Image Sensor Pixel Averaging for Faster Low-Noise Readout
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current image signal processors face limitations in processing speed and data volume, making it challenging to generate and process image frames efficiently due to noise issues during analog-to-digital signal conversion.
Innovation Solution
An image sensing system that includes a pixel array with pairs of pixels of the same color, an analog-to-digital converter circuit, and an average calculator, which generates average data by summing pixel data from these pairs, reducing noise and data volume, and outputs this data to an image signal processor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If pixel data is processed individually by the image signal processor, then processing completeness is maintained, but processing speed is limited due to data volume
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges pixel data from multiple pixels of the same color (e.g., green pixels G1 and G3) before input to the image signal processor. The average calculator computes average values of corresponding bits from multiple pixels, reducing the total data volume while maintaining essential image information. This allows the image signal processor to handle fewer data points, thereby improving processing speed without sacrificing processing completeness.
2Reliability
If noise reduction is performed through averaging, then image quality improves, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the averaging operation into bit-level processing. Instead of averaging entire pixel values, the average calculator processes corresponding bits (e.g., first bit with first bit, second bit with second bit) from multiple pixels separately. This segmentation simplifies the computational complexity while achieving noise reduction through averaging, as each bit position is independently averaged to reduce noise.
3Measurement precision
If all pixel data is output to the image signal processor, then image quality is maintained, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential image information by averaging pixel data from multiple pixels of the same color before output to the image signal processor. By computing average values of corresponding bits from pixels like G1 and G3, the system extracts the most significant image characteristics while discarding redundant data. This reduction in data volume directly lowers power consumption during data transmission and processing while maintaining adequate image quality.
Data Source
AI summary
An image sensing system includes a pixel array, an analog-to-digital converter circuit, and an average calculator. The analog-to-digital converter circuit converts a first pixel signal to first pixel data and converts a second pixel signal to second pixel data. The average calculator generates a first average bit based on a first bit of the first pixel data and a first bit of the second pixel data during a first time and generates a second average bit based on a second bit of the first pixel data and a second bit of the second pixel data during a second time.