The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 05, 2011
Filed:
Mar. 06, 2008
Justin Reyneri, Los Altos, CA (US);
William R. Bidermann, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Benjamin P. Olding, Redwood City, CA (US);
Justin Reyneri, Los Altos, CA (US);
William R. Bidermann, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Benjamin P. Olding, Redwood City, CA (US);
PIXIM, Inc., Mountain View, CA (US);
Abstract
An image capture method in a digital image sensor implements a continuous sampling technique with a massively parallel thermometer-code analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) technique to generate pixel data having an intrinsic to an ultra-high dynamic range. In one embodiment, the method includes, after an initial exposure period, sampling pixel intensity values at the pixel elements of an image sensor at multiple sampling intervals within a snapshot of a scene; providing an analog reference voltage corresponding to a decrementing digital count value; and comparing the pixel intensity values to the analog reference voltage at each of the multiple sampling intervals. If the pixel intensity value of a first pixel element is less than the analog reference voltage at a first exposure time, an output signal having a first value is generated and the digital count value is recorded as pixel data associated with the first pixel element.