US 10,764,526 B1 · Spatial derivative pixel array with adaptive quantization

Abstract

A photo sensor includes a plurality of pixel blocks, each including one or more anchor pixels and one or more non-anchor pixels. The anchor pixels produce first sensor signals and the non-anchor pixels produce second sensor signals. An amplifier circuit amplifies the first and second sensor signals. A variable bit-depth analog to digital converter (ADC) circuit quantizes amplified versions of the first sensor signals into first digitized sensor signals with a first bit-depth. The ADC circuit also quantizes amplified versions of the second sensor signals into second digitized sensor signals with a second bit-depth that is lower than the first bit depth. The second bit-depth may be selected based on anchor pixel statistics derived from the one or more first digitized sensor signals.

Claims28

Dependent claims

A photo sensor comprising:

a plurality of pixel blocks, each pixel block including:
one or more anchor pixels configured to produce one or more first sensor signals;
and
one or more non-anchor pixels configured to produce one or more second sensor signals;
an amplifier circuit configured to:
generate one or more first output signals based on amplifying the one or more first sensor signal;
and
generate one or more second output signals based on one or more comparisons between the one or more second sensor signals and one of the one or more first sensor signals;
and
an analog to digital converter (ADC) circuit configured to:
quantize the one or more first output signals into one or more first digitized sensor signals;
and
quantize the one or more second output signals into one or more second digitized sensor signals.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Spatial derivative pixel array with adaptive quantization

Life of this patent

Spatial derivative pixel array with adaptive quantization

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims28