Image sensor and black level calibration method thereof

• US 8,520,101 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2012
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novatek Microelectronics Corporation (Novatek Microelectronics Corp Limited)
• Original Assignee: Novatek Microelectronics Corporation (Novatek Microelectronics Corp Limited)
• Inventors: Meng, Chao-Yu, Hsu, Wei, Wuen, Wen-Shen
• Primary Examiner(s): Velez, Roberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLEMAN, STEPHEN P
• Application Number:
  US13/442,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20130016259A1
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 348/241, 348/243
• US Class Current: 348/243
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/63 applied to dark current
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/633 by using optical black pixels
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/75 Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/78 Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters

Abstract

An image sensor including a pixel array, a sampling circuit and a black level calibration circuit is provided. The pixel array includes a first optical black area, a second optical black area and an active pixel area. The sampling circuit respectively reads first optical black information, second optical black information and active pixel information from the first optical black area, the second optical black area and the active pixel area. The black level calibration circuit determines a black level offset according to the first optical black information, and determines a black level calibration value for calibrating the active pixel information.

Claims

1. A black level calibration method for an image sensor, the image sensor at least comprising a pixel array, the pixel array comprising a first optical black area, a second optical black area and an active pixel area, the method comprising:

a) reading first optical black analog information from the first optical black area;

b) determining a black level offset according to the first optical black analog information;

c) reading second optical black analog information from the second optical black area;

d) determining a black level calibration value according to the black level offset and the second optical black analog information;

e) reading active analog information from the active pixel area; and

f) calibrating a black level of the active analog information according to the black level calibration value.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image sensor further comprises an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and the step (b) comprises:

b1) setting an analog level of the ADC according to an initial offset;

b2) converting the first optical black analog information to first optical black digital information according to the initial offset;

b3) calculating an average of the first optical black digital information;

b4) calculating a control level according to the initial offset and a tolerable offset; and

b5) determining the black level offset according to the average of the first active digital information and the control level.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the black level offset equals a sum of the average of the first active digital information and the control level.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the control level equals a difference between the initial offset and the tolerable offset.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image sensor further comprises an ADC, and the step (d) comprises:

d1) setting an analog level of the ADC according to the black level offset;

d2) converting the second optical black analog information to second optical black digital information according to the black level offset;

d3) calculating an average of the second active digital information; and

d4) determining the black level calibration value according to the average of the second optical black digital information.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the step (d1) comprises:

d1-1) converting the black level offset to an offset analog level; and

d1-2) setting the analog level of the ADC to equal to the offset analog level.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein when the black level offset is smaller than or equal to a lower limit, the offset analog level equals to the lower limit;

when the black level offset is greater than or equal to an upper limit, the offset analog level equals the upper limit.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image sensor further comprises an ADC, and the step (f) comprises:

f1) setting an analog level of the ADC according to the black level calibration value; and

f2) converting the active analog information to active digital information according to the black level calibration value.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the step (f1) comprises:

f1-1) converting the black level calibration value to a calibration analog level; and

f1-2) setting the analog level of the ADC to equal to the calibration analog level.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein when the black level offset is smaller than or equal to a lower limit, the calibration analog level equals to the lower limit;

when the black level offset is greater than or equal to an upper limit, the calibration analog level equals the upper limit.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image sensor further comprises an ADC, and the step (f) comprises:

f1) converting the active analog information to active digital information according to the black level offset; and

f2) adjusting the active digital information according to the black level calibration value.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the steps (a) to (f) are performed after an analog gain is changed.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the steps (a) to (f) are performed after every n frames, where n is a positive integer.

14. An image sensor, comprising:

a pixel array, comprising;

a first optical black area;

a second optical black area;

an active pixel area;

a sampling circuit, for reading first optical black analog information from the first optical black area, second optical black analog information from the second optical black area, and active analog information from the active pixel area; and

a black level calibration circuit, for determining a black level offset according to the first optical black analog information, and determining a black level calibration value for calibrating a black level of the active analog information according to the black level offset and the second optical black analog information.

15. The image sensor according to claim 14, further comprising an ADC, wherein the black level calibration circuit further comprises:

a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), for setting an analog level of the ADC according to an initial offset, so that the ADC converts the first optical black analog information to first optical black digital information according to the initial offset; and

an operational unit, for calculating an average of the first optical black digital information, calculating a control level according to the initial offset and a tolerable offset, and determining the black level offset according to the average of the first optical black digital information and the control level.

16. The image sensor according to claim 15, wherein the black level offset equals a sum of the average of the first optical black digital information and the control level.

17. The image sensor according to claim 15, wherein the control level equals a difference between the initial offset and the tolerable offset.

18. The image sensor according to claim 14, further comprising an ADC, wherein the black level calibration circuit sets an analog level of the ADC according to the black level offset, the ADC converts the second optical black analog information to second optical black digital information according to the black level offset, and the black level calibration circuit calculates an average of the second optical black digital information and determines the black level calibration value according to the average of the second optical black digital information.

19. The image sensor according to claim 18, further comprising an ADC, wherein the black level calibration circuit comprises:

a DAC, for converting the black level offset to an offset analog level, and setting the analog level of the ADC to equal to the offset analog level.

20. The image sensor according to claim 14, further comprising an ADC, wherein the black level calibration circuit sets an analog level of the ADC according to the black level calibration value, and converts the active analog information to active digital information according to the black level calibration value.

21. The image sensor according to claim 20, further comprising an ADC, wherein the black level calibration circuit comprises:

a DAC, for converting the black level calibration value to a calibration analog level, and setting the analog level of the ADC to equal to the calibration analog level.

22. The image sensor according to claim 14, further comprising:

an ADC, for converting the active analog information to active digital information according to the black level offset, and adjusting the active digital information according to the black level calibration value.