Patent ID: 8493492

Claim:
A method for producing an image captured by an image sensor comprising (i) a charge multiplying output channel that produces pixel signals corresponding to entire charge packets that will not saturate the charge multiplying output channel, and (ii) a charge bypass output channel that produces pixel signals corresponding to entire charge packets that will saturate the charge multiplying output channel, the method comprising: receiving a plurality of charge packets from a pixel array and, for each charge packet, (i) processing the entire charge packet to produce a pixel signal having a gain G 1 and (ii) determining if the charge packet will saturate the charge multiplying output channel; directing one or more entire charge packets that will not saturate the charge multiplying output channel to the charge multiplying output channel; for each charge packet directed to the charge multiplying output channel, processing the charge packet to produce a pixel signal having a gain G 3 ; directing one or more entire charge packets that will saturate the charge multiplying output channel to the charge bypass output channel; for each charge packet directed to the charge bypass output channel, processing the charge packet to produce a pixel signal having a gain G 2 ; determining a gain factor G 3 /G 2 by multiplying (i) a ratio of pixel signals having gains of G 3 and G 1 processed from the same charge packet with (ii) a ratio of pixel signals having gains of G 1 and G 2 processed from the same charge packet; and combining the pixel signals produced by the charge multiplying output channel with the pixel signals produced by the charge bypass output channel to produce the image, applying the gain factor G 3 /G 2 to the pixel signals produced by the charge bypass output channel thereduring.