Method and apparatus providing pixel storage gate charge sensing for electronic stabilization in imagers
First Claim
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1. An imaging device comprising:
- a plurality of pixels, each pixel comprising a photosensor and at least a first gate for storing charge from said photosensor when activated by a first control signal; and
a plurality of first circuits, each first circuit being connected to and associated with a respective first set of pixels, each first circuit generating the first control signal on a first control line for all pixels in its respective first set and sensing via the first control line an amount of charge stored under said first gates in the respective first set.
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Abstract
An imaging device that stores charge from a photosensor under at least one storage gate. A driver used to operate the at least one storage gate, senses how much charge was transferred to the storage gate. The sensed charge is used to obtain at least one signature of the image scene. The at least one signature may then be used for processing such as e.g., motion detection, auto-exposure, and auto-white balancing.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. An imaging device comprising:
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a plurality of pixels, each pixel comprising a photosensor and at least a first gate for storing charge from said photosensor when activated by a first control signal; and a plurality of first circuits, each first circuit being connected to and associated with a respective first set of pixels, each first circuit generating the first control signal on a first control line for all pixels in its respective first set and sensing via the first control line an amount of charge stored under said first gates in the respective first set. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system comprising:
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a processor; and an imaging device communicating with said processor, said device comprising; a plurality of pixels organized as an array of rows and columns, each pixel in said array comprising a photosensor and at least a first gate for storing charge from said photosensor when activated by a first control signal, and a plurality of first circuits, each first circuit being connected to and associated with a respective first set of pixels, each first circuit generating the first control signal on a first control line for all pixels in its respective first set and sensing via the first control line an amount of charge stored under said first gates in the respective first set. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of operating an imaging device, the imaging device comprising a plurality of pixels, each comprising a photosensor and at least a first storage gate, said method comprising the acts of:
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for each pixel, storing charge from the photosensor to the first gate by placing a control signal on a control line; for each pixel, sensing via the first control line the charge stored on the first gate; and using the sensed charges to obtain a first signature of a first image scene obtained by the imaging device, wherein the first signature is processed in at least one operation consisting of motion detection, automatic balancing and white balancing. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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Specification