Patent Document ID: 9413992
Application ID: 14243480
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A method of reading pixel data from a pixel array including a plurality of pixels, wherein the plurality of pixels is organized into a plurality of regions of pixels arranged in a pattern in the pixel array, the method comprising: exposing each one of a plurality of regions of pixels for a respective one of a plurality of exposure times; reading pixel data from the plurality of regions of pixels; for each respective one of the plurality of exposure times, determining an exposure ratio for each one of the plurality of regions of pixels, wherein the exposure ratio for each one of the plurality of regions of pixels for each respective one of the plurality of exposure times is equal to respective one of the plurality of exposure times divided by the exposure time for said one of the plurality regions of pixels; for each respective one of the plurality of exposure times, substituting the pixel data for each one of the plurality of regions of pixels for which the exposure ratio is less than a first threshold with the pixel data from said one of the plurality of regions of pixels multiplied by the exposure ratio for said one of the plurality of regions of pixels to generate an image in a plurality of images for each respective one of the plurality of exposure times; for each respective one of the plurality of exposure times, substituting the pixel data for each one of the plurality of regions of pixels for which the exposure ratio is greater than a second threshold with an interpolation of the pixel data from the one of the plurality of regions of pixels having said respective one of the plurality of exposure times to generate the image in the plurality of images for each respective one of the plurality of exposure times; and combining the plurality of images to produce a high dynamic range image.