Imaging device and method for high-sensitivity optical scanning and integrated circuit therefor
View Patent ↗An inspection system includes a CMOS integrated circuit having integrally formed thereon an at least two dimensional array of photosensors and providing an inspection output representing an object to be inspected. A defect analyzer is operative to receive the inspection output and to provide a defect report.
1. An imaging system comprising:
an integrated circuit comprising a two-dimensional array of photosensors, wherein the photosensors are configured to obtain a plurality of pixelated images, each of the plurality of images at least partially overlapping another of the plurality of images, and each of the plurality of images mutually offset from each other of the plurality of images by at least one pixel; and
a composite image generator configured to generate a composite image by digitally adding together corresponding pixels of said plurality of images, thereby providing a composite image.
2. The imaging system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of A/D converters which receive outputs from the two-dimensional array of photosensors and which output digital image data corresponding to each of the plurality of images; and
a memory;
wherein the composite image generator is configured to digitally add digital image data output by the plurality of A/D converters to digital image data previously stored in the memory.
3. The imaging system according to claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of digital registers configured to temporarily store the digital image data output from the plurality of A/D converters.
4. A camera comprising:
an integrated circuit comprising a two-dimensional array of photosensors, wherein the photosensors are configured to obtain a plurality of pixelated images, each of the plurality of images at least partially overlapping another of the plurality of images, and each of the plurality of images mutually offset from each other of the plurality of images by at least one pixel; and
a composite image generator which is configured to generate a composite image by digitally adding together corresponding pixels of said plurality of images, thereby providing a composite image.
5. The camera according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a plurality of A/D converters which receive outputs from the two-dimensional array of photosensors and which are configured to output digital image data corresponding to each of the plurality of images; and
a memory;
wherein the composite image generator is configured to digitally add digital image data output by the plurality of A/D converters to digital image data previously stored in the memory.
6. The camera according to claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of digital registers which are configured to temporarily store the digital image data output from the plurality of A/D converters.
7. A method for creating enhanced images, the method comprising:
acquiring a plurality of substantially overlapping pixelated images, each of the plurality of images at least partially overlapping another of the plurality of images, and each of the plurality of images mutually offset from each other of the plurality of images by at least one pixel; and
creating an enhanced image by digitally adding together corresponding pixels of said plurality of images.
8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the digitally adding comprises adding signal values corresponding to first pixels of a first one of the plurality of images to signal values corresponding to second pixels of a second one of the plurality of images, wherein the first pixels and the second pixels correspond to an overlapping portion of the first image and the second image.