Vision Sensor Timestamp Sync for CMOS Event-Frame Matching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vision sensors face inefficiencies in synchronizing with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors, limiting their ability to support advanced functions like de-blur and super slow motion.

Innovation Solution

A vision sensor that utilizes a timestamp to synchronize with CMOS image sensors, generating internal trigger signals and event detection circuits to match image frame information, enabling efficient data transmission and processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If vision sensors synchronize in slave mode by receiving signals from a host, then synchronization is achieved, but synchronization efficiency is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesynchronization capabilityVSAvoidsynchronization efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the traditional slave-mode synchronization approach by enabling the vision sensor to generate and transmit its own timestamp signals to external devices. This allows the vision sensor to act as a master in the synchronization relationship, eliminating the efficiency limitations of slave-mode operation while maintaining reliable synchronization between the vision sensor and image sensor or other external devices

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Device complexity

If vision sensors operate independently without timestamp-based synchronization, then device complexity is reduced, but data matching between vision sensor and image sensor becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesynchronization mechanismVSAvoidtiming alignment information

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by having the vision sensor generate and attach timestamp information to its event signals before transmission. This timestamp serves as advance timing information that enables the external processor to correctly align and match vision sensor data with image sensor data without requiring complex real-time synchronization mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces timestamp information as an intermediary element that mediates between the vision sensor and external devices. This timestamp acts as a common reference that facilitates data matching and timing alignment without requiring direct complex communication or synchronization protocols between devices

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS12627764B2Vision sensor, image processing device including the same, and operating method of the vision sensor

Publication Date: 2026.05.12 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

Provided are a vision sensor, an image processing device including the same, and an operating method of the vision sensor. The vision sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of pixels, a synchronization control module configured to receive a synchronization signal from an external image sensor and generate an internal trigger signal based on the synchronization signal, an event detection circuit configured to receive the internal trigger signal and detect whether an event has occurred in the plurality of pixels and generate event signals corresponding to pixels in which the event has occurred, and an interface circuit configured to receive the event signals and transmit to an external processor vision sensor data based on the trigger signal and at least one of the event signals, where the vision sensor data includes matching information for timing image frame information generated by the image sensor and the event signals generated by the vision sensor.