US 12,489,983 B2
Imaging device including high sensitivity pixels and low sensitivity pixel
Kazuhiro Yahata, Tokyo (JP); Ken Sawada, Tokyo (JP); and Kunihiro Yamamoto, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to SK HYNIX INC., Icheon-si (KR)
Filed by SK hynix Inc., Icheon-si (KR)
Filed on Oct. 19, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/968,975.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2021-0139219 (KR), filed on Oct. 19, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0124606 A1, Apr. 20, 2023
Int. Cl. H04N 23/741 (2023.01); G06T 3/4015 (2024.01); G06T 7/13 (2017.01); G06V 10/143 (2022.01); G06V 10/25 (2022.01); G06V 10/60 (2022.01); G06V 10/75 (2022.01)
CPC H04N 23/741 (2023.01) [G06T 3/4015 (2013.01); G06T 7/13 (2017.01); G06V 10/143 (2022.01); G06V 10/25 (2022.01); G06V 10/60 (2022.01); G06V 10/751 (2022.01); G06T 2207/20208 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An imaging device comprising:
an image sensing device including a pixel array of sensing pixels comprising at least one first pixel for sensing incident light and having a first dynamic range represented by a first measurable high light intensity without saturating the at least one first pixel and a first measurable low light intensity relative to a pixel noise level of the at least one first pixel and at least one second pixel for sensing incident light and having a second dynamic range represented by a second measurable high light intensity without saturating the at least one second pixel that is higher than the first measurable high light intensity of the at least one first pixel and a second measurable low light intensity relative to a pixel noise level of the at least one second pixel, wherein the pixel array of sensing pixels is structured to have a ratio of a number of the at least one first pixel to all sensing pixels to be higher than a ratio of a number of at least one second pixel to all sensing pixels; and
an image signal processor configured to receive and process pixel data from the image sensing device to generate a high dynamic range (HDR) image corresponding to a larger dynamic range than the first dynamic range or the second dynamic range, based on pixel data of the at least one first pixel and pixel data of the at least one second pixel in the pixel array,
wherein the at least one first pixel and the at least one second pixel are configured to sense a scene at a same time point.