Ctia based pixel for simultaneous synchronous frame-based & asynchronous event-driven readouts
AssigneeBAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
InventorsJames A. Stobie, R. Daniel McGrath
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hybrid frame-based and event driven pixel, the pixel comprising a frame-based capture circuit, an event-driven capture circuit, and a photodiode in electrical communication with both the frame-based and event-driven capture circuits, wherein the frame-based capture circuit is a capacitive transimpedance amplifier circuit, and wherein the event-driven capture circuit is a linear asynchronous event representation circuit.
Claims20
A hybrid frame-based and event driven pixel, the pixel comprising:
- a frame-based capture circuit;
- an event-driven capture circuit;
- and
- a photodiode in electrical communication with both the frame-based and event-driven capture circuits,
- wherein said frame-based capture circuit is a capacitive transimpedance amplifier circuit, and
- wherein said event-driven capture circuit is a linear asynchronous to event representation circuit.
A method of obtaining imagery, the method comprising:
- using a focal plane array comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel comprising:
- a frame-based capture circuit;
- an event-driven capture circuit;
- and
- a photodiode in electrical communication with both the frame-based and event-driven capture circuits,
- wherein said frame-based capture circuit is a capacitive transimpedance amplifier circuit, and
- wherein said event-driven capture circuit is a linear asynchronous event representation circuit,
- capturing largely static images using the frame-based capture circuit;
- and
- capturing the motion of relatively fast-moving objects using the event-driven capture circuit.
A hybrid frame-based and event driven pixel, the pixel comprising:
- a frame-based capture circuit;
- an event-driven capture circuit;
- an inertial measurement unit configured to trigger the frame-based capture circuit upon detection of movement exceeding a predetermined threshold level;
- a pipeline storage element configured to allow for a true integrate-while-readout mode of operation;
- and
- a photodiode in electrical communication with both the frame-based and event-driven capture circuits,
- wherein said frame based capture circuit is a capacitive transimpedance amplifier circuit,
- wherein said event-driven capture circuit is a linear, asynchronous, time-to-first spike event representation circuit,
- wherein the linear, time-to-first-spike, asynchronous event representation portion of the pixel is configured to provide inter-frame auto exposure dependent on photo-current to optimize the signal-to-noise ratio,
- wherein the dynamic range of the linear asynchronous event representation circuit based portion is configured to be set by an input state of the capacitive transimpedance amplifier circuit,
- wherein said linear asynchronous event representation circuit is configured to encode both an event and a direction of the change, and
- wherein timing is assigned by an external clock.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.