Employment of frame accumulation and shaped function for upgrading low-light-level image detection sensitivity

Abstract

We demonstrate a novel method that employs a frame-accumulation and shaped-function technique to improve an image sensor's detection sensitivity using probability statistics. It can obtain the unbiased estimate for the low-light-level image signal, thus upgrading the signal-to-noise ratio to a high degree. It was verified by an experiment in a sealed box. By the help of a variable light beam-shaped function saw-tooth signal in front of a camera, the low-light-level shadow image that was invisible to the camera could be revealed clearly from the frame accumulation data. The method can surpass an image sensor's detection limitation.