IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,544,862
Granted Patent B2
US 11,544,862 · App. 16/997,498 · Granted Jan 3, 2023

Image sensing device and operating method thereof

Inventor: Jong Hyun Bae (Gyeonggi-do, KR)
Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
G06T7/40G06T7/00H04N5/23235H04N5/23245H04N5/3454G06T2207/10024
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,544,862
App. No.
16/997,498
Granted
Jan 3, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

An image sensing device includes an analysis module suitable for analyzing, based on pixel values of a kernel, an image texture of the kernel including a target pixel group and one or more adjacent pixel groups, a sum module suitable for generating any one of a first target sum value and a second target sum value based on an analysis result of the analysis module, wherein first target sum value is obtained by applying texture characteristics of the kernel in target pixel values of the target pixel group and the second target sum value is obtained without applying the texture characteristics of the kernel in the target pixel values, and a processing module suitable for generating a sum image based on any one of the first and second target sum values.

Claims (41)

1. An image sensing device comprising:

an analysis module suitable for analyzing, based on pixel values of a kernel, an image texture of the kernel including a target pixel group and one or more adjacent pixel groups;

a sum module suitable for generating any one of a first target sum value and a second target sum value based on an analysis result of the analysis module, wherein first target sum value is obtained by applying texture characteristics of the kernel in target pixel values of the target pixel group and the second target sum value is obtained without applying the texture characteristics of the kernel in the target pixel values; and

a processing module suitable for generating a sum image based on any one of the first and second target sum values.

2. The image sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the image texture includes information indicating whether the kernel is an edge region or a flat region.

3. The image sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the analysis module includes:

a first calculation unit suitable for generating a characteristic value indicating a dynamic range of the kernel based on the pixel values of the kernel; and

an analysis unit suitable for analyzing the image texture of the kernel based on the characteristic value and a reference value.

4. The image sensing device of claim 3 , wherein the first calculation unit calculates the characteristic value by subtracting a minimum value from a maximum value among the pixel values of the kernel.

5. The image sensing device of claim 3 , wherein the analysis unit compares the characteristic value with the reference value and analyzes whether the image texture of the kernel is an edge region or a flat region according to a comparison result.

6. The image sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the sum module includes:

a second calculation unit suitable for generating one or more weights corresponding to the texture characteristics of the kernel based on the target pixel values of the target pixel group and adjacent pixel values of the adjacent pixel groups when the analysis result of the analysis module indicates that the image texture of the kernel is an edge region;

a first sum unit suitable for generating the first target sum value based on the weights and the target pixel values; and

a second sum unit suitable for generating the second target sum value based on the target pixel values when the analysis result of the analysis module indicates that the image texture of the kernel is a flat region.

7. The image sensing device of claim 1 , wherein the sum module calculates, as the texture characteristics of the kernel, weights of a reference pixel group of the adjacent pixel groups based on the pixel values of the kernel.

8. The image sensing device of claim 1 , wherein each of the target pixel group and adjacent pixel groups includes a plurality of pixels, and the plurality of pixels have the same color.

9. The image sensing device of claim 8 , wherein the same color includes a green color.

10. An image sensing device comprising:

an image sensor including a pixel array having a quad pattern, and suitable for sensing pixel values generated from the pixel array; and

an image processor suitable for calculating first to fourth weights corresponding to texture characteristics for each kernel based on the pixel values for each kernel, and generating a first target sum value for each kernel by applying the first to fourth weights respectively in first to fourth target pixel values for each kernel.

11. The image sensing device of claim 10 , wherein the image processor analyzes an image texture for each kernel, and generates the first target sum value for each kernel based on an analysis result, or generates a second target sum value for each kernel without applying the first to fourth weights in the first to fourth target pixel values.

12. The image sensing device of claim 11 , wherein the image texture includes information indicating whether the kernel is an edge region or a flat region.

13. The image sensing device of claim 10 ,

wherein each kernel within the pixel array includes a target pixel group, a reference pixel group and first to third peripheral pixel groups,

wherein each of the target pixel group, reference pixel group and first to third peripheral pixel groups includes first to fourth pixels, and

wherein the first to fourth pixels have the same color.

14. The image sensing device of claim 13 , wherein the same color includes a green color.

15. An operating method of an image sensing device, comprising:

entering a set mode;

analyzing, based on pixel values of a kernel, an image texture of the kernel including a target pixel group, a reference pixel group and first to third peripheral pixel groups;

calculating, when an analysis result of the image texture indicates that the kernel is an edge region, first to fourth weights based on target pixel values of the target pixel group, reference pixel values of the reference pixel group, first peripheral pixel values of the first peripheral pixel group, second peripheral pixel values of the second peripheral pixel group and third peripheral pixel values of the third peripheral pixel group; and

generating a first target sum value of the target pixel group based on the first to fourth weights and the target pixel values.

16. The operating method of claim 15 , wherein the set mode includes a low light level mode or a preview mode.

17. The operating method of claim 15 , further comprising:

generating a second target sum value of the target pixel group based on the target pixel values when the analysis result of the image texture indicates that the kernel is a flat region; and

generating a sum image based on any one of the first target sum value and the second target sum value.

18. The operating method of claim 15 , wherein the calculating of the first to fourth weights includes:

calculating the first weight based on a ratio of a value obtained by summing up the first peripheral pixel values and a value obtained by summing up the reference pixel values;

calculating the second weight based on a ratio of a value obtained by summing up the second peripheral pixel values and a value obtained by summing up the reference pixel values;

calculating the third weight based on a ratio of a value obtained by summing up the third peripheral pixel values and a value obtained by summing up the reference pixel values; and

calculating the fourth weight based on a ratio of a value obtained by summing up the target pixel values and a value obtained by summing up the reference pixel values.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 19, 2020
From: BAE, JONG HYUN
To: SK HYNIX INC.
Reel/Frame 053541/0929 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2020-0027109 · Mar 4, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210279899A1 · Sep 9, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,718,545