US 12,225,316 B2
Image sensors with on-chip ADC data compression for multi-bit electron-number outputs
Jiaju Ma, Monrovia, CA (US)
Assigned to Gigajot Technology, Inc., Glendale, CA (US)
Filed by Gigajot Technology, Inc., Glendale, CA (US)
Filed on Dec. 22, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/145,838.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/294,263, filed on Dec. 28, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0209226 A1, Jun. 29, 2023
Int. Cl. H04N 25/78 (2023.01); H04N 23/60 (2023.01); H04N 23/80 (2023.01); H04N 25/63 (2023.01); H04N 25/633 (2023.01); H04N 25/75 (2023.01); H04N 25/772 (2023.01)
CPC H04N 25/78 (2023.01) [H04N 23/60 (2023.01); H04N 23/80 (2023.01); H04N 25/63 (2023.01); H04N 25/633 (2023.01); H04N 25/75 (2023.01); H04N 25/772 (2023.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image sensor, comprising:
a plurality of pixels configured to generate analog signals corresponding to a digital image based on photoelectrons accumulated by the pixels when exposed to light;
one or more analog-to-digital conversion circuits configured to convert the analog signals to digital signals of the digital image, wherein the digital signals include (a) a first set of digital signals of the digital image individually having a value corresponding to an integer number of discrete photoelectrons and (b) a second set of digital signals of the digital image individually having a value between values of the first set of digital signals so as to correspond to a non-integer number of discrete photoelectron; and
a quantization circuit configured to convert the second set of digital signals to a third set of digital signals of the digital image, wherein the third set of digital signals individually has a value corresponding to an integer number of discrete photoelectrons.