# US 2013/0155302 A1 · Digital image sensor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0155302 A1 - Document ID: US20130155302A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/693,748 - Filed: 2012-12-04 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-15 - Assignees: STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited - Inventors: John Kevin Moore - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130155302A1 ## CPC - H04N 25/134: {based on three different wavelength filter elements} - H04N 25/00: Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof - H04N 25/533: by using differing integration times for different sensor regions - H04N 25/70: SSIS architectures; Circuits associated therewith - H04N 25/77: Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components - H10F 39/12: Image sensors - H10F 39/15: Charge-coupled device [CCD] image sensors - H10F 39/802: {Geometry or disposition of elements in pixels, e.g. address-lines or gate electrodes} - H10F 39/8053: {Colour filters} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION ## Abstract A digital imaging sensor includes an array of pixels. A subset of the pixels in the array has reduced photosensitivity in comparison to other pixels in said array. A controller operates to control an integration time of the array of pixels such that a first integration time of the subset of pixels is longer than a second integration time of the other pixels in the array. Such an image sensor is particularly useful for sensing light sources that are not illuminated continuously. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A digital imaging sensor, comprising: an array of pixels, wherein a subset of pixels in said array has reduced photosensitivity in comparison to other pixels in said array; and a control circuit configured to control an integration time of said array of pixels such that a first integration time of said subset of pixels is longer than a second integration time of said other pixels in the array. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The digital imaging sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first integration time is between three and five orders of magnitude longer than said second integration time. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The digital imaging sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first integration time is 2 ms or longer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The digital imaging sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein an attenuation is provided for each of said subset of pixels to reduce their photosensitivity. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The digital imaging sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said array of pixels is provided with a Bayer filter, said subset of pixels comprising substantially half of the pixels to which a green filter is applied. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The digital imaging sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said array of pixels is provided with a Bayer filter comprising a plurality of 2×2 RGBG pixel groups, said subset of pixels comprising a subset of said 2×2 RGBG pixel groups. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The digital imaging sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control circuit is operable to control said integration time of said pixels by controlling the timing of reset signals applied to individual pixels by vertically and horizontally addressing the pixels in the pixel array. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The digital imaging sensor as claimed in claim 7, wherein each of said pixels comprises: a first reset transistor connected to a vertical pixel address line; a second reset transistor connected to a horizontal pixel address line; a pinned photodiode; and a floating diffusion node; each pixel operable such that such that charge will be transferred from the pinned photodiode to the floating diffusion node only when both the vertical and horizontal address lines are active. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The digital imaging sensor as claimed in claim 7, wherein each of said pixels comprises: a first reset transistor and a second reset transistor, said first reset transistor being connected at its gate to the source of said second reset transistor, wherein said second reset transistor is connected at its gate to a vertical address line and at its drain to a horizontal address line, such that that if the vertical address line is pulled low then a reset pulse applied on the horizontal control line will not be passed to the gate of the first transistor. ### Claim 10 An illumination sensor operable to determine whether an illumination source is being driven, said illumination sensor comprising a digital imaging sensor, said digital imaging sensor comprising: an array of pixels, wherein a subset of pixels in said array has reduced photosensitivity in comparison to other pixels in said array; and a control circuit configured to control an integration time of said array of pixels such that a first integration time of said subset of pixels is longer than a second integration time of said other pixels in the array. ### Claim 11 A camera comprising a digital imaging sensor, said digital imaging sensor comprising: an array of pixels, wherein a subset of pixels in said array has reduced photosensitivity in comparison to other pixels in said array; and a control circuit configured to control an integration time of said array of pixels such that a first integration time of said subset of pixels is longer than a second integration time of said other pixels in the array. ### Claim 12 A method, comprising: in an array of pixels, reducing photosensitivity of a subset of pixels in comparison to other pixels in said array; and controlling an integration time of said array of pixels such that a first integration time of said subset of pixels is longer than a second integration time of said other pixels in the array. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said first integration time is sufficiently long to ensure that integration will always coincide, at least partially, with an illumination pulse provided to a driven pulsed illumination source. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said first integration time is between three and five orders of magnitude longer than said second integration time. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said first integration time is 2 ms or longer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said reduced photosensitivity is obtained by providing an attenuation filter for each of said subset of pixels. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising providing said array of pixels with a Bayer filter and reducing the photosensitivity of substantially half of the pixels to which a green filter is applied. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising providing said array of pixels with a Bayer filter comprising a plurality of 2×2 RGBG pixel groups, and reducing the photosensitivity of subset of said 2×2 RGBG pixel groups. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein controlling said integration time comprises controlling timing of reset signals applied to individual pixels by vertically and horizontally addressing the pixels in the pixel array.