Method and apparatus providing pixel storage gate charge sensing for electronic stabilization in imagers
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An imager pixel comprising:
- a photosensor;
a first gate for storing charge from said photosensor when activated by a first row control signal; and
a second gate for storing charge from said photosensor when activated by a second first column control signal.
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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
15 Claims
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1. An imager pixel comprising:
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a photosensor; a first gate for storing charge from said photosensor when activated by a first row control signal; and a second gate for storing charge from said photosensor when activated by a second first column control signal. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A method of operating an imaging device, the imaging device comprising a plurality of pixels, each comprising a photosensor and a first gate, said method comprising the acts of:
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for each pixel, sensing first charge stored under the first gate using a first control line used to activate the first gate, the sensed first charge corresponding to a first image scene; for each pixel, sensing second charge stored under the first gate using the first control line, the sensed second charge corresponding to a second image scene; and detecting motion of at least one object in the first and second image scenes using first and second signatures obtained using the sensed first and second charges. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An imaging device comprising:
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a plurality of pixels, each pixel comprising a first gate for storing charge from a photosensor; a plurality of first driver and sense circuits, each first driver and sense circuit being connected to and associated with a respective first set of pixels, each first driver and sense circuit adapted to sense an amount of first and second charge stored under the first gates in the respective first set using the same first control lines used to activate the first gates, the sensed first charge corresponding to a first image scene and the sensed second charge corresponding to a second image scene; and a processor for detecting motion of at least one object in the first and second image scenes using signatures generated from the sensed first and second charges. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification