New Pixel Design for High Dynamic Range at Low Cost - Isis Project No 6614

An image pixel design with a high dynamic range and improved low light performance for sensors in cost-sensitive applications such as automotive, industrial, security and consumer products.

Marketing Opportunity

The market for electronic imaging sensors incorporated in a wide-range of systems, including digital cameras, mobile telephones, computers and sensors is huge. These cost-sensitive markets have spurred the development of single chip CMOS cameras. The vast majority of these cameras create an image by integrating the photocurrent within each pixel for a predetermined period. This creates a voltage that is proportional to the photon flux at the corresponding pixel and is a simple imaging strategy that achieves a large enough dynamic range for scenes with relatively uniform levels of illumination. However, many scenes can have a much wider dynamic range and as a result scenes are either underexposed in the darker areas, overexposed in the brighter areas or both. This is a particular problem for surveillance systems and can actually be dangerous for applications such as automotive.

A new pixel design has therefore been developed to increase the dynamic range of imaging sensors through a logarithmic response. The new design also has improved low light performance.

The Oxford Invention

The Oxford invention uses a pixel design that is similar to a conventional integrating pixel but with a wide dynamic range and improved low light sensitivity. The new pixel can be controlled by the user to create either a true logarithmic response or a response equivalent to a global tone-mapping generator. This pixel is also easy to describe mathematically, which means that it is straightforward to determine the reference voltage that will create a particular pixel response. This new design offers a better quality and more information from any image. The new pixel will be ideal for low-cost, high volume but nonetheless demanding applications such as automotive sensors.

Patent Status

This work is the subject of a patent application and Isis would like to talk to companies interested in developing commercial opportunities. Please contact the Isis Project Manager.

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