Method, apparatus, and system providing an imager with pixels having extended dynamic range
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorNikolai E. Bock
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The dynamic range of a pixel is increased by using selective photosensor resets during a frame time of image capture at a timing depending on the light intensity that the pixel will be exposed to during the frame time. Pixels that will be exposed to high light intensity are reset later in the frame than pixels that will be exposed to lower light intensity.
Claims34
A method of operating an imager, the method comprising:
- determining a value of light intensity to which a pixel will be exposed during a frame time;
- resetting charge accumulated in a photosensor of the pixel during the frame time at a timing determined in response to the determined value of light intensity;
- transferring the charge on the photosensor at the end of the frame time to a storage region;
- and
- generating a pixel image signal in response to the charge transferred to the storage region.
A method of operating an imager, the method comprising:
- acquiring information regarding an intensity of light to which a pixel will be exposed during a subsequent image capture period;
- correlating the information with a range of light intensity values within a plurality of ranges of light intensity values;
- and
- using the range of light intensity values to set a timing to reset a charge accumulated in a photosensor of the pixel during the image capture period.
A method of storing values assigned to pixels in a pixel array to memory, the method comprising storing a location of and a value assigned to a zone of a plurality of contiguous pixels in the pixel array.
A method of operating an imager, the method comprising:
- accumulating charge in a first pixel in a pixel array for a first time period during a frame time;
- accumulating charge in a second pixel in the pixel array for a second time period during the frame time,
- wherein the first time period is longer in duration than the second time period,
- wherein a duration of the first time period is determined in response to a first brightness to which the first pixel will be exposed during the frame time, and
- wherein a duration of the second time period is determined in response to a second brightness to which the second pixel will be exposed during the frame time.
A method of operating an imager, the method comprising:
- establishing a time frame during which a pixel may capture data, and
- capturing data for only a portion of the frame time in response to illumination to which the pixel is exposed during the frame period.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.