Camera Having Video Stream Indicator
Granted: January 23, 2025
Application Number:
20250030941
An image sensor comprises: a control block generating a video interface enabled signal, a video interface for receiving the video interface enabled signal, a pixel array for providing a video stream to the video interface, an output port for receiving the video stream from the video interface and outputting the video stream to outside of the image sensor, a stream indicator pin for receiving the video interface enabled signal from the control block when the video interface is receiving…
Full Green Interpolation In Remosaicing Bayer Pattern
Granted: December 19, 2024
Application Number:
20240422444
A method for full interpolating green pixels from an input image having a first minimum repeating unit comprising 4×4 pixels, where 2×2 pixels of same color are grouped together, comprises down sampling of the input image to a first down sampled image, down sampling of the input image to a second down sampled image, and interpolating green pixels resulting in an interpolated green down sampled image, where the interpolating uses jointly the first down sampled image and the second down…
Phase-Detection Image Sensor Remosaicing
Granted: November 28, 2024
Application Number:
20240397211
An imaging system comprising a phase-detection image sensor comprising a plurality of phase-detection pixel units and a processor configured to: interpolate a green image to obtain a full resolution interpolated green image including defocused portions having artifacts and in-focus portions having sharp image, low-pass filter the full resolution interpolated green image to obtain a blurred image of the interpolated green image, combine the full resolution interpolated green image and the…
Image Sensors having Image Blur Correction
Granted: October 17, 2024
Application Number:
20240348931
An image sensor comprises a plurality of high sensitivity photoelectric conversion elements, a plurality of low sensitivity photoelectric conversion elements, and a processor for processing signals read out from the plurality of low sensitivity photoelectric conversion elements and the plurality of high sensitivity photoelectric conversion elements, where the processor is configured to read out signals from the plurality of low-sensitivity photoelectric conversion elements multiple times…
Image Sensor Pixel Array Having Minimal Repeating Unit
Granted: September 5, 2024
Application Number:
20240297191
In an embodiment, an image sensor comprises a pixel array having a minimal repeating unit, where the minimal repeating unit consists of 4×4 pixels including 12 green pixels, 2 blue pixels, and 2 red pixels, where a minimal repeating unit is immediately next to another minimal repeating unit in row and column directions. In another embodiment, an image sensor comprises a pixel array having a minimal repeating unit, where the minimal repeating unit consists of 8×8 pixels including 48…
Image Sensor Having Glue Cavity
Granted: August 22, 2024
Application Number:
20240282789
An image sensor comprises an image sensor chip comprising a semiconductor substrate having a top surface and a plurality of microlenses disposed on the top surface; a cover glass having a first side in contact with air and a second side opposite to the first side; and a multi-layer structure disposed between the plurality of microlenses and the cover glass, which comprises: a bottom layer directly in contact with the plurality of microlenses, where the refractive index of the bottom…
Image Sensor Having Black Level Correction
Granted: August 15, 2024
Application Number:
20240275906
An image sensor includes a pixel array including at least one light-shielded area where no light enters and an imaging area where light enters, wherein each pixel includes a photoelectric conversion element, a black level processing unit that corrects an output of each pixel in the imaging area, and a memory that stores a predetermined black level reference for each pixel in the imaging area. The processing unit calculates a Slope, which is determined by an average output value at…
Pixel Circuit Having Dynamically Controlled Conversion Gain
Granted: June 6, 2024
Application Number:
20240187751
The pixel circuit of the image sensor includes one or more photoelectric conversion elements that generates charges in response to incident light, a first capacitance that receives and stores the charges generated in the one or more photoelectric conversion elements, a second capacitance that is connected to the first capacitance via a switch, and a comparator that compares the amount of charges stored in the first capacitance with a predetermined value. The second capacitance is…
DUAL DEPTH JUNCTION STRUCTURES AND PROCESS METHODS
Granted: September 28, 2023
Application Number:
20230307474
Transistors, electronic devices, and methods are provided. Transistors include a gate trench formed in a semiconductor substrate and extending to a gate trench depth, and a source and a drain formed as doped regions in the semiconductor substrate and having a first conductive type. The source and the drain are formed along a channel length direction of the transistor at a first end and a second end of the gate trench, respectively, and the source and the drain each includes a first doped…
Pixel Cell Having Anti-Blooming Structure and Image Sensor
Granted: September 28, 2023
Application Number:
20230307484
A pixel cell is formed on a semiconductor substrate having a front surface. The pixel cell includes a photodiode, a floating diffusion region, and a transfer gate. The photodiode is disposed in the semiconductor substrate. The floating diffusion region includes a first doped region disposed in the semiconductor substrate, wherein the first doped region extends from the front surface to a first junction depth in the semiconductor substrate. The transfer gate is configured to selectively…
CENTRAL DEEP TRENCH ISOLATION SHIFT
Granted: August 24, 2023
Application Number:
20230268357
Image sensors include a pixel array arranged about an array center, each pixel of the pixel array having a photodiode formed in a semiconductor substrate, and a central deep trench isolation structure disposed in the semiconductor substrate relative to a pixel center between the photodiode and an illuminated surface of the semiconductor substrate. If the pixel center is not coincident with the array center, then the central deep trench isolation structure is disposed at a CDTI shift…
Alignment Method for Image Sensor Fabrication and Associated Semiconductor Device
Granted: August 3, 2023
Application Number:
20230245977
The present disclosure provides an alignment method for image sensor fabrication that involve forming a number of set of alignment marks using key process mask layers to improve alignment registration between process mask layers so as to reduce number of alignment transfer improves alignment accuracy between pixel elements. The present disclosure further provides a semiconductor device that includes such alignment mark structures.
BURIED CHANNEL TRANSISTOR STRUCTURES AND PROCESSES
Granted: July 13, 2023
Application Number:
20230223413
Transistors include trenches formed in the semiconductor substrate having a first conductive type. The trenches define, in a channel width plane of the transistor, at least one nonplanar substrate structure having a plurality of sidewall portions and a tip portion disposed between the plurality of sidewall portions. An epitaxial overlayer is epitaxially grown on the sidewall portions and the tip portion. A channel doping layer having a doped portion of the semiconductor substrate is…
VERTICAL TRANSFER STRUCTURES
Granted: July 6, 2023
Application Number:
20230215900
Pixels, such as for image sensors and electronic devices, include a photodiode formed in a semiconductor substrate, a floating diffusion, and a transfer structure selectively coupling the photodiode to the floating diffusion. The transfer structure includes a transfer gate formed on the semiconductor substrate, and a vertical channel structure including spaced apart first doped regions formed in the semiconductor substrate between the transfer gate and the photodiode. Each spaced apart…
Image Sensor for Infrared Sensing and Fabrication Thereof
Granted: July 6, 2023
Application Number:
20230215887
The invention disclose a pixel in an image sensor capable of detecting infrared light and associated fabrication method. The image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate has a first photodiode and a second photodiode adjacent to the first photodiode. A planarized dielectric layer having a recessed region is disposed on a first side of the semiconductor substrate. A first color filter disposed on the planarized dielectric layer aligned with the first photodiode and configured to…
TRANSISTORS HAVING INCREASED EFFECTIVE CHANNEL WIDTH
Granted: June 29, 2023
Application Number:
20230207587
An image sensor includes a photodiode disposed in a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. A floating diffusion is disposed in the semiconductor substrate. A transfer transistor is configured for coupling the photodiode to the floating diffusion. The transfer transistor includes a vertical transfer gate extending a first depth in a depthwise direction from the first surface into the semiconductor substrate. A transistor is…
CMOS Image Sensor Pixel for High Dynamic Range Capturing
Granted: June 29, 2023
Application Number:
20230207584
An image sensor element includes a transfer transistor TX, a LOFIC select transistor LF, a photodiode PD, and a first overflow path OFP. The transfer transistor TX outputs a readout signal from a first end. The LOFIC select transistor LF includes a first end connected to a second end of the transfer transistor TX, and a second end connected to a capacitor. The photodiode PD is connected in common to a third end of the transfer transistor and a third end of the LOFIC select transistor LF.…
Image Sensor and Method for Reading Out Signal of Image Sensor
Granted: June 22, 2023
Application Number:
20230199341
An image sensor includes a plurality of pixels that is arranged in a matrix and each of which outputs a signal in response to incident light, wherein readout of data can be performed with respect to the plurality of pixels, and simultaneous readout of data of a plurality of columns of pixels can be performed, and at least one pixel of the plurality of columns of pixels to be read simultaneously can be read for phase detection with respect to each of divided sub-pixels. The image sensor…
Differential Subrange ADC for Image Sensor
Granted: June 8, 2023
Application Number:
20230179889
A differential subrange analog-to-digital converter (ADC) converts differential analog image signals received from sample and hold circuits to a digital signal through an ADC comparator. The comparator of the differential subrange ADC is shared by a successive approximation register (SAR) ADC coupled to provide both M upper output bits (UOB) and a ramp ADC coupled to provide N lower output bits (LOB). Digital-to-analog converters (DACs) of the differential subrange SAR ADC comprises 2M…
DAM OF IMAGE SENSOR MODULE HAVING SAWTOOTH PATTERN AND INCLINED SURFACE ON ITS INNER WALL AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME
Granted: March 9, 2023
Application Number:
20230076598
An image sensor module comprises an image sensor having a light sensing area, a cover glass for covering the light sensing area, a dam between the image sensor and the cover glass, which surrounds the light sensing area, and has an outer wall and an inner wall, where a cross-section of the inner wall parallel to the surface of the light sensing area of the image sensor forms a sawtooth pattern and/or, where a cross-section of the inner wall orthogonal to the surface of the light sensing…
