A 142dB Dynamic Range CMOS Image Sensor with Multiple Exposure Time Signals

An ultra wide dynamic range image sensor with a linear response is presented. The proposed extremely short accumulation (ESA) signal readout technique enables the dynamic range of image sensor to be expanded up to 142dB. Including the ESA signals, total of 4 different accumulation time signals are read out in one frame based on burst readout mode. To achieve the high-speed readout required for the multiple exposure signals, column parallel A/D converters are integrated at the upper and lower sides of pixel array. The improved column parallel cyclic 12-b ADC with a built-in CDS circuit has the differential non-linearity of plusmn0.3LSB

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