Patent · US Active

Image sensor with threshold-based output encoding

US9491391B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
5References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 4, 2015
Grant dateNov 8, 2016
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 13, 2035

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.