Image sensing device and image sensing method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12501182-B2
Application number	US-202318199992-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 22, 2023
Priority date	May 26, 2022
Publication date	Dec 16, 2025
Grant date	Dec 16, 2025

Abstract

The invention relates to an image sensing device and an image sensing method thereof. The image sensing device includes: an image sensing array and an image processing circuit. The image sensing array generates multiple pixel data, and the pixel data includes a first pixel data and a second pixel data. The first pixel data is generated by exposing for a first exposure time, the second pixel data is generated by exposing for a second exposure time, and the first exposure time is shorter than the second exposure time. The image processing circuit executes an automatic exposure convergence operation with the first pixel data to generate new exposure parameters for the automatic exposure convergence operation. The second exposure time is adjusted according to the new exposure parameters, so that the second pixel data is pixel data with changed exposure time.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An image sensing device, comprising:
an image sensing array, further comprising a plurality of sensing units, for generating a plurality of pixel data respectively, each of the plurality of sensing units having a photodiode, a transmission circuit coupled to the photodiode for receiving a transmission signal and a reset circuit coupled to the transmission circuit for receiving a reset signal; an image processing circuit, coupled to the image sensing array; wherein, the plurality of pixel data comprises a first pixel data and a second pixel data, the first pixel data is generated by exposing for a first exposure time, and the second pixel data is generated by exposing for a second exposure time, the first exposure time is shorter than the second exposure time, and the image processing circuit performs an automatic exposure convergence operation through the first pixel data to generate a plurality of new exposure parameters of the automatic exposure convergence operation, and adjusts the second exposure time according to the new exposure parameters, so that the second pixel data is the pixel data with a changed exposure time; and wherein the plurality of the sensing units comprises a first sensing unit and a second sensing unit, the reset circuit of the first sensing unit receives a first reset signal, the transmission circuit of the first sensing unit receives a first transmission signal, the reset circuit of the second sensing unit receives a second reset signal, and the transmission circuit of the second sensing unit receives a second transmission signal, and timing of a second pulse of the second transmission signal is between a pulse of the first reset signal immediately preceding a second pulse of the second reset signal and the second pulse of the second reset signal.

2 . The image sensing device according to claim 1 , wherein the image processing circuit performs image fusion according to the plurality of pixel data with different exposure times to generate an image.

3 . The image sensing device according to claim 1 , wherein in each of the plurality of sensing units, the reset circuit resets charges in the photodiode according to the reset signal, and the transmission circuit converts the charges accumulated in the photodiode into the pixel data of a corresponding sensing unit according to the transmission signal.

4 . The image sensing device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of the sensing units further comprises a third sensing unit, the reset circuit of the third sensing unit receives a third reset signal, the transmission circuit of the third sensing unit receives a third transmission signal, and timing of a second pulse of the third transmission signal is between the second pulse of the second reset signal and a second pulse of the third reset signal.

5 . The image sensing device according to claim 4 , wherein the plurality of the sensing units further comprises a fourth sensing unit, the reset circuit of the fourth sensing unit receives a fourth reset signal, the transmission circuit of the fourth sensing unit receives a fourth transmission signal, and timing of a second pulse of the fourth transmission signal is between the second pulse of the third reset signal and a second pulse of the fourth reset signal.

6 . The image sensing device according to claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of filters, and the filters comprising a white filter, a red filter, a green filter, and a blue filter; wherein the white light filter is disposed on the first sensing unit, the red light filter is disposed on the second sensing unit, the green light filter is disposed on the third sensing unit, and the blue light filter is disposed on the fourth sensing unit.

7 . The image sensing device according to claim 1 , wherein the sensing units further comprise a control circuit coupled to the transmission circuit and the reset circuit, and the control circuit is used to generate the transmission signal and the reset signal.

8 . The image sensing device according to claim 7 , wherein the control circuit comprises a first exposure control circuit and a second exposure control circuit, the first exposure control circuit is used to generate the first transmission signal and the first reset signal, and the second exposure control circuit is used to generate the second transmission signal and the second reset signal.

9 . The image sensing device according to claim 1 , wherein the image sensing array is a multi-frame rate array, the image processing circuit uses the first pixel data which has a shorter exposure time and a higher frame rate than the second pixel data to perform the automatic exposure convergence operation, and when the first pixel data finishes the automatic exposure convergence after a time period of a plurality of first frames of the first pixel data, the second pixel data is still within a time period of one frame of the second pixel data.

10 . The image sensing device according to claim 1 , further comprising an image buffer coupled to the image processing circuit, for storing the plurality of pixel data.

Assignees

• Guangzhou Tyrafos Semiconductor Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yin Ping-Hung
• Wang Jia-Shyang
• Shen Jai-Jyun

Classifications

• H04N7/0127 Primary

  by changing the field or frame frequency of the incoming video signal, e.g. frame rate converter · CPC title

• H04N25/583

  with different integration times · CPC title

• H04N23/76

  by influencing the image signals · CPC title

• H04N23/70

  Circuitry for compensating brightness variation in the scene · CPC title

• G06T2207/20221

  Image fusion; Image merging · CPC title