Patent · US Active

Image sensor artifact elimination

US7880779B2 · kind B2 · utility

14Cited by
12References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateSep 28, 2006
Grant dateFeb 1, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 18, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N25/627
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The method and circuit corrects errors in an active pixel sensor which generates an output indicative of illumination intensity and which may experience an error in the output as a result of artifacts which produce an erroneous output. The approach includes determining the output from the pixel, comparing the output with a threshold value, and if the output is lower that the threshold value identifying the existence of an erroneous output and storing a value in a latching device in response thereto. A maximum value is generated in response to the latching device to replace the erroneous output, thereby correcting the error. The present invention switches the system from the analog to digital domain with respect to the issue of artifacts by using a latch to store a value which is then used to replace the actual output if the output is wrong.

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