Hdr Imaging With Quanta Image Sensors Theoretical Limits And Optimal Reconstruction

• doi: 10.1109/TCI.2020.3041093
• title: HDR Imaging With Quanta Image Sensors: Theoretical Limits and Optimal Reconstruction
• publisher: IEEE
• isbn:
• issn: 2573-0436
• rank: 2555
• access_type: LOCKED
• content_type: Journals
• abstract: High dynamic range (HDR) imaging is one of the biggest achievements in modern photography. Traditional solutions to HDR imaging are designed for and applied to CMOS image sensors (CIS). However, the mainstream one-micron CIS cameras today generally have a high read noise and low frame-rate. Consequently, these sensors have limited acquisition speed, making the cameras slow in the HDR mode. In this paper, we propose a new computational photography technique for HDR imaging. Recognizing the limitations of CIS, we use the Quanta Image Sensors (QIS) to trade spatial-temporal resolution with bit-depth. QIS are single-photon image sensors that have comparable pixel pitch to CIS but substantially lower dark current and read noise. We provide a complete theoretical characterization of the sensor in the context of HDR imaging, by proving the fundamental limits in the dynamic range that QIS can offer and its trade-offs with noise and speed. In addition, we derive an optimal reconstruction algorithm for single-bit and multi-bit QIS. Our algorithm is theoretically optimal for all linear reconstruction schemes based on exposure bracketing. Experimental results confirm the validity of the theory and algorithm, based on synthetic and real QIS data.
• article_number: 9272842
• pdf_url: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=9272842
• html_url: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9272842/
• abstract_url: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9272842/
• publication_title: IEEE Transactions on Computational Imaging
• conference_location:
• conference_dates:
• publication_number: 6745852
• is_number: 8977810
• publication_year: 2020
• publication_date: 2020
• start_page: 1571
• end_page: 1585
• citing_paper_count: 29
• citing_patent_count: 0
• download_count: 1086
• insert_date: 20201127
• index_terms:
  • ieee_terms:
    • Imaging
    • Image sensors
    • Single-photon avalanche diodes
    • Image reconstruction
    • Signal to noise ratio
    • Sensors
    • Dynamic range
  • author_terms:
    • QIS
    • high dynamic range
    • signal-to-noise ratio
    • photon counting
  • dynamic_index_terms:
    • Image Sensor
    • Theoretical Limit
    • High Dynamic Range
    • Optimal Reconstruction
    • High Dynamic Range Image
    • Quanta Image Sensor
    • Dynamic Range
    • Reconstruction Algorithm
    • Dark Current
    • High Frame Rate
    • Pixel Pitch
    • Low Dark Current
    • Signal-to-noise
    • Mean Square Error
    • Linear Combination
    • Denoising
    • Integration Time
    • Linear Method
    • Image Reconstruction
    • Linear Response
    • Single-photon Avalanche Diode
    • Low Dynamic Range
    • Dynamic Scenes
    • Multiple Exposures
    • Multiple Frames
    • Peak Signal-to-noise Ratio
    • Reconstruction Method
    • Lookup Table
    • Analog-to-digital Converter
    • Photon Counting
• authors:
  • Author Name: Abhiram Gnanasambandam
    Affiliation: School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37086366362
    ID: 37086366362
    Order: 1
    Author Affiliations:
    • School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
  • Author Name: Stanley H. Chan
    Affiliation: School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37600910000
    ID: 37600910000
    Order: 2
    Author Affiliations:
    • School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA

Image Sensor

• sensor_type: Quanta Image Sensor (QIS)
• resolution: Not explicitly stated (context suggests high resolution due to single-photon sensitivity and small pixel pitch)
• dynamic_range: 74 dB (1-bit QIS); 127 dB (HDR image reconstruction)
• pixel_size: 1.1 μm
• dark_current: <0.1 e-/pix/s

Optical Data

• focal_length: Not specified
• aperture: Not specified
• field_of_view: Not specified
• distortion: Not specified

Performance Metrics

• frame_rate: >1000 fps
• signal_to_noise_ratio: <0.25 e-r.m.s. read noise, higher than CMOS for same total integration time
• sensitivity: High sensitivity due to single-photon counting capability
• noise: 0.25 e- (read noise)

Applications & Benefits

• cell_imaging: QIS offers superior low-light imaging capabilities suitable for biological imaging and applications requiring high dynamic range.
• benefits: Higher SNR, dynamic range, and effective low-light performance compared to conventional CMOS.

Supporting Organizations

• supported_by: National Science Foundation, Gigajot Technology Inc., Dartmouth College

Manuscript Details

• publication_date: 2020

Relevancy Score

• score: 10
• missing_fields:
  • focal_length
  • aperture
  • field_of_view
  • distortion
  • power_consumption
  • shutter_speed

Processed JSON Filename

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