Patent · US Expired

Apparatus and method of image processing to avoid image saturation

US7145188B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
4References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 15, 2005
Grant dateDec 5, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 15, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N25/78
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An imaging device includes a plurality of photo-diodes that operate as optical pixels arranged in a plurality of columns on a single CMOS substrate. The outputs of the multiple pixel sensors, or photo-diodes, are examined to determine if a one pixel, or a region of pixels are in saturation. If so, then the pixel gain is adjusted to correct or compensate for the image distortion in the region. For example, the gain of the charging amplifier or operational amplifier can be adjusted to correct for saturation. This can be done in real-time since hardware is being tuned for the correction instead of software.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.