US 12,445,736 B2
Systems and methods for generating a digital image
William Rivard, Menlo Park, CA (US); Adam Feder, Mountain View, CA (US); and Brian Kindle, Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Assigned to DUELIGHT LLC, Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Filed by Duelight LLC, Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Filed on Oct. 30, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/932,436.
Application 18/932,436 is a continuation in part of application No. 18/646,581, filed on Apr. 25, 2024.
Application 18/646,581 is a continuation of application No. 17/321,166, filed on May 14, 2021, granted, now 12,003,864, issued on Jun. 4, 2024.
Application 17/321,166 is a continuation of application No. 16/857,016, filed on Apr. 23, 2020, granted, now 11,025,831, issued on Jun. 1, 2021.
Application 16/857,016 is a continuation of application No. 16/519,244, filed on Jul. 23, 2019, granted, now 10,652,478, issued on May 12, 2020.
Application 16/519,244 is a continuation of application No. 15/891,251, filed on Feb. 7, 2018, granted, now 10,382,702, issued on Aug. 13, 2019.
Application 15/891,251 is a continuation of application No. 14/823,993, filed on Aug. 11, 2015, granted, now 9,918,017, issued on Mar. 13, 2018.
Application 14/823,993 is a continuation in part of application No. 14/702,549, filed on May 1, 2015, granted, now 9,531,961, issued on Dec. 27, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2025/0071430 A1, Feb. 27, 2025
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04N 23/741 (2023.01); G06T 5/50 (2006.01); H04N 23/68 (2023.01); H04N 23/72 (2023.01); H04N 23/76 (2023.01)
CPC H04N 23/741 (2023.01) [G06T 5/50 (2013.01); H04N 23/6811 (2023.01); H04N 23/72 (2023.01); H04N 23/76 (2023.01); G06T 2207/20208 (2013.01); G06T 2207/20221 (2013.01)] 286 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus, comprising:
an image sensor including a plurality of cells including: a first cell having a first photodiode generating a first analog signal, and a second cell having a second photodiode generating a second analog signal, for being utilized to generate at least a portion of one or more line analog signals that correspond to a line of cells of the image sensor;
a line in communication with the plurality of cells, the line communicating the one or more line analog signals;
a first analog-to-digital channel in communication with the line, the first analog-to-digital channel capable of receiving at least one of the one or more line analog signals for conversion thereof to a first line digital signal;
a second analog-to-digital channel in communication with the line, the second analog-to-digital channel capable of receiving at least one of the one or more line analog signals for conversion thereof to a second line digital signal; and
circuitry in communication with the first analog-to-digital channel and the second analog-to-digital channel, the circuitry capable of receiving at least one of the first line digital signal or the second line digital signal, for image generation;
wherein the apparatus is configured such that a first gain and a second gain are capable of being applied before the image generation;
wherein the apparatus is configured such that different adjacent cells of the image sensor correspond with a same color of light, and are subject to:
for a first image, a first sampling for which one or more analog signals generated by each of the different adjacent cells corresponding with the same color of light is sampled and combined before being utilized to generate at least a portion of at least one first line analog signal that corresponds to a line associated with the different adjacent cells of the image sensor, and
for a second image, a second sampling for which one or more analog signals generated by at least a subset of the different adjacent cells corresponding with the same color of light is sampled without being combined with any analog signal generated by any other of the different adjacent cells corresponding with the same color of light before being utilized to generate at least a portion of at least one second line analog signal that corresponds to the line associated with the different adjacent cells of the image sensor.