Patent · US Active

Image sensors for robust on chip phase detection, and associated system and methods

US9485442B1 · kind B1 · utility

6Cited by
2References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 18, 2015
Grant dateNov 1, 2016
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 18, 2035

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N25/136
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An image sensor for on-chip phase detection includes a pixel array for capturing an image of a scene, wherein the pixel array has a plurality of horizontal phase-detection rows, each including phase-detection pixels for detecting horizontal change in the scene, and a plurality of vertical phase-detection columns, each including phase-detection pixels for detecting vertical change in the scene, and wherein each of the horizontal phase-detection rows intersects each of the vertical phase-detection columns. A phase-detection method includes generating a pair of horizontal line profiles using one of a plurality of phase-detection rows; generating a pair of vertical line profiles using one of a plurality of phase-detection columns intersecting with the one of a plurality of phase-detection rows; and determining phase shift associated with at least one arbitrarily oriented edge in a scene, based upon the pair of horizontal line profiles and the pair of vertical line profiles.

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