Pixel binning in an image sensor
First Claim
1. A method for binning charge in an image sensor having a pixel array that includes a plurality of pixels, the method comprising:
- producing a first diagonal summed signal by summing charge in two or more pixels positioned along a first diagonal direction and reading the summed charge out of the pixel array;
producing a second diagonal summed signal by combining voltage signals read out of two or more pixels positioned along the first diagonal direction and reading the combined voltage signals out of the pixel array;
combining the first and second diagonal summed signals together;
producing a first orthogonal summed charge by summing charge in two or more pixels positioned along a first orthogonal direction;
producing a second orthogonal summed charge by summing charge in two or more pixels positioned along the first orthogonal direction;
producing a combined orthogonal voltage signal by combining a first voltage signal that represents the first orthogonal summed charge and a second voltage signal that represents the second orthogonal summed charge; and
reading the combined orthogonal voltage signal out of the pixel array.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Pixel binning is performed by summing charge from some pixels positioned diagonally in a pixel array. Pixel signals output from pixels positioned diagonally in the pixel array may be combined on the output lines. A signal representing summed charge produces a binned 2×1 cluster. A signal representing combined voltage signals produces a binned 2×1 cluster. A signal representing summed charge and a signal representing combined pixel signals can be combined digitally to produce a binned 2×2 pixel. Orthogonal binning may be performed on other pixels in the pixel array by summing charge on respective common sense regions and then then combining the voltage signals that represent the summed charge on respective output lines.
208 Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A method for binning charge in an image sensor having a pixel array that includes a plurality of pixels, the method comprising:
-
producing a first diagonal summed signal by summing charge in two or more pixels positioned along a first diagonal direction and reading the summed charge out of the pixel array; producing a second diagonal summed signal by combining voltage signals read out of two or more pixels positioned along the first diagonal direction and reading the combined voltage signals out of the pixel array; combining the first and second diagonal summed signals together; producing a first orthogonal summed charge by summing charge in two or more pixels positioned along a first orthogonal direction; producing a second orthogonal summed charge by summing charge in two or more pixels positioned along the first orthogonal direction; producing a combined orthogonal voltage signal by combining a first voltage signal that represents the first orthogonal summed charge and a second voltage signal that represents the second orthogonal summed charge; and reading the combined orthogonal voltage signal out of the pixel array. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method for binning charge in an image sensor, the image sensor including a plurality of pixels in a pixel array, the method comprising:
-
producing a first diagonal summed signal by summing charge in a first diagonally adjacent pixel pair and reading the summed charge out of the pixel array; and producing a second diagonal summed signal by combining voltage signals output from a second diagonally adjacent pixel pair and reading the combined voltage signals out of the pixel array, wherein the first and second diagonally adjacent pixel pairs are diagonally adjacent along a first diagonal direction in the pixel array. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. An image capture device, comprising:
-
a plurality of pixels divided into groups of pixels with each group of pixels operably connected to a distinct sense region; readout circuitry operably connected to each distinct sense region and to a distinct output line; a first switch operably connected to a first set of output lines and to a second set of output lines; and a processing device operably connected to the plurality of pixels, wherein the processing device is adapted to selectively enable two or more pixels in a group to sum charge on a respective sense region and to enable a respective readout circuitry to read the summed charge out of the respective sense region; wherein the processing device is adapted to; selectively enable two or more pixels in two groups to transfer charge to respective sense regions; enable the respective readout circuitry to read the charge out of the respective sense regions to produce voltage signals; and selectively enable the first switch to connect an output line in the first set of output lines and an output line in the second set of output lines together to combine the voltage signals. - View Dependent Claims (25)
-
Specification