TIME DELAY INTEGRATION IMAGE SENSOR WITH DETECTION OF TRAVELLING ERRORS

摘要

The invention relates to time delay integration (TDI) image sensors. The sensor includes means for detecting a shift of the sensor with respect to the image. The pixel matrix is divided in the column direction into at least a first and a second sub-matrix (Ma, Mb). On each side of each sub-matrix are arranged groups of additional columns (GRa1, GRb1, GRa2, GRb2). The shifts (Db2−Da2, Db3−Da3, etc.) in relative position of these groups between the first and the second sub-matrices are different from each other and make it possible to detect a relative shift of the sensor during travel. More precisely, the signals originating from groups of columns of same rank associated with the two sub-matrices are compared. The pair of groups that delivers the pair of signals that are closest to each other defines the probable shift of the sensor with respect to the image: this shift is equal to the relative position difference of these two groups.

主权项

1. A time delay integration matrix image sensor, comprising a matrix of N rows and P columns of pixels organized with a constant row and column pitch, with means for summing the signals issued from N pixels having seen one and the same point of an image observed over N steps of charge integration, wherein:
the matrix is divided into at least a first and a second sub-matrix succeeding each other in the column direction, the signals integrated by the columns of a sub-matrix being readable independently of the signals integrated by the columns of the other sub-matrices; on each side of each sub-matrix are arranged at least a first and a second group of additional columns associated with this side of the sub-matrix; the groups of columns associated with one side of the second sub-matrix are identical to the groups of columns associated with the same side of the first sub-matrix and to each group associated with the first sub-matrix is made to correspond a respective group of the second sub-matrix, the relative position of the second group associated with the first sub-matrix being different from the relative position of the second corresponding group of the second sub-matrix, the relative position of a group being defined with respect to the position of the sub-matrix corresponding to this group, and the difference between said relative positions of the two second corresponding groups being less than the pitch of the pixels of the matrix; and the sensor furthermore comprises means for mutually comparing the integrated signals originating from the corresponding groups of columns of the two sub-matrices and means for selecting, among the pairs of corresponding groups, the pair that provides the signals that are closest to each other, the relative position difference of the groups of the selected pair representing an item of information about the relative shift between the sensor and the observed image.