Pixel Sensing Unit Sub-Pixel Segmentation for Image Sticking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pixel sensing units with large light-sensing components face challenges in completely draining electronic charges, leading to residual charges and unnecessary image sticking effects in digital cameras.
Innovation Solution
The pixel sensing unit is divided into multiple sub-pixel sensing units with smaller light-sensing areas, each with a converting circuit, and an integrating unit that sums or averages their outputs to produce a pixel value, achieving the same light sensitivity while reducing residual charges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a single light-sensing component with large area is used to achieve required sensitivity, then light sensitivity is improved, but residual electronic charges remain causing image sticking effect
Solution Approach 1:
The pixel sensing unit is divided into multiple sub-pixel sensing units, each with its own light-sensing component and converting circuit. This segmentation allows each component to be smaller in area, enabling complete draining of electronic charges while collectively maintaining the required light sensitivity through the integrating unit that combines outputs from all sub-pixel units.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If multiple sub-pixel sensing units are used to reduce residual charges, then image sticking is eliminated, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple sub-pixel sensing units are merged at the integrating unit level, which combines their electrical outputs to produce a single pixel value. This merging approach maintains simplicity in the overall structure while allowing each individual sub-pixel component to remain small and fully drainable, thus eliminating residual charges without excessive complexity.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If smaller light-sensing components are used to enable complete charge draining, then residual charges are reduced, but light sensitivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The total light-sensing area is segmented into multiple smaller sub-components, each small enough to be fully drained by its associated converting circuit. The integrating unit then combines the electrical outputs of all sub-components, effectively summing their light-sensing capabilities to achieve the required overall sensitivity while maintaining complete charge draining for each individual component.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical outputs from multiple smaller light-sensing components are merged at the integrating unit to produce a combined signal that achieves the required light sensitivity. This merging allows the system to benefit from the complete charge draining of small components while maintaining the sensitivity equivalent to a single large component.
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
This approach enhances image capturing quality by eliminating image sticking and improving signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) while preventing light-path crosstalk, maintaining the same light sensitivity as units with larger light-sensing components.
Implementation Method 1
the photo diode stores electronic charges induced by the light in the potential well of the photo diode
Data Source
AI summary
The present application provides a pixel sensing unit applied in an image capturing device, wherein the pixel sensing unit is corresponding to a light-sensing area and outputs a pixel value corresponding to the pixel sensing unit. The pixel sensing unit comprise a plurality of sub-pixel sensing units, configured to a plurality of sub-pixel values, wherein the plurality of sub-pixel sensing units corresponding to a plurality of sub-light-sensing areas, a summation of the plurality of sub-light-sensing areas corresponds to the light-sensing area; and an integrating unit, configured to output the pixel value corresponding to the pixel sensing unit according to the plurality of sub-pixel values.