Abstract: A local enhancement method is provided, including: dividing an image into a plurality of blocks, which include a first block and a second block adjacent to the first block; generating histograms of the blocks respectively; generating enhancement functions of the blocks respectively based on the corresponding histograms, wherein the enhancement functions include at least a first contrast enhancement function of the first block and a second contrast enhancement function of the second block; and for each pixel in the blocks: generating a first enhanced pixel value for a current pixel of the first block based on the first contrast enhancement; generating a second enhanced pixel value for the current pixel of the first block based on the second contrast function of the second block; and generating a final enhanced pixel value for the current pixel based on the first and second enhanced pixel values.

Abstract: A process of forming a semiconductor device includes second-type blanket implanting a first-type semiconductor substrate to form a second-type implant layer therein; second-type implanting the semiconductor substrate through a first mask to form second-type wells in a second region of the semiconductor substrate; and first-type implanting the semiconductor substrate through a second mask to form isolations in a first region of the semiconductor substrate and to compensate complementary sub-regions of the second region.

Abstract: An image processing system adaptable to a dual-mode image device includes an adaptive color correction system coupled to receive an image, and configured to adaptively correct for color distortion according to a chief ray angle (CRA) of a pixel of the image and an IR signal from the dual-mode image device associated with a light source.

Abstract: An embodiment of a local enhancement apparatus is provided, in which a block divider divides an image into a plurality of blocks, and a first enhancement unit performs a brightness-preserved enhancement on each block of the plurality of blocks to generate a brightness-preserved block. A second enhancement unit performs a brightness-adjusted enhancement on the each block to generate a brightness-adjusted block. A scene dynamic range estimator generates a dynamic range of the image according to characteristics of the image. A blender blends the brightness-preserved blocks and the brightness-adjusted blocks to generate an enhanced image based on the dynamic range.

Abstract: A method of adaptively reducing power consumption in an image sensor includes using an electronic rolling shutter to reset pixels of the image sensor row by row. Signal charges are read out from the pixels row by row, followed by obtaining an integration time and a frame height. A power-saving signal is generated when the integration time is substantially greater than the frame height, and at least a circuitry that is not required to operate during an active period of the power-saving signal is turned off.

Abstract: A method of color processing includes providing a color and white filter array placed over an image sensor, thereby generating converted color and white signals; interpolating the converted white signals to generate interpolated white signals; interpolating white-chroma differences between the converted color signals and the converted white signals to generate interpolated white-chroma difference signals; and transforming the interpolated white signal and the interpolated white-chroma difference signals into a color space, thereby generating transformed color signals.

Abstract: A pixel circuit includes a plurality of pixel units, and one of the pixel units includes a photosensor, a readout circuit, and a switch circuit. The readout circuit is coupled to a supply voltage and the photosensor, which includes a floating diffusion node for storing data of the photosensor and an output node for outputting data of the floating diffusion node. The switch circuit is coupled between the photosensor and a tail node, wherein the tail node is coupled to the floating diffusion node of another pixel unit.

Abstract: An embodiment of a local enhancement apparatus is provided, in which a block divider divides an image into a plurality of blocks, and a first enhancement unit performs a brightness-preserved enhancement on each block of the plurality of blocks to generate a brightness-preserved block. A second enhancement unit performs a brightness-adjusted enhancement on the each block to generate a brightness-adjusted block. A scene dynamic range estimator generates a dynamic range of the image according to characteristics of the image. A blender blends the brightness-preserved blocks and the brightness-adjusted blocks to generate an enhanced image based on the dynamic range.

Abstract: A shared active pixel sensor with a shared photodiode, a shared sense node, a transfer gate, a shared reset gate and a shared source follower gate is disclosed. A shared photodiode includes at least a first signal node and a second signal node. A shared sense node electrically connected to the shared photodiode. A transfer gate disposed between the first signal node and the shared sense node to control the first signal node and the shared sense node. A shared reset gate is electrically connected to the shared sense node and a shared source follower gate reads a photocurrent from the shared photodiode.

Abstract: A color processing system includes a color interpolation unit coupled to receive color and white (W) signals and accordingly generate interpolated white signals and difference signals; a color correction unit configured to correct the difference signals, thereby resulting in corrected color signals; and a sensitivity control unit configured to generate adjusted color signals according to the corrected color signals, the interpolated white signals, and surrounding illumination.

Abstract: A local enhancement method is provided, including: dividing an image into a plurality of blocks, which include a first block and a second block adjacent to the first block; generating histograms of the blocks respectively; generating enhancement functions of the blocks respectively based on the corresponding histograms, wherein the enhancement functions include at least a first contrast enhancement function of the first block and a second contrast enhancement function of the second block; and for each pixel in the blocks: generating a first enhanced pixel value for a current pixel of the first block based on the first contrast enhancement; generating a second enhanced pixel value for the current pixel of the first block based on the second contrast function of the second block; and generating a final enhanced pixel value for the current pixel based on the first and second enhanced pixel values.

Abstract: A method for eliminating flicker of a multi-exposure imaging system is provided. The method includes the steps of: capturing a long exposure image based on a long exposure from a scene; capturing a short exposure image based on a short exposure from the scene; obtaining an exposure ratio of the long exposure to the short exposure; generating a long accumulated value by accumulating pixel values of a portion of the long exposure image; generating a short accumulated value by accumulating pixel values of a portion of the short exposure image corresponding to the portion of the long exposure image; and generating a flicker gain according to the long average value, the short average value and the exposure ratio.

Abstract: A sensing device is provided. The sensing device includes a plurality of pixel groups and a readout circuit. The pixel groups are arranged on a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns to form a pixel array. The pixel groups include a first pixel group and a second pixel group which are arranged on the different rows and the same column. The readout circuit is coupled to the pixel groups. When the first pixel group is triggered to perform a readout operation to generate a first sensing signal, the second pixel group performs a coupling operation to generate a reference signal. The readout circuit performs a subtraction operation based on the first sensing signal and the reference signal to generate a first readout data corresponding to the readout operation of the first pixel group.

Abstract: An image sensor is provided in the present invention, including a plurality of optical elements, wherein each optical element includes a semiconductor substrate, a dielectric layer and a color filter set. The semiconductor substrate includes a plurality of photosensitive units. The dielectric layer is disposed above the semiconductor substrate and includes a plurality of notches. The color filter set is disposed above the dielectric layer and includes a plurality of filter units and a plurality of convex substances corresponding to the filter units, and the convex substances and the notches are engaged with each other, wherein the convex substances and the notches change in accordance with the distance to the center of the image sensor.

Abstract: A pixel circuit includes a plurality of pixel units, and one of the pixel units includes a photosensor, a readout circuit, and a switch circuit. The readout circuit is coupled to a supply voltage and the photosensor, which includes a floating diffusion node for storing data of the photosensor and an output node for outputting data of the floating diffusion node. The switch circuit is coupled between the photosensor and a tail node, wherein the tail node is coupled to the floating diffusion node of another pixel unit.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a two dimensional array of pixel elements, a color filter array, and a digital circuit. The color filter array is superimposed on and in registration with the two dimensional array of pixel elements. The color filter array includes a first group of selectively transmissive filters and a second group of selectively transmissive filters. The first group of selectively transmissive filters is arranged to selectively transmit spectral energy in M colors of the visible spectrum, wherein M is larger than two. The second group of selectively transmissive filters is arranged to selectively transmit spectral energy in N colors of the visible spectrum, wherein any selectively transmissive filter of the first and the second groups of selectively transmissive filters is arranged to transmit spectral energy in one specific color of the visible spectrum, and N is larger than M. An associated illuminant estimation method is also provided.

Abstract: A sensing device is provided. The sensing device includes a plurality of pixel groups and a readout circuit. The pixel groups are arranged on a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns to form a pixel array. The pixel groups include a first pixel group and a second pixel group which are arranged on the different rows and the same column. The readout circuit is coupled to the pixel groups. When the first pixel group is triggered to perform a readout operation to generate a first sensing signal, the second pixel group performs a coupling operation to generate a reference signal. The readout circuit performs a subtraction operation based on the first sensing signal and the reference signal to generate a first readout data corresponding to the readout operation of the first pixel group.

Abstract: A shared active pixel sensor with a shared photodiode, a shared sense node, a transfer gate, a shared reset gate and a shared source follower gate is disclosed. A shared photodiode includes at least a first signal node and a second signal node. A shared sense node electrically connected to the shared photodiode. A transfer gate disposed between the first signal node and the shared sense node to control the first signal node and the shared sense node. A shared reset gate is electrically connected to the shared sense node and a shared source follower gate reads a photocurrent from the shared photodiode.

Abstract: A camera array system includes an image sensor device, a hybrid color filter array disposed above the image sensor device, and a lens array disposed above the hybrid color filter array. The hybrid color filter array includes plural kinds of monochromatic color filters and at least one mosaic filter; and the lens array includes a number of optic lenses. The at least one mosaic filter is utilized to perform stereo matching in order to estimate depth information.

Abstract: In a system and method of reducing noise, an image sensor with a color filter array (CFA) outputs raw data, and a noise reduction device corrects the raw data according to distances between an original current pixel and neighboring same-color pixels in a process mask, thereby generating a new current pixel so as to output corrected raw data. A color interpolation device couples to receive the corrected raw data to result in full-color data.