| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20090021627 | HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE CASCADED INTEGRATION PIXEL CELL AND METHOD OF OPERATION - A cascaded imaging storage system for a pixel is disclosed for improving intrascene dynamic range. Charges accumulated in a first capacitor spill over into a second capacitor when a charge storage capacity of the first capacitor is exceeded. A third capacitor may also be provided such that charges accumulated by said second capacitor spill over into the third capacitor when the charge storage capacity of the second capacitor is exceeded. | 01-22-2009 |
| 20090045322 | Optimization of alignment between elements in an image sensor - An image sensor is formed with shifts among the optical parts of the sensor and the photosensitive parts of the sensor. The optical parts of the sensor may include a color filter array and/or microlenses. The photosensitive part may include any photoreceptors such as a CMOS image sensor. The shifts allow images to be formed even when the light received at a given pixel location varies in angle of incidence as a function of pixel location within the array. The relative shifts among the pixel components may be, for example, plus or minus some fraction of the pixel pitch. The shift may be variable across the array or may be constant across the array and may be deterministically determined. | 02-19-2009 |
| 20090140660 | PULSE-CONTROLLED LIGHT EMITTING DIODE SOURCE - A light-emitting diode array is driven by a digital control. The digital control modulates the pulse width of pulses applied to the light-emitting diode. The intensity of the output is controlled by controlling the width of pulses applied to the light-emitting diode. Since light-emitting diodes have very low inertial energy, this system can be rapidly turned on and turned off. The output is integrated to produce a uniform output. | 06-04-2009 |
| 20100073462 | Three dimensional image sensor - A three-dimensional (3D) image sensor includes a plurality of color pixels, and a plurality of distance measuring pixels. Where the plurality of color pixels and the plurality of distance measuring pixels are arranged in an array, and a group of distance measuring pixels, from among the plurality of distance measuring pixels, are disposed so that a corner of each distance measuring pixel in the group of distance-measuring pixels is adjacent to a corner of an adjacent distance-measuring pixel in the group of distance-measuring pixels. The group of distance measuring pixels is capable of jointly outputting one distance measurement signal. | 03-25-2010 |
| 20100141821 | Image Sensor Devices Having Dual-Gated Charge Storage Regions Therein - An image sensor device may include a dual-gated charge storage region within a substrate. The dual-gated charge storage region includes first and second diodes within a common charge generating region. This charge generating region is configured to receive light incident on a surface of the image sensor device. The first and second diodes include respective first conductivity type regions responsive to first and second gate signals, respectively. These first and second gate signals are active during non-overlapping time intervals. | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100320515 | High sensitivity image sensors and methods of operating the same - A high sensitivity image sensor including a pixel, the pixel including a single electron field effect transistor (SEFET), the SEFET including a first conductive type well in a second conductive type substrate, second conductive type source and drain regions in the well and a first conductive type gate region in the well between the source and the drain regions.) | 12-23-2010 |
| 20110074989 | IMAGE SENSORS - Provided is an image sensor having a depth sensor. The image sensor includes a substrate including a visible light region and a non-visible light region, a first well and a second well having a first conductivity type and in the non-visible light perception region, and a first gate and a second gate configured to receive voltages of opposite phases, respectively, and apply voltages to the first well and the second well, respectively. | 03-31-2011 |
| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20080210996 | Frame shutter pixel with an isolated storage node - A frame shutter type device provides a separated well in which the storage node is located. The storage node is also shielded by a light shield to prevent photoelectric conversion. | 09-04-2008 |
| 20080225150 | Multi junction APS with dual simultaneous integration - A new kind of pixel is formed of two floating diffusions of different sizes and different conductivity type. The two floating diffusions have different image characteristics, and hence form a knee-shaped slope. | 09-18-2008 |
| 20090122169 | HIGHLY MINIATURIZED, BATTERY OPERATED, DIGITAL WIRELESS CAMERA USING PROGRAMMABLE SINGLE CHIP ACTIVE PIXEL SENSOR (APS) DIGITAL CAMERA CHIP - A miniaturized camera which is programmable and provides low power consumption. An active pixel image sensor used in the highly miniaturized camera provides improved imaging functionality as well as reduced power consumption, extending the possible life time of the camera system. The spread spectrum nature of transmission and reception improves data integrity as well as data security. The ability of the highly miniaturized wireless camera to receive commands as well as transmit image data provides improved functionality and a variable rate of power consumption to be set according to the application and needs of the situation. | 05-14-2009 |
| 20100134653 | DIGITAL EXPOSURE CIRCUIT FOR AN IMAGE SENSOR - Automatic exposure adjusting device considers the image on a pixel-by-pixel basis. Each pixel is characterized according to its most significant bits. After the pixels are characterized, the number of pixels in any particular group is counted. That counting is compared with thresholds which set whether the image is over exposed, under exposed, and can optionally also determine if the image is seriously over exposed or seriously under exposed. Adjustment of the exposure is carried out to bring the image to a more desired state. | 06-03-2010 |
| 20100141789 | DIGITAL EXPOSURE CIRCUIT FOR AN IMAGE SENSOR - Automatic exposure adjusting device considers the image on a pixel-by-pixel basis. Each pixel is characterized according to its most significant bits. After the pixels are characterized, the number of pixels in any particular group is counted. That counting is compared with thresholds which set whether the image is over exposed, under exposed, and can optionally also determine if the image is seriously over exposed or seriously under exposed. Adjustment of the exposure is carried out to bring the image to a more desired state. | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100157122 | COLOR INTERPOLATION - An imager has first and second photosensitive sites and an interpolator located in a semiconductor substrate. The first photosensitive site is configured to receive light having a spectral component, and the second photosensitive site is configured to measure the level of the spectral component in light received by the second photosensitive site. The interpolator is configured to estimate the level of the spectral component in the light received by the first photosensitive site based on the measurement by the second photosensitive site. | 06-24-2010 |