Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC

Gopro, Inc.

Sandor Lee Barna

Nicholas D Woodman

Richard Scott Johnson

Ingrid Anda Cotoros

Jonathan Stern

An image capture device includes an image capture module and a base module. The image capture module is releasably connectable to the base module. The image capture module includes an integrated image sensor and optical component for capturing image data. The base module includes a processor. The processor is configured and the base module is calibrated based on identification data provided by the image capture module when releasably connected to the base module. The image information and identification data may be wirelessly transferred from the image capture module to the base module.

Image capture device with interchangeable integrated sensor-optical component assemblies

An image pixel may include a shutter element that is operable in an open state during which a corresponding photodiode accumulates charge and a closed state during which charge is drained from the photodiode. During a first portion of an image frame, the image pixel may operate in a flicker mitigation mode in which a non-continuous exposure period is used. During a second portion of the image frame, the image pixel may operate in a high dynamic range mode in which images are obtained with exposures of varying lengths. To conserve memory requirements, the signal from the flicker mitigation mode may not be sampled until the end of the first exposure of the high dynamic range mode.

Imaging systems with flicker mitigation and high dynamic range

An imaging system may include a rolling shutter image sensor, data rate reduction circuitry, and image processing circuitry. The image sensor may output image data to the data rate reduction circuitry at a first high speed data rate. The data rate reduction circuitry may store the image data at the first data rate and may output the stored image data at a second reduced speed data rate. The image processing circuitry may receive the image data at the second data rate and may perform image processing operations at the second data rate. The data rate reduction circuitry may generate accumulated image frames by accumulating image frames received from the image sensor at the first data rate and may provide the accumulated frames to the image processing circuitry at the second data rate. The image processing circuitry may perform image processing operations on the accumulated frames at the second data rate.

Imaging systems and methods for capturing image data at high scan rates

An image sensor with an array of image sensor pixels is provided. Each image sensor pixel may include a set of photodiodes formed in a semiconductor substrate, a color filter structure formed over the set of photodiodes, a microlens formed over the color filter structure, and associated pixel circuitry coupled to the set of photodiodes. The set of photodiodes may include at least two photodiodes linked together via a preferential blooming channel that provides a reduced potential barrier between the two photodiodes. This allows excess charge to spill over from one photodiode to another when more charge is concentrated in a particular photodiode. Configured in this way, the pixel can provide depth sensing capabilities without suffering from reduced pixel capacity.

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Los Altos, CA, United States of America

Sandor Lee Barna