Image sensor and method of operating the same
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsDongpan Lim, Seongwook Song, Dochang Ahn, Jaeseong Yu, Tae-Shick Wang, Jeongguk Lee
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Abstract
There is provided an image sensor including a pixel array including a plurality of pixels, a readout circuit that outputs first pixel data and second pixel data based on an output signal of the pixel array, and an image signal processor that generates third pixel data by restoring at least a portion of saturated pixel data of the first pixel data based on the second pixel data, and outputs the HDR image data based on the second pixel data and the third pixel data. At least a portion of the first pixel data may have a higher intensity value than the second pixel data.
Claims20
An image sensor comprising:
- a pixel array comprising a plurality of pixels;
- a readout circuit configured to output first pixel data and second pixel data based on an output signal of the pixel array;
- and
- an image signal processor configured to:
- generate third pixel data by restoring at least a portion of saturated pixel data of the first pixel data based on the second pixel data, and
- output high dynamic range (HDR) image data based on the second pixel data and the third pixel data,
- wherein a portion of the first pixel data has a higher intensity value than the second pixel data.
An electronic device comprising:
- an image sensor configured to output image data based on a pixel signal output from a plurality of pixels;
- and
- a processor configured to receive the image data, and output an image based on the image data to a display device or store the image data in a storage device, wherein:
- the image sensor comprises:
- a readout circuit configured to output first pixel data and second pixel data based on the pixel signal;
- and
- an image signal processor configured to:
- generate third pixel data by restoring at least a portion of saturated pixel data of the first pixel data based on the second pixel data, and
- output the HDR image data based on the second pixel data and the third pixel data,
- a portion of the first pixel data has a higher intensity value than the second pixel data.
A method of operating an image sensor, the method comprising:
- outputting, by a pixel array including a plurality of pixels, a pixel signal and a reset signal;
- outputting, by a readout circuit, first pixel data and second pixel data based on the pixel signal and the reset signal;
- generating third pixel data by restoring at least a portion of saturated pixel data of the first pixel data based on a color ratio between color channels of the first pixel data;
- and
- outputting high dynamic range (HDR) image data based on the second pixel data and the third pixel data,
- wherein a portion of the first pixel data has a higher intensity value than the second pixel data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.