Imaging apparatus comprising image sensor array having shared global shutter circuitry

• US 9,407,840 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2015
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Wang, Ynjiun Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Tuan
• Application Number:
  US14/744,633
• Publication Number:
  US 20150288896A1
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10 by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/42 by switching between different modes of operation using different resolutions or aspect ratios, e.g. switching between interlaced and non-interlaced mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/46 by combining or binning pixels
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/531 by controlling rolling shutters in CMOS SSIS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/75 Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/778 comprising amplifiers shared between a plurality of pixels, i.e. at least one part of the amplifier must be on the sensor array itself

Abstract

There is set forth herein in one embodiment an image sensor array including a global shutter shared by first and second pixels. The global shutter can include a charge storage area having an associated shield for reducing charge build up on the charge storage area attributable to incident light rays. There is set forth herein in one embodiment an imaging apparatus having one or more configuration. The one or more configuration can include one or more of a configuration wherein a frame read out from an image sensor array has unbinned pixel values, a configuration wherein a frame read out from an image sensor array has binned pixel values corresponding to an M×N, M>=2, N>=2 arrangement of pixel values, and a configuration wherein a frame read out from an image sensor array has binned pixel values corresponding to a 1×N, N>=2 arrangement of pixel values.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an image sensor array for generating frames of image data, the image sensory array comprising shared global shutter circuitry;

wherein the imaging apparatus, when in a first configuration, is configured for;

sequentially initiating exposure of pixels of a first row and a second row of pixels of the image sensor array; and

reading out a frame of image data from the image sensor array wherein pixel values are un-binned pixel values that represent light incident on a spatial area delimited by a single pixel of the image sensor array;

wherein the imaging apparatus, when in a second configuration, is configured for;

simultaneously initiating exposure of pixels of a first row and a second row of pixels of the image sensor array;

simultaneously terminating exposure of pixels of the first row and the second row of pixels of the image sensor array; and

reading out a frame of image data from the image sensor array using the shared global shutter circuitry, wherein pixel values are binned pixel values that represent light incident on a spatial area delimited by an arrangement of two or more pixels of the image sensor array; and

wherein the imaging apparatus is configured to switch between the first configuration and the second configuration responsively to a sensed condition.

2. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensed condition is a sensed imaging apparatus to target distance.

3. The imaging apparatus of claim 2, comprising a range detection unit for sensing the imaging apparatus to target distance.

4. The imaging apparatus of claim 2, comprising an aiming assembly for projecting an aiming pattern, wherein the imaging apparatus determines the imaging apparatus to target distance based on a position and/or size of the aiming pattern in a captured frame of image data.

5. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the imaging apparatus is configured to process image data to determine whether a decodable indicia is represented in a captured frame of image data; and

the sensed condition is a determination that a decodable indicia is represented in a captured frame of image data.

6. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first row and the second row of pixels are adjacent rows.

7. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the arrangement of two or more pixels is an arrangement of 1×

N adjacent pixels, wherein N≧

2.

8. An imaging apparatus comprising:

a trigger for generating a trigger signal;

an image sensor array for generating frames of image data, the image sensory array comprising shared global shutter circuitry;

wherein the imaging apparatus, when in a first configuration, is configured for;

sequentially initiating exposure of pixels of a first row and a second row of pixels of the image sensor array; and

reading out a frame of image data from the image sensor array wherein pixel values are un-binned pixel values that represent light incident on a spatial area delimited by a single pixel of the image sensor array;

wherein the imaging apparatus, when in a second configuration, is configured for;

simultaneously initiating exposure of pixels of a first row and a second row of pixels of the image sensor array;

simultaneously terminating exposure of pixels of the first row and the second row of pixels of the image sensor array; and

reading out a frame of image data from the image sensor array using the shared global shutter circuitry, wherein pixel values are binned pixel values that represent light incident on a spatial area delimited by an arrangement of two or more pixels of the image sensor array; and

wherein the imaging apparatus is configured to switch between the first configuration and the second configuration responsively to the trigger signal.

9. The imaging apparatus of claim 8, comprising a trigger for generating a trigger signal, wherein the imaging apparatus is configured for, in response to the trigger signal, sequentially activating the first configuration and the second configuration on an open loop basis, wherein the second configuration is activated prior to the first configuration.

10. The imaging apparatus of claim 8, wherein the trigger signal initiates a trigger signal activation period, wherein the imaging apparatus is configured for, during the trigger signal activation period, sequentially activating the first configuration and the second configuration.

11. The imaging apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first row and the second row of pixels are not adjacent rows.

12. The imaging apparatus of claim 8, wherein the arrangement of two or more pixels is an arrangement of M×

N adjacent pixels, wherein M≧

2 and N≧

2.

13. The imaging apparatus of claim 8, wherein the imaging apparatus is configured for attempting to decode a decodable indicia by processing a frame captured while the second configuration is active.

14. The imaging apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the arrangement of two or more pixels is an arrangement of M x N adjacent pixels, wherein M≧

2 and N≧

2;

wherein the imaging apparatus, when in a third configuration, is configured for;

simultaneously initiating exposure of pixels of a first row and a second row of pixels of the image sensor array;

simultaneously terminating exposure of pixels of the first row and the second row of pixels of the image sensor array;

reading out a frame of image data from the image sensor array using the shared global shutter circuitry, wherein pixel values are binned pixel values that represent light incident on a spatial area delimited by an arrangement of 1×

N adjacent pixels, wherein N≧

2.

15. A method comprising:

activating a first configuration or a second configuration of an imaging apparatus in response to operator input and/or a sensed condition, the imaging apparatus comprising an image sensor array comprising shared global shutter circuitry, the image sensor array having rows of pixels;

if the first configuration is activated;

sequentially initiating exposure of pixels of a first row and a second row of pixels of the image sensor array; and

reading out a frame of image data from the image sensor array wherein pixel values are un-binned pixel values that represent light incident on a spatial area delimited by a single pixel of the image sensor array;

if the second configuration is activated;

simultaneously initiating exposure of pixels of a first row and a second row of pixels of the image sensor array;

simultaneously terminating exposure of pixels of the first row and the second row of pixels of the image sensor array; and

reading out a frame of image data from the image sensor array using the shared global shutter circuitry, wherein pixel values are binned pixel values that represent light incident on a spatial area delimited by an arrangement of two or more pixels of the image sensor array.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising:

determining a distance between the image sensor array and a target; and

activating the first configuration or the second configuration based on the determined distance.

17. The method of claim 15, comprising:

capturing image data using the image sensor array;

processing the image data; and

activating the first configuration or the second configuration based on the processed image data.

18. The method of claim 15, comprising:

capturing image data using the image sensor array;

processing the image data in an effort to recognize a representation of a spatial feature; and

activating the first configuration or the second configuration based on the processed image data.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the arrangement of two or more pixels is an arrangement of M×

N adjacent pixels, wherein M≧

2 and N≧

2.

20. The method of claim 15, comprising:

activating the first configuration, the second configuration, or a third configuration;

if the third configuration is activated;

simultaneously initiating exposure of pixels of a first row and a second row of pixels of the image sensor array;

simultaneously terminating exposure of pixels of the first row and the second row of pixels of the image sensor array; and

reading out a frame of image data from the image sensor array using the shared global shutter circuitry, wherein pixel values are binned pixel values that represent light incident on a spatial area delimited by an arrangement of 1×

N adjacent pixels, wherein N≧

2.