MAKE YOUR NETWORK SMARTER

Image Quality (IQ)

Image sensors

ppt_aa2_p02_image_sensors_4.3_en_0609
The common task..

8To transform light (photons) into

electrons

8A simplified way to think about an image sensor is to think

of it as having a 2-D array of thousands of tiny solar cells,
each of which transforms the light from one small portion of
the image into electrons.
 Theory of operation

8 The amount of light that enters a

pixel on the sensor sets the
electrical “value” for the pixel.

ppt_aa2_p02_image_sensors_4.3_en_0609
 Adding color to an image sensor

8 CMOS & CCD’s are

normally “color blind”
8 Applying a color filter
(Bayer mask) in front of
the sensor allows
the sensor to assign
“values” to color.

ppt_aa2_p02_image_sensors_4.3_en_0609
 Number of pixels – Pixel size

When evaluating a sensor you

should be aware of:

8 Number of pixels
8 Sensor size
8 Pixel size

ppt_aa2_p02_image_sensors_4.3_en_0609
 Two main types
CCD CMOS
Charged Coupled Device Complementary Metal-Oxide-
Semiconductor

ppt_aa2_p02_image_sensors_4.3_en_0609
 CCD operation
CCD chip
Photodiodes (Pixels) Vertical shift registers

10011100100…

Horizontal
shift register

8 Vertical and horizontal shift registers are used for moving

charges out of the CCD through an external amplifier and
onwards to an external A/D conversion
ppt_aa2_p02_image_sensors_4.3_en_0609
 CMOS operation
CMOS chip
Bayer mask

10011100100…

10011100100…
10011100100…
10011100100…
Pixels

Amplification
A/D Conversion

8 The CMOS chip incorporates an amplifier & A/D converter.

Individual pixels can be read, allowing “Windowing”.

ppt_aa2_p02_image_sensors_4.3_en_0609
 CCD vs. CMOS

Integrated
CCD and CMOS Amplifier,
sensors mounted A/D Converter
Timing generator
on PCBs
Note the extra
components on the
CCD equipped
Sensor
Sensor PCB area
area

ppt_aa2_p02_image_sensors_4.3_en_0609
 Conceptions for CCD/CMOS
CCD CMOS

+ High image quality + Manufacturing cost

+ Good dynamics + Space efficient
(light sensitivity)
+ Windowing possibilities
+ Low noise

- Manufacturing cost - Light sensitivity

- Complex construction

ppt_aa2_p02_image_sensors_4.3_en_0609
 Summary CMOS sensors

8 CMOS sensors offer more integration (more functions on

the chip) than CCD sensors, lower power dissipation (at
the chip level), and smaller system size at the expense
of light sensitivity

8 CMOS-based cameras are neither inherently superior

nor inferior to CCDs. The choice depends on the
demands of the application

ppt_aa2_p02_image_sensors_4.3_en_0609
The concept of noise
 Types of noise

Fixed Pattern Noise Random Noise Banding Noise

Long Exposure Short Exposure Brightened Shadows

ppt_aa2_p02_image_sensors_4.3_en_0609
 Q&A

ppt_aa2_p02_image_sensors_4.3_en_0609