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Hardware

Global shutter

ActivePublished
Key innovation
Exposes all sensor pixels simultaneously instead of scanning the scene row by row like a rolling shutter, eliminating motion-induced distortion.
Category
Hardware
Abstraction level
Primitive
Operation level
DataRobot control
Use cases
Machine visionRobotics and robot perceptionFast-motion captureBarcode reading and production-line inspectionMotion tracking and AR/VRAutonomous vehicles

How it works

All pixels in the array are reset simultaneously and begin exposure at the same instant, then end it together after a shared exposure time. The charge accumulated in the photodiodes is transferred to additional in-pixel storage nodes (or a separate storage structure), from which it is read out sequentially while the protected charge remains unchanged. As a result the capture instant is identical for the whole frame regardless of readout order.

Problem solved

Eliminates geometric and temporal distortions (skew, wobble, partial exposure) that arise when a rolling-shutter sensor captures fast-moving objects or when the camera itself moves relative to the scene.

Components

Photodiode array with synchronous resetSimultaneous exposure of all pixels

All photodiodes are reset and exposed within the same time window, ensuring simultaneous exposure of the whole frame.

In-pixel storage nodeCharge retention during readout

Holds the charge accumulated during exposure, enabling sequential readout without disturbing other pixels' values.