Floating point image sensors with different integration times

Abstract

An image sensor may include an array of image sensor pixels arranged in rows and columns. Each image pixel arranged along a given column may be coupled to analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuitry that is capable of converting analog pixel signals into a floating point number. The ADC circuitry may be configured to obtain an illumination value during an auto exposure period. The illumination value, which serves as an exponent value, can be stored as tile data in respective shutter tile column memory circuits. A rolling shutter scheme may be implemented to read signals out from the array. Each tile may be allowed to integrate for a different period of time depending on the exponent value stored in the shutter tile column memory circuits. During readout, the signal generated from the ADC circuitry may represent a mantissa value that is combined with the exponent value to yield a floating point number.