Capturing a still image and video image during a single exposure period
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for capturing video and still images, the method comprising steps of:
- exposing at least one sensor to incident light during an exposure window to producing an image, wherein an exposure window is the period of time between consecutive resets of the at least one sensor;
generating video data from the exposed at least one sensor prior to the end of the exposure window, the video data being representative of the image, wherein generating video data includes a first reading out of pixels from the at least one sensor during a first period of time substantially prior to the end of the exposure window; and
generating still image data from the exposed at least one sensor, the still image data being representative of the image, wherein generating still image data includes a second reading out of pixels from the at least one sensor during a second period of time substantially at the end of the exposure window such that the first reading out of pixels and the second reading out of pixels both occur within the same exposure window occurring between the consecutive resets of the at least one sensor.
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Abstract
An imaging system operable to substantially simultaneously capture still image data and video data. The imaging system includes an optical system capturing incident light representative of an image and an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes at least one sensor receiving the incident light and substantially simultaneously generating the still image data and the video data within an exposure window. The imaging system also includes a controller transmitting signals to the integrated circuit for controlling the generation of the still image data and the video data.
10 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for capturing video and still images, the method comprising steps of:
- exposing at least one sensor to incident light during an exposure window to producing an image, wherein an exposure window is the period of time between consecutive resets of the at least one sensor;
generating video data from the exposed at least one sensor prior to the end of the exposure window, the video data being representative of the image, wherein generating video data includes a first reading out of pixels from the at least one sensor during a first period of time substantially prior to the end of the exposure window; and
generating still image data from the exposed at least one sensor, the still image data being representative of the image, wherein generating still image data includes a second reading out of pixels from the at least one sensor during a second period of time substantially at the end of the exposure window such that the first reading out of pixels and the second reading out of pixels both occur within the same exposure window occurring between the consecutive resets of the at least one sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
- exposing at least one sensor to incident light during an exposure window to producing an image, wherein an exposure window is the period of time between consecutive resets of the at least one sensor;
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8. An imaging system operable to substantially simultaneously capture still image data and video data, the imaging system comprising:
- an optical system capturing incident light producing an image;
an integrated circuit including at least one sensor receiving the incident light and generating the still image data and the video data within an exposure window, wherein an exposure window is the period of time between consecutive resets of the at least one sensor, the still image data and the video data representing the image, wherein the integrated circuit is operable to generate video data by performing a first reading out of pixels from the at least one sensor substantially prior to the end of the exposure window and generates still image data by performing a second reading out of pixels from the at least one sensor substantially at the end of the exposure window, such that the first reading out of pixels and claim the second reading out of pixels both occur within the same exposure window occurring between the consecutive resets of the at least one sensor; and
a controller transmitting signals to the integrated circuit for controlling the generation of the still image data and the video data. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
- an optical system capturing incident light producing an image;
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14. An integrated circuit operable to simultaneously generate still image data and video data, the integrated circuit comprising:
- at least one sensor receiving incident light during an exposure window, wherein an exposure window is the period of time between consecutive resets of the at least one sensor, and outputting a first set of pixels substantially at the end of an exposure period to generate video data, the exposure period being a period of time substantially before the end of the exposure window, and outputting a second set of pixels substantially at the end of the exposure window to generate still image data, such that the outputting of the first set of pixels and the outputting of the second set of pixels occur within the same exposure window occurring between the consecutive resets of the at least one sensor, and a controller for binning at least some of the first set of pixels, wherein the controller generates video data from the binned pixels and generates still image data from at least some of the second set of pixels.
- View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An imaging apparatus comprising:
- means for exposing at least one sensor to incident light during an exposure window to produce an image, wherein the exposure window is the period of time between consecutive resets;
means for generating video data from the exposed at least one sensor prior to the end of the exposure window, the video data being representative of the image, wherein generating video data includes a first reading out of pixels from at least one sensor during a first period of time substantially prior to the end of the exposure window; and
means for generating still image data from the exposed at least one sensor, the still image data being representative of the image, wherein generating the still image data includes a second reading out of pixels from at least one sensor during a second period of time substantially at the end of the exposure window, such that the first reading out of pixels and the second reading out of pixels both occur within the same exposure window occurring between the consecutive resets of the at least one sensor. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
- means for exposing at least one sensor to incident light during an exposure window to produce an image, wherein the exposure window is the period of time between consecutive resets;
Specification