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US 9,179,085 B1Granted
Image sensor apparatus and method for obtaining low-noise, high-speed captures of a photographic scene
AssigneeDuelight LLC
InventorsWilliam Rivard, Adam Feder, Brian Kindle
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for obtaining low-noise, high-speed captures of a photographic scene. In use, a first cell of a first pixel is in communication with a first node for storing a first sample. Further, a second cell of a second pixel is in communication with a second node for storing a second sample. Still further, the first cell and the second cell are communicatively coupled.
Claims20
An apparatus, comprising:
- a first analog sampling circuit within a first cell of a first pixel, the first analog sampling circuit in communication with a first node for storing a first sample;
- a first photodiode within the first cell of the first pixel configured to communicate a first current to the first node based on a first light intensity associated with the first photodiode, wherein the first current is communicated through a first transistor;
- a second photodiode within a first cell of a second pixel configured to communicate a second current to the first node based on a second light intensity associated with the second photodiode, wherein the second current is communicated through a second transistor and an interconnect;
- a third photodiode within a first cell of a third pixel configured to communicate a third current to the first node based on a third light intensity associated with the third photodiode, wherein the third current is communicated through a third transistor and the interconnect;
- a fourth photodiode within a first cell of a fourth pixel configured to communicate a fourth current to the first node based on a fourth light intensity associated with the fourth photodiode, wherein the fourth current is communicated through a fourth transistor and the interconnect;
- and
- a second analog sampling circuit in communication with a second node for storing a second sample, wherein the second photodiode is further configured to communicate the second current to the second node through the second transistor.
4 more elements
A method, comprising:
- storing a first sample on a first node in communication with a first analog sampling circuit within a first cell of a first pixel;
- causing a first photodiode within the first cell of the first pixel to communicate a first current to the first node based on a first light intensity associated with the first photodiode, wherein the first current is communicated through a first transistor;
- causing a second photodiode within a first cell of a second pixel to communicate a second current to the first node based on a second light intensity associated with the second photodiode, wherein the second current is communicated through a second transistor and an interconnect;
- causing a third photodiode within a first cell of a third pixel to communicate a third current to the first node based on a third light intensity associated with the third photodiode, wherein the third current is communicated through a third transistor and the interconnect;
- causing a fourth photodiode within a first cell of a fourth pixel to communicate a fourth current to the first node based on a fourth light intensity associated with the fourth photodiode, wherein the fourth current is communicated through a fourth transistor and the interconnect;
- and
- storing a second sample on a second node in communication with a second analog sampling circuit, wherein the second photodiode is further configured to communicate the second current to the second node through the second transistor.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.