Image sensor with sensitivity control and sensitivity based wide dynamic range
First Claim
1. A method for sensing an image of a scene, comprising:
- receiving incident light at an image sensing device, the image sensing device comprising an array of pixel elements, the array comprising at least two regions of pixels elements, each region comprising one or more pixel elements;
providing one or more control parameters, each control parameter modifying the sensitivity of the pixel elements in the array;
generating one or more control signals, each control signal for varying a control parameter for a given region of pixel elements of the array, the one or more control signals being generated to vary the sensitivity of the pixels elements on a region by region basis within the array in accordance with the scene;
generating output signals at the output of the image sensing device indicative of the pixel data at each pixel element, the pixel data of the array of pixel elements collectively representing the image of the scene; and
storing the one or more control signals for each control parameter in one or more memory elements located in the array adjacent to the one or more pixel elements.
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Abstract
In one embodiment, a method for sensing an image of a scene includes receiving incident light at a image sensing device including an array of at least two regions of pixel elements, providing one or more control parameters where each of the control parameters modifies the sensitivity of the pixel elements, generating control signals for the one or more control parameter for each region of pixel elements where the sensitivity of the pixel elements is varied on a region by region basis. In another embodiment, method for sensing an image of a scene includes generating control signals for controlling two or more control parameters for controlling the pixel elements of an entire array to provide continuous fine grain control of the sensitivity of the pixel elements.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method for sensing an image of a scene, comprising:
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receiving incident light at an image sensing device, the image sensing device comprising an array of pixel elements, the array comprising at least two regions of pixels elements, each region comprising one or more pixel elements; providing one or more control parameters, each control parameter modifying the sensitivity of the pixel elements in the array; generating one or more control signals, each control signal for varying a control parameter for a given region of pixel elements of the array, the one or more control signals being generated to vary the sensitivity of the pixels elements on a region by region basis within the array in accordance with the scene; generating output signals at the output of the image sensing device indicative of the pixel data at each pixel element, the pixel data of the array of pixel elements collectively representing the image of the scene; and storing the one or more control signals for each control parameter in one or more memory elements located in the array adjacent to the one or more pixel elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An image sensing device, comprising:
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an image sensor comprising an array of pixel elements, the array comprising at least two regions of pixels elements, each region comprising one or more pixel elements, the image sensor being configured to generate output signals at each pixel element as pixel data representing an image of a scene, the image sensor implementing one or more control parameters, each control parameter modifying the sensitivity of the pixel elements in the array; and a control circuit configured to generate one or more control signals, each control signal for varying a control parameter for a given region of pixel elements of the array, the one or more control signals being generated to vary the sensitivity of the pixels elements on a region by region basis within the array in accordance with the scene, and wherein the image sensor further comprises one or more memory elements, each memory element being associated with and located adjacent to the one or more pixel elements in the array, each memory elements being configured to store the control signal for each control parameter. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification