Patent classifications
H04N25/571
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RENDERING GRAPHICAL ASSETS
Systems and methods are provided to render a plurality of graphical assets each having a format of a plurality of formats. Each graphical asset is processed by determining whether the format of the graphical asset is compatible with a predetermined render domain format and responsive to determining the format is not compatible with the predetermined render domain format, converting, using a format conversion circuit, the format to the predetermined render domain format. The plurality of graphical assets are rendered using a single rendering engine operable coupled to the format conversion circuit using the predetermined render domain format.
Image sensors with stacked photodiodes
Electronic devices may include High Dynamic Range (HDR) complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor arrays that are illuminated from the back side of the substrate and operate in a rolling shutter (RS) scanning mode. An image sensor may include stacked chips to improve image sensor performance. For example, by stacking photodiodes on top of each other and using dichroic dielectric layers in chip-to-chip isolation, sensor sensitivity may be increased, Moir? effect may be reduced, and the overall image sensor performance may be improved. Image sensors may include a charge sensing and charge storing scheme where charge generated by low incident light levels is transferred onto a charge sensing node of an in-pixel inverting feedback amplifier and charge generated by high incident light levels overflows a certain potential barrier built in the pixel, is stored on capacitors, and is sensed by a source follower.
Electronically controlled graduated density filters in stacked image sensors
A method for performing color density filtering of images captured in a digital camera having a mechanical shutter and an imaging array including a plurality of pixels each including different color sensors aligned with each other, including opening the mechanical shutter, resetting all of the color sensors in each pixel by asserting a row reset signal, separately asserting color-select signals for each color after the mechanical shutter is opened, independently starting exposure for each different color sensor at a color sensor exposure start time by de-asserting its color select signal, the exposure start time for each different color sensor being a function of a color density filter function, closing the mechanical shutter, and reading color exposure values from the color sensors by separately asserting color-select signals after the mechanical shutter has closed, the reading being unrelated to the start times for the color sensors.
DYNAMIC VISION SENSOR ARCHITECTURE
A dynamic vision sensor (DVS) or change detection sensor reacts to changes in light intensity and in this way monitors how a scene changes. This disclosure covers both single pixel and array architectures. The DVS may contain one pixel or 2-dimensional or 1-dimensional array of pixels. The change of intensities registered by pixels are compared, and pixel addresses where the change is positive or negative are recorded and processed. Analyzing frames based on just three values for pixels, increase, decrease or unchanged, the proposed DVS can process visual information much faster than traditional computer vision systems, which correlate multi-bit color or gray level pixel values between successive frames.
Data Rate Control for Event-Based Vision Sensor
In dynamic vision sensor (DVS) or change detection sensors, the chip or sensor is configured to control or modulate the event rate. For example, this control can be used to keep the event rate close to a desired rate or within desired bounds. Adapting the configuration of the sensor to the scene by changing the ON-event and/or the OFF-event thresholds, allows having necessary amount of data, but not much more than necessary, such that the overall system gets as much information about its state as possible.
IMAGING DEVICE
An imaging device includes: a pixel; a signal line electrically connected to the pixel; and a first and second sample-and-hold circuits electrically connected to the signal line. The pixel includes: a photoelectric converter that generates signal charge; a charge accumulation region that accumulates the signal charge; a reset transistor that resets a voltage of the charge accumulation region; and an amplifier transistor that amplifies a signal voltage. The first sample-and-hold circuit includes: a first switch that is electrically connected to the signal line and has input-output characteristics in which an output is clipped at a clipping voltage with respect to an input exceeding the clipping voltage; and a first capacitor electrically connected to the signal line through the first switch. The second sample-and-hold circuit includes: a second switch electrically connected to the signal line; and a second capacitor electrically connected to the signal line through the second switch.
ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED GRADUATED DENSITY FILTERS IN STACKED IMAGE SENSORS
A method for performing color density filtering of images captured in a digital camera having a mechanical shutter and an imaging array including a plurality of pixels each including different color sensors aligned with each other, including opening the mechanical shutter, resetting all of the color sensors in each pixel by asserting a row reset signal, separately asserting color-select signals for each color after the mechanical shutter is opened, independently starting exposure for each different color sensor at a color sensor exposure start time by de-asserting its color select signal, the exposure start time for each different color sensor being a function of a color density filter function, closing the mechanical shutter, and reading color exposure values from the color sensors by separately asserting color-select signals after the mechanical shutter has closed, the reading being unrelated to the start times for the color sensors.
Imaging sensor, imaging apparatus, and imaging method
In a case where illuminance is high, an error between the number of photons per frame calculated from time information and the number of photons and the actually expected number of photons per frame is reduced. In a time counter that counts a clock from the start of exposure in one frame, one-count time in the clock is switched depending on the illuminance. In a case where a pixel counter is saturated within a period of one frame, the illuminance is determined to be high, and a high-illuminance clock in which one-count time is set more minutely in the first half of one frame is used to count. In a case where the illuminance is not determined to be high, a normal clock is used to count.
IMAGING DEVICE AND CAMERA SYSTEM, AND DRIVING METHOD OF IMAGING DEVICE
An imaging device including a photoelectric convertor that includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photoelectric conversion layer located between the first electrode and the second electrode. The photoelectric convertor has a photoelectric conversion characteristic in which a rate of change of the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the photoelectric convertor with respect to a first bias voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode when the first bias voltage is in a first voltage range, is greater than the rate of change with respect to a second bias voltage when the second bias voltage is in a second voltage range that is higher than the first voltage range, and a first voltage is applied to the first electrode or the second electrode so that a bias voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode exists in the first voltage range.
Radiation imaging apparatus and method of controlling radiation imaging apparatus
A radiation imaging apparatus that has a plurality of pixels capable of outputting an image signal in accordance with an irradiation of radiation comprises a photoelectric conversion unit which has a first capacitance and a second capacitance as charge accumulation capacitances and a gain correction unit configured to correct a pixel value in relation to a dose of the irradiated radiation based on an image signal outputted in accordance with a charge accumulated by the photoelectric conversion unit. The gain correction unit changes an interval of gain correction points at which to perform correction in accordance with a switch from a first capacitance to a second capacitance.