US 5,694,495 AGranted

Image sensing device and image sensing method

AssigneeMitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorsKunihiko Hara, Yasunari Miyake, Eiichi Funatsu, Yoshikazu Nitta

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Abstract

In an image sensing apparatus, an array of two-dimensional matrix of photosensitive devices is used to detect an image. Each photosensitive device comprises a photosensor accumulating carriers when exposed to a light, control terminals, and an output terminal. A signal generator supplies a vector or a one-dimensional data to the control terminals in the array to output pixel data of the two-dimensional matrix, and the pixel signal is output through the output terminal. The control terminals of the photosensors arranged along each line are connected commonly, while the output terminals thereof arranged along each column are connected commonly. A controller supplies control signals to the control terminals. Then, pixel signal for columns designated by a control signal are output through an output circuit connected to the control terminals. Then, a partial region in the array including a region exposed by the light is determined according to the pixel signals, and data on the partial region is sent to the controller. Then, the controller supplies control signals in correspondence to the partial region. Then, correlation operation of the control signals with the amount of carriers in the photosensors are carried out while reading the pixel signals, and the pixel signals in the partial region is output.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An image sensing apparatus comprising:

an array of two-dimensional matrix of photosensitive devices, each photosensitive device comprising a photosensor accumulating carriers when exposed to a light, a signal generator comprising control terminals and an output terminal and generating a pixel signal with a polarity in correspondence to the amount of the carriers in the photosensor when first control signals including the polarity are received at the control terminals, the pixel signal being output through the output terminal, and a reset circuit comprising a reset terminal and resetting the photosensor in an initial state with no carriers when a reset signal is received at the reset terminal, the control terminals of the photosensors arranged along each line in said array being connected commonly, the output terminals of the photosensors arranged along each column in said array being connected commonly;
a first signal supplier connected to the control terminals in said array and supplying the first control signals to lines in said array;
a second signal supplier connected to the reset terminals in said array and supplying the reset signals to the reset terminals;
an output circuit connected to the control terminals of said array, said output circuit outputting the pixel signals for columns designated by a second control signal;
a controller generating a first signal to said first signal supplier to generate the first control signals, the second control signal to said output circuit, and a second signal to said second signal supplier to generate the reset signal;
and
a determination means for receiving the pixel signals of the photosensors of said array from said output circuit when said controller supplies the first and second control signals to output the pixel signals of all the photosensors, for determining a partial region in said array including a region exposed by the light according to the pixel signals received, and for outputting data on the partial region to said controller;
wherein said controller generates the first and second control signals according to a data on the partial region when the data is received from said determination means.

5 more elements

A method of image sensing by using an image sensing apparatus including an array of two-dimensional matrix of photosensitive devices, each photosensitive device comprising a photosensor accumulating carriers when exposed to a light, a signal generator comprising control terminals and an output terminal and generating a pixel signal with a polarity in correspondence to the amount of the carriers in the photosensor when first control signals including the polarity are received at the control terminals, the pixel signal being output through the output terminal, and a reset circuit comprising a reset terminal and resetting the photosensor in an initial state with no carriers when a reset signal is received at the reset terminal, the control terminals of the photosensors arranged along each line in the array being connected commonly, the output terminals of the photosensors arranged along each column in the array being connected commonly;

a first signal supplier connected to the control terminals in the array and supplying the first control signals to lines in the array;
an output circuit connected to the control terminals of the array, the output circuit outputting the pixel signals for columns designated by a second control signal;
and a controller generating a first signal to the first signal supplier to generate the first control signals, the second control signal to the output circuit, and a second signal to the second signal supplier to generate the reset signal;
the method comprising the steps of:
(a) resetting charges in said photosensor elements in a initial state;
(b) accumulating charges in said photosensor elements by an illuminated image;
(c) calculating correlation of a matrix having elements of accumulated charges with a vector in correspondence to an object to be detected;
(d) performing a specified operation according to the result of correlation calculation;
(e) determining an access region of the image including the object according to the operation;
and
(f) outputting pixel signals in the access region.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.