# US 2015/0146089 A1 · Imaging systems and methods with pixel sensitivity adjustments

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2015/0146089 A1
- Document ID: US20150146089A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/210,369
- Filed: 2014-03-13
- Published: 2015-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2013-11-25
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Ilia OVSIANNIKOV; Gregory M. WALIGORSKI; Deokha SHIN; Wang-Hyun KIM; Yibing M. WANG; Hongyu WANG
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20150146089A1

## CPC

- H04N 23/73: by influencing the exposure time
- G01S 17/89: for mapping or imaging
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES

## Abstract

Imaging systems, such as time-of-flight imaging systems, and methods with pixel sensitivity adjustments. An embodiment includes a method, comprising: for a plurality of pixels having a first output and a second output, measuring the first outputs and the second outputs in response to a demodulation signal; and adjusting the demodulation signal such that a combination of the first outputs is substantially similar to a combination of the second outputs.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method, comprising:
for a plurality of pixels having a first output and a second output, measuring the first outputs and the second outputs in response to a demodulation signal; and
adjusting the demodulation signal such that a combination of the first outputs is substantially similar to a combination of the second outputs.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the demodulation signal comprises adjusting a duty cycle of the demodulation signal.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein measuring the first outputs and the second outputs comprises measuring the first outputs and the second outputs over a time less than an over-exposure time of any of the first and second outputs.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising for each pixel, including the first output in the combination of the first outputs only if the first output indicates an intensity above a threshold.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein measuring the first outputs and the second outputs comprises performing an ambient intensity measurement for the first and second outputs.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, the plurality of pixels referred to as a first plurality of pixels, wherein:
the second plurality of pixels include the first plurality of pixels and a third plurality of pixels; and
the third plurality of pixels are not responsive to the demodulation signal.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
for each pixel of the plurality of pixels having first and second outputs that are not substantially similar after adjusting the demodulation signal, scaling at least one of the first and second outputs such that the scaled first and second outputs are substantially similar.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of the pixels are substantially in a center of a pixel array.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein measuring the first outputs and the second outputs comprises measuring the first outputs and the second outputs over a plurality of frames.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of the pixels includes pixels in multiple rows and multiple columns.

### Claim 11

A system, comprising:
a demodulation signal generator configured to generate a demodulation signal;
a pixel array coupled to the demodulation signal generator and including a plurality of pixels, each pixel configured to generate a first output and a second output in response to the demodulation signal; and
a controller configured to:
measure the first outputs and the second outputs; and
adjust the demodulation signal such that a combination of the first outputs is substantially similar to a combination of the second outputs.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to adjust a duty cycle of the demodulation signal.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to measure the first outputs and the second outputs over a time less than an over-exposure time of any of the first and second outputs.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to, for each pixel, include the first output in the combination of the first outputs only if the first output indicates an intensity above a threshold.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to perform an ambient intensity measurement for the first and second outputs.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, the plurality of pixels referred to as a first plurality of pixels, wherein:
the pixel array includes a second plurality of pixels;
the second plurality of pixels include the first plurality of pixels and a third plurality of pixels; and
the third plurality of pixels are not responsive to the demodulation signal.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to, for each pixel of the plurality of pixels having first and second outputs that are not substantially similar after adjusting the demodulation signal, scale at least one of the first and second outputs such that the scaled first and second outputs are substantially similar.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, further comprising:
a user interface; and
a camera including the pixel array;
wherein the system is included in a mobile device.

### Claim 19

A method, comprising:
for a plurality of pixels, measuring an outputs of the pixels in response to a demodulation signal; and
adjusting the demodulation signal to generate an adjusted demodulation signal such that a deviation from a threshold of the outputs when measured with the adjusted demodulation signal is reduced from a deviation from the threshold of the outputs when measured with the demodulation signal.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein adjusting the demodulation signal comprises adjusting a duty cycle of the demodulation signal such that the duty cycle of the adjusted demodulation signals is about 50% at a pixel substantially in a center of the plurality of pixels.