Patent Application
20180376044
This disclosure relates generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, to a device having a complementary metal oxide (CMOS) visual light (VL) and infrared (IR) imaging systems and methods thereof.
Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to the prior art by inclusion in this section.
A summary of certain embodiments disclosed herein is set forth below. It should be understood that these aspects are presented merely to provide the reader with a brief summary of these certain embodiments and that these aspects are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Indeed, this disclosure may encompass a variety of aspects that may not be set forth below.
Embodiments of the disclosure related to a device having a complementary metal oxide (CMOS) visual light (VL) and infrared (IR) imaging systems and methods thereof. The device may be a security device, a surveillance device, a consumer digital device, an electronic device, a thin client, a thick client, an automotive device, an object detector, as well as any suitable devices.
In one aspect of the disclosure, the device comprises a camera having a dual VL and IR imaging sensors, a readout assembly communicatively coupled to the dual VL and IR imaging sensors, an user interface for displaying an image captured by the camera, a processor for processing the captured image, and a memory for storing the processed image is located remotely from the device, the memory in communication with at least one of the user interface or the processor. The readout assembly comprises a readout circuit vertically stacked on the dual VL and IR imaging sensors. The dual VL and IR imaging sensors comprises a plurality of visual light (VL) imaging pixels for capturing first image data in response to the visual light (VL) and an infrared (IR) imaging pixels for capturing second image data in response to IR wavelength ranges between 850 nm and 14000000 nm, one of the VL imaging pixels or the IR imaging pixels are read out by the vertically stacked readout circuit. The device further comprises a column readout assembly, wherein the IR imaging pixels are read out by the column readout assembly and wherein the VL imaging pixels are read out by the vertically stacked readout circuit. The device further comprises a controller configured to operate at least one of the VL imaging pixels and the IR imaging pixels and switching elements connected to the controller to switch the camera between an IR imaging mode and a VL imaging mode. When the camera in the IR imaging mode, the VL imaging pixels are deactivated. When the camera in the IR imaging mode, the IR imaging pixels are deactivated.
In another aspect of the disclosure, a device comprises a camera having a dual VL and IR imaging sensors and a readout assembly communicatively coupled to the dual VL and IR imaging sensors, the readout assembly comprising a first readout circuit and a second readout circuit, an user interface for displaying an image captured by the camera, a processor for processing the captured image, and a memory for storing the processed image. The dual VL and IR imaging sensors comprises a plurality of visual light (VL) imaging pixels for capturing first image data in response to the visual light (VL) and an infrared (IR) imaging pixels for capturing second image data in response to IR wavelength ranges between 850 nm and 14000000 nm. The first readout circuit is vertically stacked on the dual VL and IR imaging sensors, at least one of the VL imaging pixels or the IR imaging pixels are read out by the first readout circuit. The second readout circuit is a column readout circuit and one of the VL imaging pixels or the IR imaging pixels are read out by the second readout circuit. The device further comprises a controller configured to operate at least one of the VL imaging pixels and the IR imaging pixels and switching elements connected to the controller to switch the camera between an IR imaging mode or a VL imaging mode. When the camera in the IR imaging mode, the VL imaging pixels are deactivated. When the camera in the IR imaging mode, the IR imaging pixels are deactivated. The camera further comprises a housing and a carrier mechanically coupled to the housing for encapsulating the camera, defining a camera package.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of this disclosure will become better understood when the following detailed description of certain exemplary embodiments is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like arts throughout the drawings, wherein:
The following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the described embodiments, and is provided in the context of a particular application and its requirements. Various modifications to the described embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the described embodiments. Thus, the described embodiments are not limited to the embodiments shown, but are to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.
Various operations may be described as multiple discrete actions or operations in turn, in a manner that is most helpful in understanding the claimed subject matter. However, the order of description should not be construed as to imply that these operations are necessarily order dependent. In particular, these operations may not be performed in the order of presentation. Operations described may be performed in a different order than the described embodiment. Various additional operations may be performed and/or described operations may be omitted in additional embodiments.
The super pixels imaging system 200 further comprises a controller 222 configured to operate the super pixels 220. The controller 222 is a control device that incorporates at least one of analog and digital control circuity to operate the super pixels imaging system 200. In some embodiments, the controller 222 is implemented using CMOS digital logic circuits that are physically integrated with the super pixels imaging system 200. In another embodiment, the controller 222 is a discrete control device that is operatively connected to the super pixels imaging system 200 either on a 3D stacked configuration system, mounted back-to-back configuration system, positioned side-by-side configuration system, or other suitable connection. During operation, the controller 222 is configured to operate the VL imaging sensor 208, the IR imaging sensor 206, or both the VL and IR imaging sensors. In one embodiment, the controller 222 operates switching elements in the pixels or super pixels within the imaging system to either switch the pixels or the system between an IR imaging mode and a VR imaging mode. In another embodiment, the controller 222 is connected to switching circuits for each pixel to control the operating mode of each pixel element. In yet another embodiment, the controller 222 is connected to switching circuits for each super pixel group to either activate or deactivate the VL imaging sensor and vice versa. In further yet another embodiment, based on the heat information detected by the IR imaging sensor, the controller 222 is connected to switching circuits for each super pixel group to either activate the VL imaging sensor when an object is presence and deactivate the VL imaging sensor when the object is not presence.
The super pixels imaging system 200 further comprises a processor for processing and evaluating sensor signals generated by the VL imaging sensor 208 and/or the IR imaging sensor 206 and an energy storage device 224 for providing energy power to operate the controller 222, the super pixels 220, and other components in the super pixels imaging system 200 when needed. The energy storage device 224 may be a battery, a super capacitor, or other suitable energy storage device. The super pixels imaging system 200 may be incorporate into security cameras, security devices, surveillance cameras, surveillance devices, consumer digital cameras, consumer digital devices, thin clients, thick clients, industrial machine vision systems, automotive cameras, home furnishing cameras, residential cameras, commercial cameras, object detectors, and so forth.
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The processed image or the captured image can be either locally stored on the memory 456, remotely stored on a cloud, or both, temporary or permanently. The captured image or processed image may then be transmitted to the display 458 for display.
The embodiments described above have been shown by way of example, and it should be understood that these embodiments may be susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms. It should be further understood that the claims are not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed, but rather to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling with the sprit and scope of this disclosure.
Embodiments within the scope of the disclosure may also include non-transitory computer-readable storage media or machine-readable medium for carrying or having computer-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Such non-transitory computer-readable storage media or machine-readable medium may be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer. By way of example, and not limitation, such non-transitory computer-readable storage media or machine-readable medium can comprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage, a cloud memory or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carry or store desired program code means in the form of computer-executable instructions or data structures. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of the non-transitory computer-readable storage media or machine-readable medium.
Embodiments may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by local and remote processing devices that are linked (either by hardwired links, wireless links, or by a combination thereof) through a communications network.
Computer-executable instructions include, for example, instructions and data which cause a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or special purpose processing device to perform a certain function or group of functions. Computer-executable instructions also include program modules that are executed by computers in stand-alone or network environments. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, and data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Computer-executable instructions, associated data structures, and program modules represent examples of the program code means for executing steps of the methods disclosed herein. The particular sequence of such executable instructions or associated data structures represents examples of corresponding acts for implementing the functions described in such steps.
While the patent has been described with reference to various embodiments, it will be understood that these embodiments are illustrative and that the scope of the disclosure is not limited to them. Many variations, modifications, additions, and improvements are possible. More generally, embodiments in accordance with the patent have been described in the context or particular embodiments. Functionality may be separated or combined in blocks differently in various embodiments of the disclosure or described with different terminology. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements may fall within the scope of the disclosure as defined in the claims that follow.
