Image processing system and method for an image sensor

• US 10,104,321 B1
• Filed: 08/15/2017
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Himax Imaging Limited (Himax Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Himax Imaging Limited (Himax Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sohn, Youngchul, Kim, Kwangoh, Oh, Hack soo
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye, Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yoder, III, Chriss
• Application Number:
  US15/677,598
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/57 Control of the dynamic range
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/616 involving a correlated sampling function, e.g. correlated double sampling [CDS] or triple sampling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/63 applied to dark current
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/633 by using optical black pixels
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/702 SSIS architectures characterised by non-identical, non-equidistant or non-planar pixel layout
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/703 SSIS architectures incorporating pixels for producing signals other than image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/745 Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/75 Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/772 comprising A/D, V/T, V/F, I/T or I/F converters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/7795 Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/78 Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters

Abstract

An image processing system for an image sensor includes an analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) unit that performs ADC on pixel signals, thereby generating digital pixel signals; a correlated double sampling (CDS) unit that performs CDS on the digital pixel signals; a black level estimation (BLE) unit that generates a negative offset voltage according to dark voltage obtained from CDS performed on estimating optical black pixels (OBPs) of a pixel array, the negative offset voltage being subtracted from the pixel signals before feeding the pixel signals to the ADC unit; and a black level compensation (BLC) unit that performs BLC on active pixels sensors (APSs) and the compensating OBPs of the pixel array.

Claims

1. An image processing system for an image sensor, comprising:

a pixel array that provides pixel signals, the pixel array including active pixels sensors (APSs), compensating optical black pixels (OBPs) and estimating OBPs;

an analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) unit that performs analog-to-digital conversion on the pixel signals, thereby generating digital pixel signals;

a correlated double sampling (CDS) unit that performs correlated double sampling on the digital pixel signals;

a black level estimation (BLE) unit that generates a negative offset voltage according to dark voltage obtained from correlated double sampling performed on the estimating OBPs, the negative offset voltage being subtracted from the pixel signals before feeding the pixel signals to the ADC unit; and

a black level compensation (BLC) unit that performs black level compensation on the APSs and the compensating OBPs.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the pixel array comprises a current sink array that includes a plurality of current sink circuits coupled to output nodes of the pixel signals, respectively.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a row decoder that selects one row of the pixel array at a time such that the pixel signals of the selected row may then be read out.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the ADC unit comprises:

a ramp generator that generates a ramp signal;

a set of comparators, each of which is coupled to receive a corresponding pixel signal from the pixel array, the ramp signal and the negative offset voltage; and

a set of counters, each of which is coupled to receive a counter clock and a compare result of a corresponding comparator.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the ADC unit further comprises a set of memory devices that are coupled to receive counting values of the counters, respectively.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the comparator comprises:

a differential to single-ended amplifier;

a first capacitor via which the pixel signal is connected to a non-inverting input of the amplifier; and

a second capacitor via which the negative offset voltage is connected to the non-inverting input of the amplifier;

wherein the ramp signal is connected to an inverting input of the amplifier.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the comparator comprises:

a differential to differential amplifier;

a first capacitor via which the pixel signal is connected to a non-inverting input of the amplifier;

a second capacitor via which the negative offset voltage is connected to the non-inverting input of the amplifier; and

a third capacitor via which the ramp signal is connected to an inverting input of the amplifier.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein the comparator comprises:

a single-input to single-output amplifier;

a first capacitor via which the pixel signal is connected to an input of the amplifier;

a second capacitor via which the negative offset voltage is connected to the input of the amplifier; and

a third capacitor via which the ramp signal is connected to the input of the amplifier.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the BLC unit comprises an OBP sub-unit and an APS sub-unit, wherein the compensating OBPs are processed by the ADC unit in a reset period, thereby resulting in a first digital pixel composed of offset voltage and reset voltage;

the compensating OBPs are processed by the ADC unit in a signal period, thereby resulting in a second digital pixel signal composed of the offset voltage, the reset voltage and the dark voltage;

the first digital pixel signal is subtracted from the second digital pixel signal in the CDS unit, thereby resulting in the dark voltage which is stored temporarily in the OBP sub-unit;

the APSs are processed by the ADC unit in the reset period, thereby resulting in a third digital pixel signal composed of the offset voltage and the reset voltage;

the APSs are processed by the ADC unit in the signal period, thereby resulting in a fourth digital pixel signal composed of the offset voltage, the reset voltage, the dark voltage and light signal;

the third digital pixel signal is subtracted from the fourth digital pixel signal in the CDS unit, thereby resulting in the dark voltage plus the light signal which is stored temporarily in the APS sub-unit;

the dark voltage plus the light signal stored in the APS sub-unit subtracts the dark voltage stored in the OBP sub-unit, thereby resulting in the light signal as a compensated pixel signal.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the CDS unit comprises a digital correlated double sampling (DDS) unit.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the BLE unit comprises:

an estimator that is coupled to receive the dark voltage obtained from correlated double sampling performed on the estimating OBPs; and

an offset generator that is activated by an offset control signal from the estimator when the dark voltage received by the estimator is greater than a predetermined threshold.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the offset generator comprises:

a voltage divider that generates a plurality of reference voltages; and

a multiplexer that selects one of the reference voltages as an output according to the offset control signal.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the offset generator further comprises:

a buffer;

a first switch that is connected between the output of the multiplexer and an input of the buffer; and

a second switch that is connected between the input of buffer and ground;

wherein the first switch is closed and the second switch is open when performing black level compensation on the estimating OBPs;

otherwise the first switch is open and the second switch is closed.

14. An image processing system for an image sensor, comprising:

a pixel array that provides pixel signals, the pixel array including active pixels sensors (APSs), compensating optical black pixels (OBPs) and estimating OBPs;

a correlated double sampling (CDS) unit that performs correlated double sampling on the pixel signals;

a black level estimation (BLE) unit that generates a negative offset voltage according to dark voltage obtained from correlated double sampling performed on the estimating OBPs, the negative offset voltage being subtracted from the pixel signals before subjecting the pixel signals to correlated double sampling; and

a black level compensation (BLC) unit that performs black level compensation on the APSs and the compensating OBPs.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the BLE unit comprises:

an estimator that is coupled to receive the dark voltage obtained from correlated double sampling performed on the estimating OBPs; and

an offset generator that is activated by an offset control signal from the estimator when the dark voltage received by the estimator is greater than a predetermined threshold.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the offset generator comprises:

a voltage divider that generates a plurality of reference voltages; and

a multiplexer that selects one of the reference voltages as an output according to the offset control signal.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the offset generator further comprises:

a buffer;

a first switch that is connected between the output of the multiplexer and an input of the buffer; and

a second switch that is connected between the input of buffer and ground;

wherein the first switch is closed and the second switch is open when performing black level compensation on the estimating OBPs;

otherwise the first switch is open and the second switch is closed.

18. An image processing method for an image sensor, comprising:

providing pixel signals by a pixel array, the pixel array including active pixels sensors (APSs), compensating optical black pixels (OBPs) and estimating OBPs;

performing analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) on the pixel signals, thereby generating digital pixel signals;

performing correlated double sampling (CDS) on the digital pixel signals;

performing black level estimation (BLE) to generate a negative offset voltage according to dark voltage obtained from correlated double sampling performed on the estimating OBPs, the negative offset voltage being subtracted from the pixel signals before subjecting the pixel signals to ADC; and

performing black level compensation (BLC) on the APSs and the compensating OBPs.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the BLC step comprises:

performing ADC on the compensating OBPs in a reset period, thereby resulting in a first digital pixel composed of offset voltage and reset voltage;

performing ADC on the compensating OBPs in a signal period, thereby resulting in a second digital pixel signal composed of the offset voltage, the reset voltage and the dark voltage;

subtracting the first digital pixel signal from the second digital pixel signal by performing CDS, thereby resulting in the dark voltage which is then temporarily stored;

performing ADC on the APSs in the reset period, thereby resulting in a third digital pixel signal composed of the offset voltage and the reset voltage;

performing ADC on the APSs in the signal period, thereby resulting in a fourth digital pixel signal composed of the offset voltage, the reset voltage, the dark voltage and light signal;

subtracting the third digital pixel signal from the fourth digital pixel signal by performing CDS, thereby resulting in the dark voltage plus the light signal which is then temporarily stored; and

subtracting the stored dark voltage from the stored dark voltage plus the light signal, thereby resulting in the light signal as a compensated pixel signal.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the BLE step comprises:

receiving the dark voltage obtained from correlated double sampling performed on the estimating OBPs; and

generating an offset control signal, according to which the negative offset voltage is generated, when the received dark voltage is greater than a predetermined threshold.