  Dynamic Vision Sensors (DVS) record "events" corresponding to pixel-level
brightness changes, resulting in data-efficient representation of a dynamic
visual scene. As DVS expand into increasingly diverse applications, non-ideal
behaviors in their output under extreme sensing conditions are important to
consider. Under low illumination (below ~10 lux) their output begins to be
dominated by shot noise events (SNEs) which increase the data output and
obscure true signal. SNE rates can be controlled to some degree by tuning
circuit parameters to reduce sensitivity or temporal response bandwidth at the
cost of signal loss. Alternatively, an improved understanding of SNE statistics
can be leveraged to develop novel techniques for minimizing uninformative
sensor output. We first explain a fundamental observation about sequential
pairing of opposite polarity SNEs based on pixel circuit logic and validate our
theory using DVS recordings and simulations. Finally, we derive a practical
result from this new understanding and demonstrate two novel biasing techniques
to reduce SNEs by 50% and 80% respectively while still retaining sensitivity
and/or temporal resolution.
