Apparatus and method for sensing and processing images
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for sensing and processing images comprising:
- an array of variable sensitivity photo detectors arranged in a matrix form, said variable sensitivity photo detectors having a conversion efficiency which is a monotone, smoothly increasing function of an applied control voltage, wherein the conversion efficiency can assume both positive and negative values;
a control circuit for feeding rows of said array with voltages for sensitivity control; and
a neural network for processing currents flowing from columns of said array to ground.
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Abstract
An apparatus for sensing and processing images is provided with a photo detector array arranged in a matrix form, a control circuit for feeding a row of the array with voltage for sensitivity control, and a neural network for processing current flowing from a column of the array to the ground in order to obtain an apparatus for sensing and processing images having a simple configuration, a high frame speed, the capability of forming a focus of attention, and high throughput of data and possibility of connecting to the neural network.
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Citations
79 Claims
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1. An apparatus for sensing and processing images comprising:
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an array of variable sensitivity photo detectors arranged in a matrix form, said variable sensitivity photo detectors having a conversion efficiency which is a monotone, smoothly increasing function of an applied control voltage, wherein the conversion efficiency can assume both positive and negative values; a control circuit for feeding rows of said array with voltages for sensitivity control; and a neural network for processing currents flowing from columns of said array to ground. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79)
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20. A method of sensing and processing images comprising the steps of:
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projecting an image on an array having a plurality of variable sensitivity photo detectors, said variable sensitivity photo detectors having a conversion efficiency which is a monotone, smoothly increasing function of an applied control voltage, wherein the conversion efficiency can assume both positive and negative values; applying control voltages to rows of said array so as to control sensitivity of said photo detectors; and providing a neural network with current flowing from each column of said array to the ground as an input signal so as to perform processing, whereby said control voltages form a vector S, said projected image forms a matrix W, and said neural network employs a matrix T; wherein said neural network generates an output V defined by V=TWS, wherein said vector S and said matrix T are selected to achieve at least one of focus of attention, horizontal and/or vertical one-dimensional convolution of a kernel, and contents of processing of one-dimensional or two-dimensional orthogonal and non-orthogonal transformation. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A method of sensing and processing images comprising the steps of:
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projecting an image on an array having a plurality of photo detectors, said variable sensitivity photo detectors having a conversion efficiency which is a monotone, smoothly increasing function of an applied control voltage, wherein the conversion efficiency can assume both positive and negative values; applying control voltages to rows of said array so as to control sensitivity of said photo detectors, wherein a set of said control voltages forms a matrix to be multiplied by a matrix provided by said projected image; and classifying said projected image into a class by using a classifier actuated according to current output from each column of said array. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. An apparatus for sensing and processing images comprising an image sensor including:
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a two-dimensional array of variable sensitivity photo detectors having a conversion efficiency from light to current which is a monotone, smoothly increasing function which varies depending upon magnitude of voltage across two terminals, wherein the conversion efficiency can assume both positive and negative values; a control circuit having one terminal of each photo detector connected to a common control electrode for each row, and the other terminal connected to a common output electrode for each column, wherein a plurality of voltage data is stored in said control circuit so as to transfer said data, and said stored voltage data is partially connected to said control electrode; a one-dimensional memory enabling shift of said stored data; and a fixed connecting portion for connecting between said one-dimensional memory and said output electrode or a variable connecting portion for connecting between said one-dimensional memory and said output electrode.
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25. An apparatus for sensing and processing images comprising an image sensor including:
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a two-dimensional array of photoreceptive elements formed by variable sensitivity photo detectors having one terminal directly connected to an output terminal and another terminal connected via a capacitor to the ground and connected via a switching gate to a control terminal, and having a conversion efficiency from light to current which is a monotone, smoothly increasing function which varies depending upon magnitude of voltage across two terminals, wherein the conversion efficiency can assume both positive and negative values, and wherein said control terminal is connected to a common control electrode for each row, and said output terminal is connected to a common output electrode for each column; a control circuit having a terminal connected to said control electrode so as to output any voltage; and an output circuit having a mechanism for applying current from any one of said output electrodes.
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26. An apparatus for sensing and processing images comprising an image sensor including:
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a two-dimensional array of photoreceptive elements formed by variable sensitivity photo detectors having one terminal grounded via a capacitor and connected to an output terminal via a switching gate, and another terminal directly connected to a control terminal, and having a conversion efficiency from light to current which is a monotone, smoothly increasing function which varies depending upon magnitude of voltage across said two terminals, wherein the conversion efficiency can assume both positive and negative values, and wherein said control terminal is connected to a common control electrode for each row, and said output terminal is connected to a common output electrode for each column; a control circuit having a terminal connected to said control electrode so as to output any voltage; and an output circuit having a mechanism for applying current from any one of said output electrodes.
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27. An apparatus for sensing and processing images comprising an image sensor including a two-dimensional array of photoreceptive elements formed by two variable sensitivity photo detectors having a conversion efficiency from light to current which is a monotone, smoothly increasing function which varies depending upon magnitude of voltage across two terminals, wherein the conversion efficiency can assume both positive and negative values, and wherein one terminal of one photo detector is connected to a common control electrode for each row, the other terminal thereof is connected to a common output electrode for each column, and one terminal of the other photo detector is connected to a common electrode for each column, and the other terminal thereof is connected to a common output terminal for each row.
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28. An apparatus for sensing and processing images comprising an image sensor including a two-dimensional array of variable sensitivity photo detectors having a conversion efficiency from light to current which is a monotone, smoothly increasing function which varies depending upon magnitude of voltage across two terminals so as to input light signal from both sides of a surface formed by said array, wherein the conversion efficiency can assume both positive and negative values.
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29. An apparatus for sensing and processing images comprising an image sensor including:
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a two-dimensional array of variable sensitivity photo detectors having a conversion efficiency from light to current which is a monotone, smoothly increasing function which varies depending upon magnitude of voltage across two terminals, wherein the conversion efficiency can assume both positive and negative values, and wherein one terminal is connected to a common control electrode for each row, and the other terminal is connected to a common output electrode for each column; a control circuit optionally varying a position of a voltage vector having voltage other than zero volts with respect to voltage vectors in which only one voltage vector has a voltage other than zero volts and other voltage vectors are all equal to zero volts; and a mechanism for connecting said voltage to said control electrode.
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Specification