Image Sensor Image Combining with a Single Receiver
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional imaging systems require multiple receivers for each image sensor array, increasing complexity and cost, and struggle to efficiently combine images with different capture characteristics or spectra to achieve high dynamic range or 3D imaging.
Innovation Solution
An imaging system with a single integrated image sensor incorporating an image combination circuit that combines image data from multiple arrays with different capture characteristics, using a single receiver and transmitter, allowing for high dynamic range or 3D image creation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple receivers are used for each image sensor array, then each image sensor can be independently received, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple receiver functions into a single receiver that can receive image data from multiple image sensor arrays. The image combination circuit integrates the reception and combination functions, allowing one receiver to serve multiple sensor arrays instead of requiring separate receivers for each array, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining reception reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The single receiver is designed with multi-functionality to receive image data from different image sensor arrays with varying capture characteristics. The receiver and image combination circuit can handle multiple types of image data (e.g., visible light, infrared) and combine them appropriately, making the receiver a universal component that replaces multiple specialized receivers.
2Adaptability or versatility
If images with different capture characteristics are combined, then high dynamic range or 3D imaging is achieved, but image combination complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The image combination circuit adjusts combination parameters based on the capture characteristics of different image sensor arrays. The circuit receives control signals that specify how to weight and combine image data from arrays with different pixel sizes, sensitivities, and exposure times, enabling high dynamic range and 3D imaging through parameter-based adaptation rather than complex hardware reconfiguration.
3Device complexity
If a single receiver is used for multiple image sensor arrays, then system complexity is reduced, but reception capability for multiple arrays must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The receiver and image combination circuit operate dynamically by switching between receiving data from different image sensor arrays based on control signals. The circuit can adaptively select which sensor array data to receive and combine at any given time, maintaining the capability to handle multiple arrays while using a single receiver through dynamic resource allocation.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are an image sensor with one or more image receivers for image combining, and an imaging system and method therefor. The image sensor includes an image sensor array to generate first image data for a first image; a receiver to receive, into the image sensor, second image data for a second image; an image combination circuit coupled to the image sensor array and the receiver to receive the first image data and the second image data and combine the first image data and the second image data into combined image data for a single combined image, according to one or more image combination criteria, and at least one of the first image data and the second image data; and a transmitter coupled to the image combination circuit to transmit the combined image data for the combined image from the image sensor.