SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING PIXEL ARRAY SENSOR WITH INDEPENDENTLY CONTROLLED SUB PIXELS

• US 20160316153A1
• Filed: 12/17/2014
• Published: 10/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: BrightWay Vision Ltd.
• Original Assignee: BrightWay Vision Ltd.
• Inventors: GRAUER, Yoav
• Application Number:
  US15/104,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20160316153A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/107 using stereoscopic cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/307 virtually distinguishing relevant parts of a scene from the background of the scene
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14621 Colour filter arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/286 having separate monoscopic and stereoscopic modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/11 for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/134 based on three different wavelength filter elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/533 by using differing integration times for different sensor regions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/534 depending on the spectral component

Abstract

A system for controlling a pixel array sensor with independently controlled sub pixels is provided herein. The system includes at least one image detector, comprising an array of photo-sensitive pixels, each photo-sensitive pixel comprising at least one first type photo-sensitive sub pixel and plurality of second type photo-sensitive sub pixels; and a processor configured to control the at least first type controlled photo-sensitive sub pixel and the plurality of second type second type photo-sensitive sub pixels according to a specified exposure scheme, wherein the processor is further configured to control the at least one first type sub pixel independently of the specified exposure scheme, wherein the processor is further configured to selectively combine data coming from the at least one first type sub pixel with data coming from at least one of the plurality of second type sub pixels.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

at least one image detector, comprising an array of photo-sensitive pixels, each photo-sensitive pixel comprising at least one first type photo-sensitive sub pixel and at least one second type photo-sensitive sub pixel; and

a processor configured to control the at least one first type controlled photo-sensitive sub pixel and the at least one second type photo-sensitive sub pixels according to a specified exposure scheme,

wherein an exposure of at least one of the first type photo-sensitive sub pixel is synchronized with pulsed light present in the scene, to achieve gated images of the scene

wherein the processor is further configured to control the at least one first type sub pixel independently of the specified exposure scheme, and

wherein the processor is further configured to selectively combine data coming from the at least one first type sub pixel with data coming from the at least one second type sub pixel.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to control at least one of:

exposure, and readout, of the at least one first type sub pixel, based on data coming from the at least one second type sub pixel.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the photo sensitive sub pixels have an anti-blooming capability so that a saturated sub pixel does not affect adjacent sub pixels.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the anti-blooming capability exhibit a ratio that is greater than 1:

1000.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is mounted on a moving platform.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first type photo-sensitive sub pixel is infra-red (IR) sensitive.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the at least one first type photo-sensitive sub pixel has a full width half maximum transmission of up to five percent of the center wavelength.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the at least one first type photo-sensitive sub pixel has an off band rejection of less than ten percent.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first type photo-sensitive sub pixel is sensitive to visible spectrum.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the at least one first type photo-sensitive sub pixel has a full width half maximum transmission of up to ten percent of the center wavelength.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the at least one first type photo-sensitive sub pixel has an off band rejection of less than ten percent.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first type photo-sensitive sub pixel has a larger area than the at least one second type photo-sensitive sub pixel.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first type photo-sensitive sub pixel has a smaller area than the area of the at least one second type photo-sensitive sub pixel.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first type photo-sensitive sub pixel comprises readout channel which is separate from the readout channel of the at least one second type photo-sensitive sub pixel.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first type photo-sensitive sub pixel is coupled to an amplifier configured to amplify a signal coming from the at least one first type photo-sensitive sub pixel independently of the signals coming from the at least one second type photo-sensitive sub pixel.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first type photo-sensitive sub pixel exposure scheme is synchronized with an external light source pulsing scheme.

18. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first type photo-sensitive sub pixel exposure scheme is synchronized with an external light source modulation scheme.

19. The system according to claim 1, further comprising an external light source and wherein the at least the first type sub pixel is coupled to a filter having a spectral range similar to a spectral range of the external light source.

20. The system according to claim 1, wherein the data selectively combined by the processor includes data captured at different exposure times.

21. The system according to claim 1, wherein the selectively combined data coming from the at least one first type sub pixel with data coming from at least one of the plurality of second type sub pixels is usable for Advance Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) functions.

22. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a pulsed light source configured to generate the pulsed light present in the scene.

23. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to detect parameters of the pulsed light for synchronizing the at least one of the first type photo-sensitive sub pixel, wherein the pulsed light present in the scene is generated independently of the system.

24. The system according to claim 1, wherein the photo-sensitive pixels are infra-red (IR) sensitive and wherein at least one of the first type photo-sensitive sub pixel is further sensitive to a visible light spectrum.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein the selective combining data by the processor is usable for providing an infra-red (IR) image of the array of photo-sensitive pixels.

26. The system according to claim 24, wherein the selective combining data by the processor is usable for providing an infra-red (IR) and visible spectrum image of the array of photo-sensitive pixels.

16. (canceled)

27. A method comprising:

configuring at least one image detector to comprise an array of photo-sensitive pixels, each photo-sensitive pixel comprising at least one first type photo-sensitive sub pixel and at least one second type photo-sensitive sub pixel,

controlling the at least one first type controlled photo-sensitive sub pixel and the at least one second type photo-sensitive sub pixels according to a specified exposure scheme,

synchronizing an exposure of at least one of the first type photo-sensitive sub pixel with pulsed light present in the scene, to achieve gated images of the scene,

controlling the at least one first type sub pixel independently of the specified exposure scheme, and

selectively combining data coming from the at least one first type sub pixel with data coming from the at least one second type sub pixel.