Method for operating of a photoelectric sensor array having exposure interruption time periods

• US 7,728,272 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2009
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Leopold Kostal GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Leopold Kostal GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Blaesing, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, QUE TAN
• Application Number:
  US12/428,606
• Publication Number:
  US 20090230288A1
• Time in Patent Office: 404 Days
• Field of Search: 250/208.1, 250/214.R, 250/214.1, 250/237.R, 348316-322, 348241-243, 348/274, 355/53, 355/55
• US Class Current: 250/208.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/44 by partially reading an SSIS array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/533 by using differing integration times for different sensor regions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/583 with different integration times
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/76 Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors

Abstract

A method for operating a sensor array of pixels which each generate a content corresponding to light incident thereon over an exposure period includes the following operations. The pixels are arranged into first and second regions and are reset such that the contents are cleared. The pixels are then exposed to receive light for a first exposure period. The exposure is then interrupted during which the content of each pixel in the first region is read. The pixels are then exposed to receive light for a second exposure period. The exposure is then interrupted during which the content of each pixel in the second region is read. The exposing and interrupting are performed without resetting the pixels such that the read content of each first region pixel depends on the first exposure period and the read content of each second region pixel depends on the first and second exposure periods.

Claims

1. A method for operating a sensor array having a plurality of photoelectric converter elements, wherein each converter element generates a content corresponding to light incident thereon over an exposure time period in which the converter element is exposed to the light, the method comprising:

arranging the converter elements into at least first and second image regions such that the first image region includes at least one of the converter elements and the second image region includes at least one other of the converter elements;

resetting each converter element at an initial time such that the contents of the converter elements are cleared;

exposing the converter elements to receive light for a first exposure time period after the initial time;

interrupting the exposure of the converter elements to the light for a first interruption time period after the first exposure time period;

reading the content of each converter element in the first image region during the first interruption time period; and

exposing the converter elements to receive the light for a second exposure time period after the first interruption time period;

wherein the exposing, interrupting, and reading steps performed from the beginning of the first exposure time period to the end of the second exposure time period are performed without resetting the converter elements.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the read content of each converter element in the first image region corresponds to the light incident thereon over the first exposure time period.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

interrupting the exposure of the converter elements to the light for a second interruption time period after the second exposure time period; and

reading the content of each converter element in the second image region during the second interruption time period;

wherein the exposing, interrupting, and reading steps performed from the beginning of the first exposure time period to the end of the second interruption time period are performed without resetting the converter elements.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein:

the read content of each converter element in the second image region corresponds to the light incident thereon over the first and second exposure time periods.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

exposing the converter elements to receive the light for a third exposure time period after the second interruption time period;

interrupting the exposure of the converter elements to the light for a third interruption time period after the third exposure time period; and

reading the content of each converter element in a third image region during the third interruption time period;

wherein the exposing, interrupting, and reading steps performed from the beginning of the first exposure time period to the end of the third interruption time period are performed without resetting the converter elements.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein:

the read content of each converter element in the third image region corresponds to light incident thereon over the first, second, and third exposure time periods.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the content of each converter element is an electric charge.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the steps of exposing the converter elements to receive light and interrupting the exposure of the converter elements to the light is done using a shutter.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein:

the shutter includes at least one of a mechanical shutter and an electronic shutter.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein:

at least one of the first and second image regions includes a spatially contiguous group of the converter elements.

11. An assembly comprising:

a sensor array having a plurality of photoelectric converter elements, wherein each converter element generates a content corresponding to light incident thereon over an exposure time period in which the converter element is exposed to the light, wherein the converter elements are into at least first and second image regions such that the first image region includes at least one of the converter elements and the second image region includes at least one other of the converter elements;

a controller configured to reset each converter element at an initial time such that the contents of the converter elements are cleared;

wherein the controller is further configured to, without resetting the converter elements, expose the converter elements to receive light for a first exposure time period after the initial time, interrupt the exposure of the converter elements to the light for a first interruption time period after the first exposure time period, read the content of each converter element in the first image region during the first interruption time period, and expose the converter elements to receive the light for a second exposure time period after the first interruption time period.

12. The assembly of claim 11 wherein:

the read content of each converter element in the first image region corresponds to the light incident thereon over the first exposure time period.

13. The assembly of claim 11 wherein:

the controller is further configured to, without resetting the converter elements, interrupt the exposure of the converter elements to the light for a second interruption time period after the second exposure time period, and read the content of each converter element in the second image region during the second interruption time period.

14. The assembly of claim 13 wherein:

the read content of each converter element in the second image region corresponds to the light incident thereon over the first and second exposure time periods.

15. The assembly of claim 13 wherein:

the controller is further configured to, without resetting the converter elements, expose the converter elements to receive the light for a third exposure time period after the second interruption time period, interrupt the exposure of the converter elements to the light for a third interruption time period after the third exposure time period, and read the content of each converter element in a third image region during the third interruption time period.

16. The assembly of claim 15 wherein:

the read content of each converter element in the third image region corresponds to light incident thereon over the first, second, and third exposure time periods.

17. The assembly of claim 11 wherein:

the content of each converter element is an electric charge.

18. The assembly of claim 11 further comprising:

a shutter, wherein the controller is operable to control the shutter in order to expose the converter elements to receive light and to interrupt the exposure of the converter elements to the light.

19. The assembly of claim 18 wherein:

the shutter includes at least one of a mechanical shutter and an electronic shutter.

20. The assembly of claim 11 wherein:

at least one of the first and second image regions includes a spatially contiguous group of the converter elements.