An information communication method of transmitting a signal is provided that uses a change in luminance. The method includes determining a pattern of the change in luminance by modulating the signal to be transmitted, and transmitting the signal by a light emitter changing in luminance according to the determined pattern. The pattern of the change in luminance is a pattern in which one of two different luminance values occurs in each arbitrary position in a predetermined duration. The determining a pattern of change in luminance includes dividing the predetermined duration into four duration units, so that one of two different luminance value occurs in one duration unit of the four duration units and the other luminance value of the two different luminance value occurs in three duration units of the four duration units, the three duration units are other than the one duration unit.

Information communication method

A method of operating an image sensor. Charge accumulated in a photodiode during a first sub-exposure may be selectively stored in a storage node responsive to a first control signal. Charge accumulated in the photodiode during a first reset period may be selectively discarded responsive to a second control signal. Charge accumulated in the photodiode during a second sub-exposure may be selectively stored responsive to the first control signal. Charge stored in the storage node from the first and second sub-exposures may be transferred to a floating diffusion node responsive to a third control signal.

Exposure control for image sensors

A visible light signal transmitting method includes: determining a luminance change pattern to transmit the visible light signal; switching a common switch according to the luminance change pattern, the common switch being for turning ON a plurality of light sources in common; and turning ON a first pixel switch, to cause the first light source to be ON for a period in which the common switch is ON and the first pixel switch is ON, to transmit the visible light signal, the first light source being one of the plurality of light sources. In the turning ON of a first pixel switch, when the image is displayed on the display, the first pixel switch is switched to increase a lighting period that corresponds to the first light source, to compensate a period in which the first light source is OFF for transmission of the visible light signal.

Transmitting method, transmitting apparatus, and program

Pixel binning is performed by summing charge from some pixels positioned diagonally in a pixel array. Pixel signals output from pixels positioned diagonally in the pixel array may be combined on the output lines. A signal representing summed charge produces a binned 2×1 cluster. A signal representing combined voltage signals produces a binned 2×1 cluster. A signal representing summed charge and a signal representing combined pixel signals can be combined digitally to produce a binned 2×2 pixel. Orthogonal binning may be performed on other pixels in the pixel array by summing charge on respective common sense regions and then then combining the voltage signals that represent the summed charge on respective output lines.

Pixel binning in an image sensor

The embodiment of the invention provides a display screen state control method and device. The display screen state control method comprises the steps of transmitting a detecting signal by a signal transmitter; receiving reflective signals which are formed by reflecting the detecting signal through an external object respectively by a first signal receiver and a second signal receiver; judging the size relationship between the intensity of the reflective signal received by the first signal receiver and a first threshold value to obtain a first judgment result; judging the size relationship between the intensity of the reflective signal received by the second signal receiver and a second threshold value to obtain a second judgment result; and controlling the state of the display screen based on the first judgment result and the second judgment result. Through the scheme, the state of the display screen is controlled through the intensity of the signals received by the two signal receivers, circumstances of erroneously judging that the terminal is close to or far away from the external object can be accordingly reduced, and the accuracy of state control of the display screen can be further improved.

Display screen state control method and device

An image sensor includes an imaging area and one or more flicker detection regions The imaging area includes pixels that capture one or more images Each flicker detection region includes pixels that are sampled multiple times while an image is being captured The samples can be analyzed to detect flicker in the scene being imaged

Image Sensor Flicker Detection

A system and method for estimating an ambient light condition is using an image sensor of a digital camera. An array of pixels is obtained using the image sensor. A matrix of grid elements is defined. Each grid element comprises multiple adjacent pixels of the array of pixels. A first measurement value is generated for a grid element of the matrix of grid elements based on the pixels associated with the grid element. A set of grid elements are identified having a first measurement value that satisfies a brightness criteria. A second measurement is generated using the identified set of grid elements. A simulated-light-sensor array is generated using the second measurement value. An estimate of the ambient light condition is calculated using the simulated-light-sensor array.

System and method for estimating an ambient light condition using an image sensor and field-of-view compensation

An image sensor includes pixels that accumulate charge during a first integration period and pixels that accumulate charge during shorter second integration periods when an image is captured. The pixels having the shorter second integration period accumulate charge at two or more different times during the first integration period. Charge is read out of the pixels associated with the first integration period at the end of the first integration period, while charge is read out of the pixels having the second integration period at the end of each second integration period.

Image sensor having pixels with different integration periods

An image sensor and a method of operating an image sensor to achieve a substantially uniform power signature. An array of pixels may be scanned using analog sensing circuitry to obtain an analog sensor output. The scanning is performed over a first time interval. The analog sensor output is converted to a digital data output using digital logic circuitry. The converting occurs over a second time interval that is subsequent to the first time interval and may be substantially the same duration as the first time interval. While the array of pixels are being scanned, the digital logic circuitry is operated over the first time interval and substantially coincides with the scanning of the array of pixels.

Image Sensor Having a Uniform Digital Power Signature

A controller for an image sensor includes a mode selector that receives a selection between image capture mode and data capture mode. An exposure sensor collects exposure data for a scene falling on the image sensor. A command interface sends commands to the image sensor to cause the image sensor to capture an image with a rolling reset shutter operation in which an integration interval for the image sensor is set based on the exposure data if the image capture mode is selected. The integration interval for the image sensor is set to less than two row periods, preferably close to one row period, without regard to the exposure data if the data capture mode is selected. An analog gain may be increased to as large a value as possible in data capture mode. All pixels in a row may be summed before AD conversion in data capture mode.

Michael R. Malone

Papers

Image Sensor Flicker Detection

System and method for estimating an ambient light condition using an image sensor and field-of-view compensation

Image sensor having pixels with different integration periods

Image Sensor Having a Uniform Digital Power Signature

Optical demodulation using an image sensor