SPLIT PIXEL HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE SENSOR

摘要

A method of reading out a pixel includes photogenerating charge carriers during a single integration time in photodetectors of each one of a plurality of sub-pixels included in the pixel. Each one of the plurality of sub-pixels of the pixel has a same color filter. A floating diffusion node of the pixel is reset. The floating diffusion node is sampled to generate a reset output sample signal. Charge carriers that were photogenerated in a first portion of the plurality of sub-pixels are transferred to the floating diffusion node. The floating diffusion node is sampled to generate a first output sample signal. Charge carriers that were photogenerated in a second portion of the plurality of sub-pixels are transferred to the floating diffusion node. The floating diffusion node is sampled to generate a second output sample signal.

主权项

1. A method of acquiring image data from a pixel from a single exposure of a single image capture in a high dynamic range (HDR) image sensor, comprising:
photogenerating charge carriers during a single integration time in photodetectors of each one of a plurality of sub-pixels included in the pixel; resetting a shared floating diffusion of the pixel; sampling the shared floating diffusion to generate a reset output sample signal; transferring charge carriers that were photogenerated in a first portion of the plurality of sub-pixels the shared floating diffusion; sampling the shared floating diffusion to generate a first output sample signal; transferring charge carriers that were photogenerated in a second portion of the plurality of sub-pixels to the shared floating diffusion; and sampling the shared floating diffusion is sampled to generate a second output sample signal.