Non-visible illumination scheme
First Claim
1. An image sensor comprising:
- a pixel array comprising a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns;
a color filter array optically coupled to the pixel array, the color filter array comprising a plurality of tiled minimal repeating units, each minimal repeating unit including;
a plurality of individual filters wherein the spectral photoresponses of the individual filters include at least three dual-band spectral photoresponses and one single-band spectral photoresponse; and
circuitry and logic coupled to the pixel array, wherein the logic comprises instructions that, when executed by the circuitry, cause the image sensor to;
capture a first image frame using an image sensor, the image sensor including a pixel array comprising a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns and a color filter array optically coupled to the pixel array;
determine a region of interest within the first image frame;
adjust the exposure time of the image sensor to eliminate a substantial fraction of the visible light captured by the image sensor;
use a rolling shutter procedure with the pixel array to capture at least one subsequent frame using the adjusted exposure time;
activate a source of invisible radiation while the rolling shutter enters the region of interest and deactivating the source of invisible radiation when the rolling shutter exits the region of interest wherein activating the source of invisible radiation while the rolling shutter scans through the region of interest comprises determining a delay based on the position of the region of interest within the image frame, determining a duration for the activation of the source of invisible radiation based on the dimensions of the region of interest, and determining an intensity of the source of invisible radiation based on the adjusted exposure time; and
output an image of the region of interest.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of an apparatus and process are described. The process includes capturing a first image frame using an image sensor, the image sensor including a pixel array comprising a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns and a color filter array optically coupled to the pixel array. A region of interest within the first image frame is determined, and the exposure time of the image sensor is adjusted to eliminate a substantial fraction of the visible light captured by the image sensor. A rolling shutter procedure is used with the pixel array to capture at least one subsequent frame using the adjusted exposure time, and a source of invisible radiation is activated while the rolling shutter enters the region of interest and deactivated when the rolling shutter exits the region of interest. Finally, an image of the region of interest is output. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An image sensor comprising:
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a pixel array comprising a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns; a color filter array optically coupled to the pixel array, the color filter array comprising a plurality of tiled minimal repeating units, each minimal repeating unit including; a plurality of individual filters wherein the spectral photoresponses of the individual filters include at least three dual-band spectral photoresponses and one single-band spectral photoresponse; and circuitry and logic coupled to the pixel array, wherein the logic comprises instructions that, when executed by the circuitry, cause the image sensor to; capture a first image frame using an image sensor, the image sensor including a pixel array comprising a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns and a color filter array optically coupled to the pixel array; determine a region of interest within the first image frame; adjust the exposure time of the image sensor to eliminate a substantial fraction of the visible light captured by the image sensor; use a rolling shutter procedure with the pixel array to capture at least one subsequent frame using the adjusted exposure time; activate a source of invisible radiation while the rolling shutter enters the region of interest and deactivating the source of invisible radiation when the rolling shutter exits the region of interest wherein activating the source of invisible radiation while the rolling shutter scans through the region of interest comprises determining a delay based on the position of the region of interest within the image frame, determining a duration for the activation of the source of invisible radiation based on the dimensions of the region of interest, and determining an intensity of the source of invisible radiation based on the adjusted exposure time; and output an image of the region of interest. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13)
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9. A process comprising:
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capturing a first image frame using an image sensor, the image sensor including a pixel array comprising a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns and a color filter array optically coupled to the pixel array; determining a region of interest within the first image frame; adjusting the exposure time of the image sensor to eliminate a substantial fraction of the visible light captured by the image sensor; using a rolling shutter procedure with the pixel array to capture at least one subsequent frame using the adjusted exposure time; activating a source of invisible radiation while the rolling shutter enters the region of interest and deactivating the source of invisible radiation when the rolling shutter exits the region of interest, wherein activating the source of invisible radiation while the rolling shutter scans through the region of interest comprises determining a delay based on the position of the region of interest within the image frame, determining a duration for the activation of the source of invisible radiation based on the dimensions of the region of interest and determining an intensity of the source of invisible radiation based on the adjusted exposure time; and outputting an image of the region of interest. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 14, 15)
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Specification