IMAGE SENSOR WITH EXPANDING DYNAMIC RANGE
First Claim
1. An image sensor, comprising:
- a photodetector for generating analog image signals;
at least two storage units for storing at least two image signals respectively; and
a plurality of switch units including;
a first switch unit constructed to connect the photodetector to the at least two storage units for permitting transfer of the at least two image signals collected in the photodetector, the first switch unit being constructed to switch applied image signals to be stored in one of the at least two storage units; and
a second switch unit constructed to connect the at least two storage units each other for equalizing the image signals stored in the at least two storage units.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A conventional image sensor has a narrow dynamic range, so that the conventional image sensor has the limitation of not representing very dark portions or very bright portions depending on the exposure time when representing an image having such dark and bright portions. The present invention provides an image sensor including at least two storage units for respectively storing at least two image signals; a first switch unit for performing switching applied image signals to be respectively stored in the at least two storage units; and a second switch unit respectively connected to the at least two storage units and for equalizing the image signals stored in the at least two storage units.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. An image sensor, comprising:
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a photodetector for generating analog image signals; at least two storage units for storing at least two image signals respectively; and a plurality of switch units including; a first switch unit constructed to connect the photodetector to the at least two storage units for permitting transfer of the at least two image signals collected in the photodetector, the first switch unit being constructed to switch applied image signals to be stored in one of the at least two storage units; and a second switch unit constructed to connect the at least two storage units each other for equalizing the image signals stored in the at least two storage units. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An image sensor, comprising:
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a first input line for transmitting an image signal; a second input line for transmitting a reset signal; a third input line for transmitting an average reset signal; a comparator connected to the first input line, second input line and third input line; and a switch unit constructed to switch one of the reset signal and the average reset signal, which are input through the second input line and third input line, to be input to the comparator. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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11-13. -13. (canceled)
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15. An image sensor, comprising:
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a photodetector for generating analog image signals; at least two storage units for respectively storing at least two image signals; a plurality of switch units including; a first switch unit constructed to connect the photodetector to the at least two storage units for permitting transfer of the at least two image signals collected in the photodetector, the first switch unit being constructed to switch applied image signals to be stored in one of the at least two storage units; and a second switch unit constructed to connect the at least two storage units each other for equalizing the image signals stored in the at least two storage units; a first input line to which an equalized image signal is input; a second input line to which a predetermined average reset signal is input; and a comparator connected to the first input line and second input line, the comparator being configured to compare the equalized image signal with the predetermined average reset signal.
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16. A signal processing method in an image sensor, comprising the steps of:
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receiving at least two image signals; equalizing the at least two image signals; comparing the equalized image signal with a predetermined average reset signal; and outputting a digitized image signal based on a result of the comparison. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. (canceled)
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19. An image sensor, comprising:
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a photodetector for generating analog image signals; at least two storage means for storing at least two image signals respectively; and a plurality of means for switching including; a first switching means constructed to connect the photodetector to the at least two storage means for permitting transfer of the at least two image signals collected in the photodetector, the first switch means being constructed to switch applied image signals to be stored in one of the at least two storage means; and a second switching means constructed to connect the at least two storage means each other for equalizing the image signals stored in the at least two storage means. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification