Image sensor and operating method thereof
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsKyungmin Kim, Dongkyun Jung
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of pixels operating in a plurality of modes, a readout circuit configured to receive a pixel signal corresponding to each of the plurality of modes from each of the pixels and generate a pixel value that is a digital signal from the pixel signal, and a signal processor configured to determine whether a target pixel value is a black spot generation value for each of the pixels based on at least one of comparison pixel values of each comparison mode among a plurality of comparison modes having a smaller output gain than a target mode corresponding to the target pixel value, and correct the target pixel value when the target pixel value is the black spot generation value.
Claims20
An image sensor, comprising:
- a pixel array including a plurality of pixels that operate in a plurality of modes;
- a readout circuit configured to receive a pixel signal corresponding to each of the plurality of modes from each of the pixels, and generate, from the pixel signal, a pixel value that is a digital signal;
- and
- a signal processor configured to determine whether a target pixel value is a black spot generation value for each of the pixels based on at least one of comparison pixel values of each comparison mode among a plurality of comparison modes having a smaller output gain than a target mode corresponding to the target pixel value, and correct the target pixel value when the target pixel value is the black spot generation value.
An image sensor, comprising:
- a pixel array including a plurality of pixels, each including a first photoelectric conversion element and a second photoelectric conversion element having a larger light-receiving area than the first photoelectric conversion element, and a plurality of pixels each operating in a first mode, a second mode, a third mode and a fourth mode;
- a readout circuit configured to receive pixel signals corresponding to the first to fourth modes from each of the plurality of pixels and generate first to fourth pixel values that are digital signals;
- and
- a signal processor configured to determine whether each of the plurality of pixels has a pixel value that is a black spot generation value based on at least one of a first pixel value in the first mode, a second pixel value in the second mode, a third pixel value in the third mode, and a fourth pixel value in the fourth mode,
- determine whether the second pixel value is the black spot generation value based on at least one of the third pixel value and the fourth pixel value, and
- determine whether the third pixel value is the black spot generation value based on the fourth pixel value,
- wherein the first mode has a larger output gain than the second mode, the second mode has a larger output gain than the third mode, and the third mode has a larger output gain than the fourth mode.
An operating method of an image sensor including a plurality of pixels operating in a plurality of modes, the method comprising:
- receiving a pixel value corresponding to each of the plurality of modes;
- determining whether a target pixel value is a black spot generation value based on at least one of comparison pixel values of each comparison mode among a plurality of comparison modes having a smaller output gain than a target mode corresponding to the target pixel value;
- and
- correcting the target pixel value based on whether the target pixel value is the black spot generation value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.