Method and apparatus for pixel signal binning and interpolation in column circuits of a sensor circuit

• US 20070063128A1
• Filed: 11/20/2006
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Alexander Krymski
• Inventors: Krymski, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 7,319,218 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/208.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/46 by combining or binning pixels
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 3/1562 for selective scanning, e.g. windowing, zooming

Abstract

A binning circuit and related method, wherein pixel signals from column circuits in a sensor circuit are sampled and interpolated. The binning circuit samples analog pixel and reset signals from different sensor circuit column lines. Once a predetermined number of column lines are sampled in the binning circuit, the sampled pixel signals are averaged together in one operation, while the reset signals are averaged together in another operation.

Claims

1-36. -36. (canceled)

37. An image sensor comprising:

a first plurality of pixel signal value storage devices, each of the first plurality of pixel signal storage devices being configured to store a pixel signal value from a first column line; and

a first plurality of reset signal value storage devices, each of the first plurality of reset signal storage devices being configured to store a reset signal value from the first column line.

38. The image sensor of claim 37, further comprising:

a combining circuit configured to;

combine the stored pixel signal values from the first plurality of pixel signal value storage devices; and

combine the stored reset signal values from the first plurality of reset signal value storage devices.

39. The image sensor of claim 37, wherein each of the first plurality of pixel signal storage devices comprises a capacitive element.

40. The image sensor of claim 37, wherein each of the first plurality of reset signal storage devices comprises a capacitive element.

41. The image sensor of claim 37, further comprising:

a second plurality of pixel signal value storage devices, each of the second plurality of pixel signal storage devices being configured to store a pixel signal value from a second column line; and

a second plurality of reset signal value storage devices, each of the second plurality of reset signal storage devices being configured to store a reset signal value from the second column line.

42. The image sensor of claim 41, further comprising:

a combining circuit configured to;

combine the stored pixel signal values from the first plurality of pixel signal value storage devices with the stored pixel signal values from the second plurality of pixel signal value storage devices; and

combine the stored reset signal values from the first plurality of reset signal value storage devices with the stored reset signal values from the second plurality of reset signal value storage devices.

43. The image sensor of claim 41, wherein each of the second plurality of pixel signal storage devices comprises a capacitive element.

44. The image sensor of claim 41, wherein each of the second plurality of reset signal storage devices comprises a capacitive element.

46. The image sensor of claim 37, wherein each of the pixel signal storage devices comprises a capacitive element.

47. The image sensor of claim 37, wherein each of the reset signal storage devices comprises a capacitive element.

45. An image sensor comprising:

a storing circuit configured to store two or more pixel signal values and two or more reset signal values from a column line, each of the reset signal values corresponding to one of the pixel signal values, each of the pixel and reset signal values being stored with a respective storage device;

a pixel signal value combining circuit configured to combine the respectively stored pixel signal values; and

a reset signal value combining circuit configured to combine the respectively stored reset signal values.

48. A method of reading an image sensor, the method comprising:

reading a plurality of pixel signal values and reset signal values from a column of pixels;

storing each of the plurality of pixel signal values with a respective storage device;

storing each of the plurality of reset signal values with a respective storage device;

combining the respectively stored pixel signal values;

combining the respectively stored reset signal values; and

outputting the combined pixel signal values and combined reset signal values on a respective first and second output line.

49. The method according to claim 48, wherein the storing each of the plurality of pixel signal values comprises storing each pixel signal value in a respective capacitive element.

50. The method according to claim 48, wherein the storing each of the plurality of reset signal values comprises storing each reset signal value in a respective capacitive element.

51. The method of claim 48, further comprising:

subtracting the combined pixel signal values from the combined reset signal values.

52. The method of claim 51, further comprising:

calculating a color separation value of the sampled pixel signal values of the sensor.

53. A method of reading an image sensor, the method comprising:

storing two or more pixel signal values from a column line with a respective storage device;

storing two or more reset signal values from the column line with a respective storage device; and

combining the respectively stored pixel signal values and the respectively stored reset signal values.

54. The method according to claim 53, wherein the storing each of the two or more pixel signal values comprises storing each pixel signal value in a respective capacitive element.

55. The method according to claim 53, wherein the storing each of the two or more reset signal values comprises storing each reset signal value in a respective capacitive element.

56. The method of claim 53, further comprising:

subtracting the combined pixel signal values from the combined reset signal values.

57. The method of claim 56, further comprising:

calculating a color separation value of the sampled pixel signal values of the sensor.