Patent · US Expired

Device and method for reading out an electronic image sensor that is subdivided into image points

US7146032B2 · kind B2 · utility

4Cited by
7References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 29, 2001
Grant dateDec 5, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 9, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N25/7795
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method for reading out image points of a two-dimensional electronic image sensor includes subdivided the image into at least two different regions where the region of greater interest ROI is read at a scanning rate which is higher than that used for other regions. Consequently, the region of interest can be reproduced with a higher temporal resolution. The sensitivity of the reading unit is adapted in conformity with the scanning rate of a relevant image point so as to take into account the fact that image points that are read out less frequently collect a light intensity over a prolonged period of time and hence may reach high signal strengths. Regions that are less frequently read out can also be irradiated with a lower radiation intensity by applying appropriate masking. The method is very suitable for the imaging of time-critical processes in medical X-ray applications.

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