAMERA AND CAMERA SYSTEM - A diagnosis unit for an electronic camera comprises a housing and a coupling device for coupling the diagnosis unit to an objective connection of a camera or to a camera objective, wherein the coupling device surrounds a light exit opening of the housing. The diagnosis unit further comprises at least one light source arranged in the housing for outputting a diagnosis illumination through the light exit opening, and an interface for electrically connecting the diagnosis unit to a camera. A camera system comprises a diagnosis unit and an electronic camera having an image sensor. | 10-06-2011 |
20110242375 | IMAGE SENSOR AND OPERATING METHOD - The present invention relates to an image sensor, in particular a CMOS image sensor, for electronic cameras, having a plurality of light-sensitive pixels arranged in rows and columns, wherein all or at least some of the pixels of a column are connected to a respective common column line, and wherein the image sensor has a signal preprocessing device for one or more of the column lines to process a exposure signals generated by the pixels which can be applied to the respective column line. The image sensor is made selectively to apply one of at least two test input signals to the column lines. | 10-06-2011 |
20110273587 | DIGITAL CAMERA AND METHOD FOR MONITORING A SIGNAL PROCESSING DEVICE - A digital camera includes an image sensor for producing analog image signals; an analog/digital converter for converting the image signals into digital raw data; and a signal processing unit for producing processed data from the raw data, wherein the signal processing device has a signal output. The camera has at least one first buffer memory for buffering at least some of the digital raw data and an evaluation device which is made to compare raw data stored in the first buffer memory with the processed data. | 11-10-2011 |
20110279722 | IMAGE SENSOR - The invention relates to an image sensor, in particular to a CMOS image sensor, for digital cameras, having a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns, wherein the respective pixel comprises: a light sensitive detector element to generate electrical charge from incident light during an exposure procedure, a readout node, a transfer gate to which a transfer control pulse can be applied to allow a charge transfer from the detector element to the readout node, and a reset device to reset a charge present in the readout node to a reference value. The image sensor furthermore has a control device for the control of the transfer gate and of the of the reset device of the respective pixel. The control device is designed so that the respective pixel is read out in a plurality of readout steps during the ongoing charge generation in a single exposure procedure, and indeed such that a respective transfer control pulse is applied to the transfer gate for each of the plurality of readout steps and a respective readout result is then produced; wherein the reset device is activated between the transfer control pulses of the respective exposure procedure; and wherein only the last transfer control pulse enables a complete charge transfer of the respective charge present in the detector element to the readout node. | 11-17-2011 |
20120062773 | IMAGE SENSOR AND METHOD OF READING OUT AN IMAGE SENSOR - An image sensor for electronic cameras includes a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns, wherein at least one common column is associated with a plurality of pixels of a column. Each pixel includes a light-sensitive detector element to produce an electric charge from incident light, a selection device to connect the detector element directly or indirectly to the associated column line and at least one switching device. The image sensor furthermore has a control device for controlling the selection device and the at least one switching device of the respective pixel. The control device is designed such that the selection device of a first pixel is activated within a time period in which the at least one switching device is activated in a second pixel with which the same column line is associated. | 03-15-2012 |
20120070095 | METHOD OF COMPRESSING IMAGE DATA - In a method of compressing image data which include a plurality of pixel values which are associated with a respective pixel, the pixel values are coded for at least some pixels in accordance with the following steps:
| 03-22-2012 |
20120119064 | IMAGE SENSOR - An image sensor for electronic cameras includes a plurality of light sensitive pixels arranged in rows and columns, wherein the pixels of a respective column can be read out via a respective column line and includes a plurality of data outputs, wherein a plurality of column lines are associated with the respective data output via at least one multiplexer device. The column lines are divided into a plurality of column line groups, wherein the respective column line group includes a plurality of column lines arranged next to one another; and wherein the number of column lines of the respective column line group corresponds to the number of the column lines associated with the respective data output. | 05-17-2012 |
20120119065 | IMAGE SENSOR - An image sensor for electronic cameras has an image field having at least one image field block which includes a plurality of light sensitive pixels arranged in rows and columns for generating exposure dependent pixel signals, wherein the pixel signals of the pixels of the respective column of the respective image field block can be read out via one or more respective column lines extending parallel to one another. The image sensor has at least one first row of column amplifiers and at least one second row of column amplifiers for the respective image field block. The image sensor is adapted to read out the pixel signals of the pixels of the respective column of the respective image field block of an image or of two mutually following images partly via the at least one first row and partly via the at least one second row of column amplifiers ( | 05-17-2012 |
20120127354 | IMAGE SENSOR - An image sensor for electronic cameras includes a plurality of light sensitive pixels arranged in rows and columns for generating exposure proportional signals, wherein the pixels of a respective column are coupled to at least one respective column read-out circuit via at least one respective column line, and wherein the respective column read-out circuit includes at least two column amplifiers which are connected in parallel, and includes a control device for controlling a read-out process of an image, wherein the read-out process for the respective pixel includes at least one read-out cycle. The gain factor of at least one of the two column amplifiers of the respective column read-out circuit is adjustable. | 05-24-2012 |
20120154603 | IMAGE RECORDING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF CALIBRATING, COMPRESSING AND DECOMPRESSING IMAGE SIGNAL VALUES - A method of calibrating, compressing and decompressing image signal values of an image sensor which has a plurality of light sensitive pixels arranged in rows and columns comprises the steps of: reading out the image signal values; compressing the image signal values; and decompressing the compressed image signal values, wherein the image signal values are calibrated while using calibration data sets which include a number of calibration values for each pixel. The method is characterized in that each calibration data set includes at least one first calibration value and at least one second calibration value, wherein the calibration of the image signal values includes a first calculation step which is carried out by the compression of the image signal values in order to calculate partly corrected image signal values while using the at least one first calibration value, and wherein the calibration of the image signal values includes a second calculation step which is carried out after decompressing the image signal values in order to calculate fully corrected image signal values while using the at least one second calibration value. An image recording system uses a corresponding method. | 06-21-2012 |
20120292484 | IMAGE SENSOR - An image sensor for electronic cameras includes a plurality of light-sensitive pixels arranged in rows and columns for generating exposure-dependent pixel signals in an image field. Each pixel includes at least one light-sensitive element to generate electric charge from incident light and a converter transistor to convert a charge into a voltage signal. The pixels form a plurality of pixel groups with at least one common read-out circuit being associated with each pixel group are coupled to the output of the associated converter transistor. An amplifier circuit amplifies the voltage signals from each converter transistor. | 11-22-2012 |
20130146749 | IMAGE SENSOR AND METHOD OF READING OUT AN IMAGE SENSOR - An image sensor, in particular a CMOS image sensor, for electronic cameras includes a plurality of light-sensitive pixels arranged in rows and columns for generating exposure-dependent pixel signals. A plurality of column lines, at least one precharge circuit for charging or discharging the column lines and at least one column readout circuit for reading out the pixel signals of the respective column are associated with a respective column. The image sensor has at least one switching device which is adapted to couple, in a first switch state, one of the column lines of a respective column to the precharge circuit and another one of the column lines of the respective column to the column readout circuit. | 06-13-2013 |
20140340546 | PIXEL CORRECTION METHOD - In a method for correcting defective pixels of an image sensor which has a plurality of pixels for generating respective exposure dependent pixel signals, a defect characteristic for each pixel is associated with the image sensor and comprises information at least on whether the pixel is unusable, is usable without limitations or corresponds to one of a plurality of predefined defect classes. The method comprises a determination being made after the generation of the pixel signals for each pixel, at least when the defect characteristic of the pixel does not correspond to an unusable pixel or to a pixel which can be used without limitations, in dependence on at least the associated defect class of the pixel and on pixel signals of a plurality of adjacent pixels, whether the generated pixel signal of the pixel should be corrected, with the generated pixel signal of the pixel being replaced with a replacement value if this is the case. | 11-20-2014 |