Image Sensor Flickering Profile Pre-computation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic devices equipped with image sensors face challenges in recognizing flickering patterns at high frame rates, leading to the display of striped patterns due to differences in light exposure timing across pixel rows, especially when the frame rate is higher than the flickering frequency.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device is designed with an image sensor, a lens, a pixel array, a readout circuit, memory, and a controller that generates frames by integrating pixel data, analyzes flickering profiles across multiple frames, and adjusts light exposure time or frame rate to prevent striped patterns by accurately recognizing flickering information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the frame rate is increased to capture images faster, then productivity is improved, but the ability to recognize flickering patterns deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by generating and storing flickering profiles in advance for multiple frame rates. When capturing images at high frame rates, the system retrieves pre-generated profiles corresponding to that frame rate to detect and correct striped patterns. This allows the system to maintain high productivity while preserving flickering recognition capability through pre-computed reference data.
2Productivity
If the frame rate is increased beyond the flickering frequency, then productivity is improved, but striped patterns appear in images
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by detecting striped patterns in captured images using pre-generated flickering profiles and then correcting the images based on the detected pattern characteristics. The system analyzes the degree of striped patterns and applies appropriate correction algorithms to eliminate or reduce the harmful striped patterns while preserving the high frame rate capability.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If flickering information is detected and correction is applied, then striped patterns are prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces processing complexity by pre-generating and storing flickering profiles for various frame rates before image capture. During actual image processing, the system simply retrieves the appropriate pre-generated profile and applies straightforward comparison and correction operations, rather than performing complex real-time flickering analysis.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables accurate recognition and correction of flickering patterns, preventing striped patterns from appearing in images captured by the device, even at high frame rates, by synchronizing light exposure with flickering frequencies.
Implementation Method 1
a pixel array configured to convert light collected through the lens into an electric signal
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an electronic device including an image sensor including a lens, a pixel array configured to convert light collected through the lens into an electric signal and to output the electric signal, a readout circuit configured to convert electric signals sequentially received for each row of the pixel array into pixel data and to output the pixel data, a memory, and a controller configured to control the pixel array, the readout circuit and the memory, and a processor electrically connected to the image sensor. The controller is configured to generate a frame by integrating the pixel data sequentially received from the readout circuit, generate a profile regarding flickering of the collected light using the generated frame and another frame generated prior to the generated frame, and store the generated profile in the memory, obtain a profile set including profiles corresponding to a plurality of frames from the memory, and transfer the generated frame and the obtained profile set to the processor.