Current steering ramp compensation scheme and digital circuit implementation
Granted: April 11, 2023
Patent Number:
11627273
A ramp generator includes a plurality of switched current sources coupled in parallel between a resistor and ground. A digital ramp control signal generator includes a counter to generate a ramp control signal in response to a clock signal. Each bit of the ramp control signal is coupled to control switching of a respective one of the plurality of switched current sources to generate a ramp signal at an output of the ramp generator. The digital ramp control signal generator is coupled to…
Image sensor package
Granted: April 11, 2023
Patent Number:
11626434
A method of image sensor package fabrication includes forming a recess in a transparent substrate, depositing conductive traces in the recess, inserting an image sensor in the recess so that the image sensor is positioned in the recess to receive light through the transparent substrate, and inserting a circuit board in the recess so that the image sensor is positioned between the transparent substrate and the circuit board.
Transistors having increased effective channel width
Granted: April 11, 2023
Patent Number:
11626433
Image sensors include a photodiode disposed in a semiconductor substrate and a transistor operatively coupled to the photodiode. At least three substrate trench structures are formed in the semiconductor substrate, defining two nonplanar structures, each having a plurality of sidewall portions. An isolation layer includes at least three isolation layer trench structures, each being disposed in a respective one of the three substrate trench structures. A gate includes three fingers, each…
Low power static random-access memory
Granted: April 11, 2023
Patent Number:
11626153
A low power SRAM (static RAM) for an image sensor includes a voltage generation circuit for providing a positive supply voltage VP and a negative supply VN, wherein VDD>Vp>Vn>Vgnd; a plurality of memory cells coupled to a respective plurality of column sense lines in a pixel array, the plurality of memory cells receiving differential inputs dp and dn; and a Gray counter coupled to switchably couple VP and VN to the differential inputs dp and dn of the plurality of memory cells.…
Method for detecting spoof fingerprints with an under-display fingerprint sensor
Granted: April 4, 2023
Patent Number:
11620852
A method for detecting spoof fingerprints with an under-display fingerprint sensor includes illuminating, with incident light emitted from a display, a target region of a fingerprint sample disposed on a top surface of the display; detecting a first scattered signal from the fingerprint sample with a first image sensor region of an image sensor located beneath the display, the first image sensor region not directly beneath the target region, the first scattered signal including a first…
Image sensor with in-pixel background subtraction and motion detection
Granted: April 4, 2023
Patent Number:
11622087
An imaging system includes a pixel array configured to generate image charge voltage signals in response to incident light received from an external scene. An infrared illumination source is deactivated during the capture of a first image of the external scene and activated during the capture of a second image of the external scene. An array of sample and hold circuits is coupled to the pixel array. Each sample and hold circuit is coupled to a respective pixel of the pixel array and…
Pyramid-shaped transistors
Granted: April 4, 2023
Patent Number:
11621336
Transistors include a pyramid-shaped gate trench defined by a triangular shape or a trapezoidal shape in a channel width plane and a trapezoidal shape in a channel length plane. Side wall portions of the pyramid-shaped gate trench form a channel having a triangular shape or a trapezoidal shape in the channel width plane. Advantageously, such transistors increase transconductance without increasing pixel width. Devices, image sensors, and pixels incorporating such transistors are also…
Method for detecting spoof fingerprints with an under-display fingerprint sensor
Granted: April 4, 2023
Patent Number:
11620852
A method for detecting spoof fingerprints with an under-display fingerprint sensor includes illuminating, with incident light emitted from a display, a target region of a fingerprint sample disposed on a top surface of the display; detecting a first scattered signal from the fingerprint sample with a first image sensor region of an image sensor located beneath the display, the first image sensor region not directly beneath the target region, the first scattered signal including a first…
Image sensor with in-pixel background subtraction and motion detection
Granted: April 4, 2023
Patent Number:
11622087
An imaging system includes a pixel array configured to generate image charge voltage signals in response to incident light received from an external scene. An infrared illumination source is deactivated during the capture of a first image of the external scene and activated during the capture of a second image of the external scene. An array of sample and hold circuits is coupled to the pixel array. Each sample and hold circuit is coupled to a respective pixel of the pixel array and…
Pyramid-shaped transistors
Granted: April 4, 2023
Patent Number:
11621336
Transistors include a pyramid-shaped gate trench defined by a triangular shape or a trapezoidal shape in a channel width plane and a trapezoidal shape in a channel length plane. Side wall portions of the pyramid-shaped gate trench form a channel having a triangular shape or a trapezoidal shape in the channel width plane. Advantageously, such transistors increase transconductance without increasing pixel width. Devices, image sensors, and pixels incorporating such transistors are also…
Transistors having increased effective channel width
Granted: March 28, 2023
Patent Number:
11616088
Image sensors include a photodiode disposed in a semiconductor substrate and a transistor operatively coupled to the photodiode. The transistor includes a nonplanar structure disposed in the semiconductor substrate, which is bounded by two outer trench structures formed in the semiconductor substrate. Isolation deposits are disposed within the two outer trench structures formed in the semiconductor substrate. A gate includes a planar gate and two fingers extending into one of two inner…
Ramp generator providing high resolution fine gain including fractional divider with delta-sigma modulator
Granted: February 28, 2023
Patent Number:
11595030
A ramp generator providing ramp signal with high resolution fine gain includes a current mirror having a first and second paths to conduct a capacitor current and an integrator current responsive to the capacitor current. First and second switched capacitor circuits are coupled to the first path. A fractional divider circuit is coupled to receive a clock signal to generate in response to an adjustable fractional divider ratio K a switched capacitor control signal that oscillates between…
Anti-spoofing optical fingerprint sensor methods and hardware with color selection
Granted: February 28, 2023
Patent Number:
11594069
An optical fingerprint sensor with spoof detection includes a plurality of lenses; a pixel array including a plurality of first photodiodes, a line between a center of each first photodiode and an optical center of each lens forms an optical axis; at least one apertured baffle-layer positioned between the image sensor and the plurality of lenses, each having a respective plurality of aperture stops, each aperture stop being center-aligned with the optical axis; and a plurality of second…
Uniform threshold voltage non-planar transistors
Granted: February 21, 2023
Patent Number:
11588033
Transistors having nonplanar electron channels in the channel width plane have one or more features that cause the different parts of the nonplanar electron channel to turn on at substantially the same threshold voltage. Advantageously, such transistors have substantially uniform threshold voltage across the nonplanar electron channel. Devices, image sensors, and pixels incorporating such transistors are also provided, in addition to methods of manufacturing the same.
Surface-mount device platform and assembly
Granted: February 21, 2023
Patent Number:
11583171
A surface-mount device platform includes a surface-mounting region, a connection region, and a bendable region therebetween, each including a respective part of a base substrate. The base substrate includes electrically-conductive layers interspersed with electrically-insulating build-up layers. Each of the surface-mounting region, the connection region, and the bendable region spans between a bottom substrate-surface and a top substrate-surface of the base substrate. The…
Method and image sensor with vertical transfer gate and buried backside-illuminated photodiodes
Granted: February 7, 2023
Patent Number:
11574947
A photodiode array has buried photodiodes and vertical selection transistors. Trenches are lined with gate oxide and metallic plugs of first material lie within the trenches. Gate contacts of second material contact the metallic plugs, with photodiode diffusion regions adjacent the trenches as sources of vertical transistors, the metallic plugs form gates of the vertical transistors, and buried photodiode regions form sources of the vertical transistors. In embodiments, the first…
Laser marked code pattern for representing tracing number of chip
Granted: January 24, 2023
Patent Number:
11562928
A chip comprises a semiconductor substrate having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, a plurality of conductive metal patterns formed on the first side of the semiconductor substrate, a plurality of solder balls formed on the first side of the semiconductor substrate, and at least one code pattern formed using laser marking on the first side of the semiconductor substrate in a space free from the plurality of conductive metal patterns and the plurality of solder…
Pixel-array substrate and defect prevention method
Granted: January 24, 2023
Patent Number:
11563044
A pixel-array substrate includes a semiconductor substrate and a passivation layer. The semiconductor substrate includes a pixel array surrounded by a periphery region. A back surface of the semiconductor substrate forms, in the periphery region, a plurality of first peripheral-trenches extending into the semiconductor substrate. The passivation layer is on the back surface and lines each of the plurality of first peripheral-trenches.
Event filtering in an event sensing system
Granted: January 24, 2023
Patent Number:
11563909
An event sensing system includes a pixel array including a plurality of event driven pixel circuits configured to be illuminated by incident light. The event driven pixel circuits are configured to generate an event current in response to a detection of an event in the incident light. Output signals of a row of the pixel array are configured to be read out from the row of the pixel array to a line buffer in response to the detection of the event in the incident light. A random number…
Pixel-array substrate and defect prevention method
Granted: January 24, 2023
Patent Number:
11563044
A pixel-array substrate includes a semiconductor substrate and a passivation layer. The semiconductor substrate includes a pixel array surrounded by a periphery region. A back surface of the semiconductor substrate forms, in the periphery region, a plurality of first peripheral-trenches extending into the semiconductor substrate. The passivation layer is on the back surface and lines each of the plurality of first peripheral-trenches.
