A High Dynamic Range CMOS Imager with a Light Adaptive System and Digital Outputs

The CMOS image sensors currently available on the market propose average performances such as: a dynamic range and a SNR about 60-70dB, a correct sensitivity (limited by the integration time and the small size of the photodiode) and a correction of the fixed pattern noise (FPN) carried out in the amplifier column. However, a lot of applications such as automobile safety or monitoring, require a greater dynamic range, often higher than 100dB to capture details at the same time in highlights and shadows of a scene.....