Image sensor apparatus and method for obtaining multiple exposures with zero interframe time

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12003864-B2
Application number	US-202117321166-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 14, 2021
Priority date	Sep 4, 2012
Publication date	Jun 4, 2024
Grant date	Jun 4, 2024

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for obtaining multiple exposures with zero interframe time. In use, an analog signal associated with an image associated with an image of an image sensor is received. Amplified analog signals associated with the image are generated by amplifying the analog signal utilizing gains. The amplified analog signals are transmitted to analog-to-digital converter circuits. The amplified analog signals are converted to digital signals utilizing the analog-to-digital converter circuits. The digital signals are combined to create a high dynamic range (HDR) image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
an image sensor;
at least one circuit in communication with the image sensor to generate a first amplified analog signal based on application of a first gain to at least one analog pixel value of at least one of a plurality of frames captured by the image sensor, and to generate a second amplified analog signal based on application of a second gain to the at least one analog pixel value, such that the second gain differs from the first gain;
a first analog-to-digital converter in communication with the at least one circuit to convert the first amplified analog signal to a first digital signal; and
a second analog-to-digital converter in communication with the at least one circuit to convert the second amplified analog signal to a second digital signal;
wherein the apparatus is configured such that a high dynamic range (HDR) image is created based on at least a portion of the first digital signal and at least a portion of the second digital signal, where an amount of the at least portion of the first digital signal and an amount of the at least portion of the second digital signal, are based on detected user input.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the first amplified analog signal is generated simultaneously with the second amplified analog signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the first amplified analog signal is generated in serial with the second amplified analog signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the first amplified analog signal is converted to the first digital signal concurrent with the conversion of the second amplified analog signal to the second digital signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the first digital signal is associated with a first light sensitivity value, and the second digital signal is associated with a second light sensitivity value.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that sliding indicia is displayed, and the HDR image is created in response to user manipulation of the sliding indicia being detected.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that at least one of the first digital signal or the second digital signal is combined with at least a portion of another image other than the HDR image.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the another image is another HDR image.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that a first digital value specifies the first gain, and a second digital value specifies the second gain.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that at least one of the first digital value or the second digital value is selected based on a mapping from the at least one of the first digital value or the second digital value to an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) value.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the first amplified analog signal and the second amplified analog signal each include gain-adjusted analog pixel data representative of a common analog value from analog pixel values of a pixel array of the image sensor.

12. An apparatus, comprising:
image sensor means for capturing a plurality of frames;
at least one circuit means for generating a first amplified analog signal based on application of a first gain to at least one analog signal from at least one of the plurality of frames, and for generating a second amplified analog signal based on application of a second gain to the at least one analog signal from the plurality of frames, such that the second gain differs from the first gain;
a first analog-to-digital converter means for converting the first amplified analog signal to a first digital signal;
a second analog-to-digital converter means for converting the second amplified analog signal to a second digital signal; and
means for generating a high dynamic range (HDR) image based on the first digital signal and the second digital signal.

13. An apparatus, comprising:
an image sensor including a plurality of cells each corresponding with a pixel and each including a first photodiode and a second photodiode both positioned behind a filter for a single color; and
a plurality of circuits each including:
a first amplifier in communication with the image sensor, the first amplifier amplifying a first signal generated by one of the cells based on a first gain and, subsequently, amplifying the first signal based on a second gain that is greater than the first gain,
a second amplifier in communication with the image sensor, the second amplifier amplifying a second signal generated by the one of the cells based on the first gain and, subsequently, amplifying the second signal based on the second gain that is greater than the first gain,
a first analog-to-digital converter in communication with the first amplifier, the first analog-to-digital converter converting an output of the first amplifier from an analog format to a digital format, and
a second analog-to-digital converter in communication with the second amplifier, the second analog-to-digital converter converting an output of the second amplifier from the analog format to the digital format, such that a high dynamic range (HDR) image is generated based, at least in part, on an output of the first analog-to-digital converter and an output of the second analog-to-digital converter.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the first photodiode and the second photodiode are the only photodiodes included in a single cavity of the one of the cells.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the plurality of cells each include a single lens that the filter for the single color is positioned behind.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the image sensor includes a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the first signal is generated by the first photodiode of the one of the cells, and the second signal is generated by the second photodiode of the one of the cells.

18. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the first signal is generated based on the first photodiode of the one of the cells and not generated based on the second photodiode of the one of the cells, and the second signal is generated based on the second photodiode of the one of the cells and not generated based on the first photodiode of the one of the cells.

19. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the first signal and the second signal are concurrently generated.

20. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the first photodiode and the second photodiode are in communication with two sampling circuits that each include:
a sampling transistor having: a first node coupled to at least one of the first photodiode or the second photodiode, and a second node coupled to at least one reset transistor and at least one additional transistor; and
a selection transistor having: a first node coupled to the at least one additional transistor, and a second node coupled to a corresponding output.

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Assignees

• Duelight Llc

Inventors

• Rivard William
• Feder Adam
• Kindle Brian

Classifications

• H04N23/743

  Bracketing, i.e. taking a series of images with varying exposure conditions · CPC title

• H04N25/78

  Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters · CPC title

• H04N23/71

  Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation · CPC title

• H04N23/741 Primary

  by increasing the dynamic range of the image compared to the dynamic range of the electronic image sensors · CPC title

• G06T5/50 Primary

  using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction · CPC title