Imaging device that prevents loss of shadow detail
US7528871B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 25, 2004 |
| Grant date | May 5, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 24, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N25/78
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An imaging device outputs brightness information according to an amount of incident light and includes: an imaging unit that includes a plurality of unit cells arranged one dimensionally or two-dimensionally, each unit cell including a photoelectric conversion part that generates a first output voltage in a reset state and a second output voltage according to an amount of incident light, and each unit cell generating a reset voltage that corresponds to the first output voltage and a read voltage that corresponds to the second output voltage; and an output unit operable to output, in relation to each unit cell, brightness information indicating a difference between the reset voltage and the read voltage when normal light is incident to the imaging device and the read voltage is in a predetermined range, and brightness information indicating high brightness when strong light is incident to the imaging device and the read voltage is not in the predetermined range.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.