Method and Apparatus for Detecting Camera Sensor Intensity Saturation

Abstract

A method for detecting intensity saturation of a light sensor includes monitoring an electrical signal from a light sensor for detecting an intensity saturation condition of at least one pixel of the light sensor, converting the electrical signal to a digital signal, imposing a reserved bit combination on the digital signal indicating the intensity saturation condition of the pixel, and transmitting a control signal in response to the digital signal to compensate for the intensity saturation condition of the pixel. Alternatively stated, the method includes monitoring pixel data from an output of a light sensor to determine a number of pixels at saturation and a number of pixels near saturation, comparing the number of pixels at saturation to a predetermined first threshold number, comparing the number of pixels near saturation to a predetermined second threshold number, reprogramming the light sensor to adapt to more brightness if the number of pixels at saturation is above the first threshold number, and reprogramming the light sensor to adapt to less brightness if the number of pixels near saturation is below the second threshold number. An apparatus for detecting intensity saturation of a light sensor includes a saturation detector for detecting and measuring an intensity saturation condition of at least one pixel of a light sensor, the intensity saturation condition of the pixel being at saturation upon receiving light with an intensity above a predetermined level, the saturation detector emitting a digital signal with a reserved bit combination indicating the intensity saturation condition of the pixel, and a processor receiving and processing the digital signal from the saturation detector and transmitting a control signal in response to the digital signal to compensate for the intensity saturation condition of the pixel.

1 . A method for adjusting an aperture of a digital camera comprising:
 sensing an analog output of a light sensor that is coupled to a programmable analog-to-digital converter; and   controlling said analog-to-digital converter based, at least in part, upon the sensing of said analog output of said light sensor.   
     
     
         2 . An electronic aperture for a camera comprising:
 a sensor;   an analog-to-digital converter coupled to said sensor and having having a reference input; and   circuitry coupled to said reference input to incrementally adjust a range of said analog-to-digital converter.