Imaging method and apparatus

• US 20100020209A1
• Filed: 07/22/2009
• Published: 01/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Seong Jin
• Granted Patent: US 8,344,306 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/294
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/894 3D imaging with simultaneous measurement of time-of-flight at a 2D array of receiver pixels, e.g. time-of-flight cameras or flash lidar
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/00 Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/131 including elements passing infrared wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/134 based on three different wavelength filter elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/136 using complementary colours
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/581 acquired simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/705 Pixels for depth measurement, e.g. RGBZ
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/77 Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/778 comprising amplifiers shared between a plurality of pixels, i.e. at least one part of the amplifier must be on the sensor array itself
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/78 Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 3/155 Control of the image-sensor operation, e.g. image processing within the image-sensor

Abstract

Disclosed are an imaging method and apparatus. The apparatus may include an image sensor that may include a plurality of pixels, wherein at least one pixel of the plurality of pixels includes a light-detector element and a filter that band-passes a select visible light component to the light-detector element and band-passes a select non-visible light component to the light-detector element. A color value and depth value may be obtained using the same pixel through the image sensor.

Claims

1. An image sensor, comprising:

a plurality of pixels, with at least one of the plurality of pixels being configured to separately output an indication of a color value and an indication of a depth value.

2. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the at least one pixel band-passes at least a first and second non-contiguous wavelength bands.

3. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the at least one pixel includes a first and second pixel, with the first pixel band-passing at least a first and second wavelength bands, and the second pixel band-passing the second and a third wavelength band, such that the first and third wavelength bands are different.

4. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the indication of the color value is generated by the at least one pixel during a first time period and the indication of the depth value is generated by the at least one pixel during a second time period.

5. The image sensor of claim 3, wherein the indication of the depth value is based on light reflected by light selectively radiated from a light source during the second time period.

6. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein each pixel of the plurality of pixels is used when obtaining respective pixel color values and depth values.

7. An imaging device, comprising:

a light source; and

an image sensor including a plurality of pixels, with at least one of the plurality of pixels being configured to separately output an indication of a color value and an indication of a depth value.

8. The imaging device of claim 7, wherein the at least one pixel band-passes at least a first and second non-contiguous light wavelength bands.

9. The imaging device of claim 7, wherein the at least one pixel includes a first and second pixel, with the first pixel band-passing at least a first and second light wavelength bands, and the second pixel band-passing the second and a third light wavelength band, such that the first and third light wavelength bands are different.

10. The imaging device of claim 7, wherein the indication of the color value is generated by the at least one pixel during a first time period and the indication of the depth value is generated by the at least one pixel during a second time period.

11. The imaging device of claim 10, wherein the light source selectively radiates light during the second time period.

12. The imaging device of claim 11, wherein the radiated light is non-visible light.

13. The imaging device of claim 12, wherein the radiated light is infrared light.

14. The imaging device of claim 10, wherein the at least one pixel senses a first light component during the first time period and senses a second light component during the second time period, with the first and second light components being different.

15. The imaging device of claim 14, wherein the indication of the color value is based on the first light component sensed during the first time period and the indication of the depth value is based on the second light component sensed during the second time period.

16. The imaging device of claim 7, wherein each pixel of the plurality of pixels is used when obtaining respective pixel color values and depth values.

17. An image sensor, comprising:

a plurality of pixels,

wherein each pixel of the plurality of pixels comprises a respective light-detector element and filter, with the respective filter being configured to band-pass a select incident visible light component to the respective light-detector element and band-pass a select incident non-visible light component to the respective light-detector element.

18. The image sensor of claim 17, wherein the respective light-detector element is a photodiode.

19. The image sensor of claim 17, wherein the non-visible light component is infrared light.

20. The image sensor of claim 17, wherein at least one pixel of the plurality of pixels includes a filter that band-passes a red light component and band-passes the select incident non-visible light component.

21. The image sensor of claim 17, wherein at least one pixel of the plurality of pixels includes a filter that band-passes a green light component and band-passes the select incident non-visible light component.

22. The image sensor of claim 17, wherein at least one pixel of the plurality of pixels includes a filter that band-passes a blue light component and band-passes the select incident non-visible light component.

23. The image sensor of claim 17, wherein at least one pixel of the plurality of pixels includes a filter that band-passes a cyan light component and band-passes the select incident non-visible light component.

24. The image sensor of claim 17, wherein at least one pixel of the plurality of pixels includes a filter that band-passes a magenta light component and band-passes the select incident non-visible light component.

25. The image sensor of claim 17, wherein at least one pixel of the plurality of pixels includes a filter that band-passes a yellow light component and band-passes the select incident non-visible light component.

26. The image sensor of claim 17, wherein areas of the respective filter included in each pixel of the plurality of pixels are identical.

27. The image sensor of claim 17, wherein the plurality of pixels are configured as an array of repeated 2×

2 pixel groups.

28. The image sensor of claim 27, wherein a 2×

2 pixel group, of the array of repeated 2×

2 pixel groups, includes a red pixel, blue pixel, and two green pixels.

29. The image sensor of claim 27, wherein a 2×

2 pixel group, of the array of repeated 2×

2 pixel groups, includes a cyan pixel, magenta pixel, yellow pixel, and green pixel.

30. The image sensor of claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes a first transferor that connects the respective light-detector element with a respective floating diffusion (FD) node, a driving unit to control a voltage of a bit-line based on a voltage of the FD node and a row control signal, and a second transferor that connects the respective light-detector element with a sink line.

31. The image sensor of claim 30, wherein at least two pixels of the plurality of pixels include respective first transferors and a same FD node, wherein the at least two pixels are configured to selectively separately connect corresponding respective light-detector elements with the FD node and to collectively connect the corresponding respective light-detector elements with the FD node.

32. An imaging device, comprising:

a light source generating a non-visible light component; and

a plurality of pixels,

wherein each pixel of the plurality of pixels comprises a respective light-detector element and filter, with the respective filter being configured to band-pass a select incident visible light component to the respective light-detector element and band-pass a select incident non-visible light component, having a defined relationship with the generated non-visible light component, to the respective light-detector element.

33. The imaging device of claim 32, wherein each pixel of the plurality of pixels respectively generates an indication of a color value based on respective select incident visible light components and respectively generates an indication of a depth value based on the select incident non-visible light component.

34. The imaging device of claim 33, wherein a color image is generated by correlating pixels of the color image to respective color values generated based on respective generated color value indications and a depth image is generated by correlating pixels of the depth image to respective depth values generated based on respective generated depth value indications.

35. The imaging device of claim 33, wherein each pixel of the plurality of pixels generates the indication of the color value during a first time period and generates the indication of the depth value during a second time period.

36. The imaging device of claim 35, wherein the light source selectively generates the non-visible light component during the second time period.

37. An image sensor, comprising:

at least one pixel,

wherein the at least one pixel comprises a first transferor that connects a light-detector element with a FD node, a driving unit that controls a voltage of a bit-line based on a voltage of the FD node and a row control signal, and a second transferor that connects the light-detector element with a sink line.

38. The image sensor of claim 37, wherein the FD node is configured to be selectively electrically connected to the first transferor of the at least one pixel and a second transferor of another pixel of the image sensor.

39. The image sensor of claim 38, wherein the at least one pixel and the other pixel are configured to selectively separately connect only one respective light-detector element with the FD node and to collectively connect respective light-detector elements, of the at least one pixel and the other pixel, with the FD node

40. The image sensor of claim 37, wherein the first transferor transfers charges generated by the light-detector element to the FD node during a defined active time period and selectively generates an electrical disconnect between the light-detector element and the FD node during a defined inactive time period.

41. The image sensor of claim 40, wherein the second transferor selectively generates an electrical disconnect between the light-detector element and the sink line during the active time period and transfers charges generated by the light-detector element to the sink line during the inactive time period.

42. The image sensor of claim 40, wherein the second transferor is a transistor,

wherein a gate terminal and source terminal of the transistor are respectively connected with the sink line and a drain terminal of the transistor is connected with the light-detector element.

43. The image sensor of claim 40, wherein, during the active time period, the first transferor transfers, to the FD node, an amount of charge corresponding to a distance between an observed object and the at least one pixel.

44. The image sensor of claim 37, wherein the at least one pixel further comprises a reset transistor to reset the voltage of the FD node according to a reset control signal.

45. The image sensor of claim 37, wherein the driving unit comprises a driving transistor and selective transistor,

wherein a gate terminal of the driving transistor is connected with the FD node, a drain terminal of the driving transistor is connected with a power supply, and a source terminal of the driving transistor is connected with a drain terminal of the selective transistor, and

wherein a gate terminal of the selective transistor is connected with a row control signal, and a source terminal of the selective transistor is connected with the bit-line.

46. The image sensor of claim 37, wherein the driving unit comprises an amplifier that has a negative gain, an input terminal that is connected with the FD node, a capacitor that is connected with the input terminal and an output terminal of the amplifier, a reset transistor that resets a voltage difference between the input terminal and the output terminal of the amplifier according to a reset control signal, and a selective transistor,

wherein a gate terminal of the selective transistor is connected with the row control signal, a drain terminal of the selective transistor is connected with the output terminal of the amplifier, and a source terminal of the selective transistor is connected with the bit-line.

47. The image sensor of claim 37, wherein four pixels share a single FD node separate from any other pixels sharing any other FD nodes.

48. An imaging method, comprising:

sensing a first light component with a pixel during a first time period; and

sensing at least a second light component with the pixel during a second time period, with the first light component having a different light characteristic than the second light component.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the sensing of the first light component includes measuring an intensity of the first light component and the sensing of the second light component includes measuring a time of flight (TOF) of the second light component.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein the first light component is a visible light component and the second light component is a non-visible light component.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the second light component is infrared light.

52. The method of claim 48, further comprising:

generating a color value of the pixel based on the first light component sensed during the first time period; and

generating a depth value of the pixel based on the second light component sensed during the second time period.

77. A computer readable recording medium comprising computer readable code to control at least one processing device to implement the method of claim 48.

53. An imaging method, comprising:

sensing a first light component with a plurality of co-located pixels during a first time period;

radiating a second light component based upon an ending of the sensing of the first light component, with the first light component having a different light characteristic than the second light component;

sensing at least a reflection of the radiated second light component off an object using the plurality of co-located pixels during a second time period; and

generating a depth image of the object from the sensed reflected light.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the sensing of the first light component includes measuring an amplitude of the first light component and the sensing of the second light component includes measuring a time of flight (TOF) of the second light component.

55. The method of claim 53, wherein the first light component is a visible light component and the second light component is a non-visible light component.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the second light component is infrared light.

57. The method of claim 53, further comprising:

generating a color image of the object based on the sensed first light component during the first time period.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the generating of the color image comprises generating a color value for each pixel of the plurality of co-located pixels based on respective sensed first light components and obtaining the color image of the object by correlating the generated color values of each of the plurality of pixels to pixels of the color image.

59. The method of claim 57, wherein the generating of the color image comprises generating first sensed information based on the first light component sensed during the first time period and eliminating a noise generated by effects from another light component with respect to the first sensed information.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein the other light component is the second light component.

61. The method of claim 53, wherein the generating of the depth image of the object comprises obtaining a depth value of each pixel of the plurality of co-located pixels based on the reflected light being concurrently and collectively sensed by a defined group of plural pixels of the plurality of co-located pixels and generating the depth image of the object by correlating depth values of each defined group of the plural pixels to pixels of the depth image.

62. The method of claim 53, wherein the generating of the depth image of the object comprises generating second sensed information based on the second light component sensed during the second time period and eliminating a noise generated by effects from another light component with respect to the second sensed information.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein the other light component is the second light component.

64. The method of claim 53, wherein the generating of the depth image of the object is performed after operations of the radiating of the second light component, and sensing of the reflected light during the second time period is repeated a number of times equal to a threshold for the generating of the depth image.

65. The method of claim 53, wherein the sensing of the reflected light during the second time period comprises transferring information that is associated with charges generated by detection of the reflected light as sensed during an active time period of the second time period and discharging charges generated by the detection of the reflected light sensed during an inactive time period of the second time period.

78. A computer readable recording medium comprising computer readable code to control at least one processing device to implement the method of claim 53.

66. An image sensor method, comprising:

configuring at least one pixel as an image sensor, including configuring the at least one pixel to have a light-detector element and a band-pass filter, configuring the at least one pixel to have a first transferor that connects the light-detector element with a FD node, configuring the at least one pixel to have a bit-line signal line, a row signal line, and a driving unit such that the driving unit is configured to control a voltage of a bit-line signal on the bit-line signal line based on a voltage of the FD node and a row control signal on the row signal line, and configuring the at least one pixel to have a second transferor and a sink line, with the light-detector element being configured to connect with the sink line.

67. The method of claim 66, further comprising configuring the FD node to be selectively electrically connected to the first transferor of the at least one pixel and a second transferor of another pixel of the image sensor.

68. The method of claim 67, further comprising configuring the at least one pixel and the other pixel to selectively separately connect only one respective light-detector element with the FD node and to collectively connect respective light-detector elements, of the at least one pixel and the other pixel, with the FD node

69. The method of claim 66, further comprising configuring the first transferor so the first transferor transfers charges generated by the light-detector element to the FD node during a defined active time period and selectively generates an electrical disconnect between the light-detector element and the FD node during a defined inactive time period.

70. The method of claim 69, further comprising configuring the second transferor so the second transferor selectively generates an electrical disconnect between the light-detector element and the sink line during the active time period and transfers charges generated by the light-detector element to the sink line during the inactive time period.

71. The method of claim 69, further comprising configuring the second transferor to be a transistor so a gate terminal and source terminal of the transistor are respectively connected with the sink line and a drain terminal of the transistor is connected with the light-detector element.

72. The method of claim 69, further comprising configuring the first transferor so that during the active time period the first transferor transfers to the FD node an accumulated charge corresponding to light sensed by the at least one pixel.

73. The method of claim 66, further comprising configuring the at least one pixel to further comprises a reset transistor and a reset control line, the reset transistor being configured to reset the voltage of the FD node according to a reset control signal on the reset control line.

74. The method of claim 66, further comprising configuring the driving unit to have a driving transistor and selective transistor so that a gate terminal of the driving transistor is connected with the FD node, a drain terminal of the driving transistor is connected with a power supply, and a source terminal of the driving transistor is connected with a drain terminal of the selective transistor, and

a gate terminal of the selective transistor is connected with a row signal line, and a source terminal of the selective transistor is connected with the bit-line signal line.

75. The method of claim 66, further comprising configuring the driving unit to have an amplifier that has a negative gain, an input terminal that is connected with the FD node, a capacitor that is connected with the input terminal and an output terminal of the amplifier, a reset transistor that resets a voltage difference between the input terminal and the output terminal of the amplifier according to a reset control signal, and configuring the driving unit to have a selective transistor so that a gate terminal of the selective transistor is connected with the row signal line, a drain terminal of the selective transistor is connected with the output terminal of the amplifier, and a source terminal of the selective transistor is connected with the bit-line signal line.

76. The method of claim 66, further comprising configuring the image sensor to have plural groups of pixels such that only one group of pixels, of the plural groups of pixels, share a single FD node and configuring the one group of pixels to selectively transfer an accumulated charge from respective pixels making up the one group of pixels to the single FD node collectively and separately.

79. A computer readable recording medium comprising computer readable code to control at least one processing device to implement the method of claim 66.