Circuit and method for pixel rearrangement in a digital pixel sensor readout
First Claim
1. An image sensor, comprising:
- a sensor array, including a two-dimensional array of digital pixels, each of said digital pixels outputting digital signals as digital pixel data in k bits, said sensor array outputting said k-bit digital pixel data representing an image of a scene, said digital pixel data being outputted in a sensor-bit arrangement where said k-bit digital pixel data are arranged in a bit plane format in k numbers of bit planes;
a data memory, in communication with said sensor array, for storing said k-bit digital pixel data in said sensor-bit arrangement; and
a pixel normalization circuit coupled to said data memory for rearranging said k-bit digital pixel data into a pixel-bit order and providing said rearranged pixel data as output signals, wherein said rearranged pixel data have all k bits of said digital pixel data associated with each digital pixel in a consecutive order.
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Abstract
An image sensor includes a sensor array, a data memory for storing pixel data and a pixel normalization circuit. The sensor array has a two-dimensional array of pixel elements and outputs digital signals as pixel data representing an image of a scene. The pixel data outputted by the sensor array are arranged in a sensor-bit arrangement and the pixel normalization circuit rearranges the pixel data into a pixel-bit order. In another embodiment, an image sensor includes a sensor array, a data memory, and a pixel normalization circuit, all fabricated on a single integrated circuit. The pixel normalization circuit includes one or more of a pixel rearrangement circuit, a Gray code to binary conversion circuit, a reset subtract circuit, and a multiple sampling normalization circuit. Finally, a Gray code to binary conversion circuit is provided for high speed conversion.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An image sensor, comprising:
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a sensor array, including a two-dimensional array of digital pixels, each of said digital pixels outputting digital signals as digital pixel data in k bits, said sensor array outputting said k-bit digital pixel data representing an image of a scene, said digital pixel data being outputted in a sensor-bit arrangement where said k-bit digital pixel data are arranged in a bit plane format in k numbers of bit planes;
a data memory, in communication with said sensor array, for storing said k-bit digital pixel data in said sensor-bit arrangement; and
a pixel normalization circuit coupled to said data memory for rearranging said k-bit digital pixel data into a pixel-bit order and providing said rearranged pixel data as output signals, wherein said rearranged pixel data have all k bits of said digital pixel data associated with each digital pixel in a consecutive order. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method in an image sensor, comprising:
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capturing an image of a scene using a sensor array, said sensor array including a two-dimensional array of digital pixels, said digital pixels outputting digital signals as digital pixel data in k bits representing the image of the scene;
outputting said digital pixel data in a sensor-bit order where said k-bit digital pixel data are arranged in a bit plane format in k number of bit planes;
storing said digital pixel data in a data memory; and
rearranging said digital pixel data into a pixel-bit order, wherein all k bits of said digital pixel data associated with each digital pixel are in a consecutive order. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
storing said rearranged pixel data in said data memory.
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14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:
providing said rearranged pixel data as output signals from said image sensor.
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15. The method of claim 12, wherein said act of rearranging said pixel data is performed by routing of signal lines.
Specification