Image Sensor Having Pixels with Different Integration Periods
First Claim
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1. An imaging system, comprising:
- an image sensor having a plurality of pixels, wherein a first portion of the pixels accumulate charge for a first integration period and a second portion of the pixels accumulate charge for a shorter second integration period, wherein the second portion of the pixels having the shorter second integration period accumulate charge two or more times during the first integration period.
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Abstract
An image sensor includes pixels that accumulate charge during a first integration period and pixels that accumulate charge during shorter second integration periods when an image is captured. The pixels having the shorter second integration period accumulate charge at two or more different times during the first integration period. Charge is read out of the pixels associated with the first integration period at the end of the first integration period, while charge is read out of the pixels having the second integration period at the end of each second integration period.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An imaging system, comprising:
an image sensor having a plurality of pixels, wherein a first portion of the pixels accumulate charge for a first integration period and a second portion of the pixels accumulate charge for a shorter second integration period, wherein the second portion of the pixels having the shorter second integration period accumulate charge two or more times during the first integration period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for capturing an image, the method comprising:
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beginning a first integration period for a first portion of pixels in an image sensor; beginning a second integration period for a second portion of pixels in the image sensor, wherein the second integration period is shorter than the first integration period; reading out charge from the second portion of the pixels during the first integration period at the end of the second integration period; beginning another second integration period for the second portion of the pixels; and reading out charge from the first and second portions of the pixels at the end of the first integration period. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for capturing an image, the method comprising:
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beginning a first integration period for a first plurality of pixels in an image sensor; during the first integration period, beginning a plurality of second integration periods for a second plurality of pixels in the image sensor, wherein the second integration period is shorter than the first integration period and each second integration period begins at a distinct time within the first integration period; and at the end of each second integration period, reading out charge from the second plurality of pixels. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification