Oversampled image sensor with conditional pixel readout
US9001251B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 10, 2014 |
| Grant date | Apr 7, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 10, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10F39/18
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
In a pixel array within an integrated-circuit image sensor, each of a plurality of pixels is evaluated to determine whether charge integrated within the pixel in response to incident light exceeds a first threshold. N-bit digital samples corresponding to the charge integrated within at least a subset of the plurality of pixels are generated, and then applied to a lookup table to retrieve respective M-bit digital values (M being less than N), wherein a stepwise range of charge integration levels represented by possible states of the M-bit digital values extends upward from a starting charge integration level that is determined based on the first threshold.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.