Self-alignment of a pad and ground in an image sensor
Granted: February 19, 2019
Patent Number:
10211253
An image sensor includes a plurality of photodiodes disposed in a semiconductor material to convert image light into image charge, and a metal grid, including a metal shield that is coplanar with the metal grid, disposed proximate to a backside of the semiconductor material. The metal grid is optically aligned with the plurality of photodiodes to direct the image light into the plurality of photodiodes, and a contact pad is disposed in a trench in the semiconductor material. The contact…
Edge reflection reduction
Granted: February 19, 2019
Patent Number:
10211243
A method of image sensor package fabrication includes providing an image sensor, including a pixel array disposed in a semiconductor material, and a first transparent shield adhered to the semiconductor material. The pixel array is disposed between the semiconductor material and the first transparent shield. A light blocking layer is deposited and disposed between lateral edges of the pixel array and lateral edges of the first transparent shield, and a second transparent shield is placed…
Cross talk reduction for high dynamic range image sensors
Granted: February 12, 2019
Patent Number:
10204951
A multi-color HDR image sensor includes at least a first combination color pixel with a first color filter and an adjacent second combination color pixel with a second color filter which is different from the first color filter, wherein each combination color pixel includes at least two sub-pixels having at least two adjacent photodiodes. Within each combination color pixel, there is a dielectric deep trench isolation (d-DTI) structure to isolate the two adjacent photodiodes of the two…
Cover-glass-free array camera with individually light-shielded cameras
Granted: February 12, 2019
Patent Number:
10204947
A cover-glass-free array camera with individually light-shielded cameras includes an image sensor array having a plurality of photosensitive pixel arrays formed in a silicon substrate, and a lens array bonded to the silicon substrate, wherein the lens array includes (a) a plurality of imaging objectives respectively registered to the photosensitive pixel arrays to form respective individual cameras therewith, and (b) a first opaque material between each of the imaging objectives to…
Delamination-resistant semiconductor device and associated method
Granted: February 5, 2019
Patent Number:
10199333
A delamination-resistant semiconductor device includes a conductive layer, a semiconductor layer, and a spacer. The conductive layer has a first side opposite a second side. The semiconductor layer is on the first side and defines an aperture therethrough spanned by the conductive layer. The spacer is on the second side and has a top surface, proximate the conductive layer, that defines a blind hole spanned by the conductive layer. A method for preventing delamination of a multilayer…
Four-element athermal lens
Granted: January 29, 2019
Patent Number:
10191255
A four-element athermal lens includes four coaxially aligned lenses including a (i) first lens and, in order of increasing distance therefrom and on a same side thereof, (ii) a second lens, a third lens, and a fourth lens. The first lens and the second lens are positive lenses. The third and fourth lenses are negative lenses. The first lens, second lens, third lens, and fourth lens have equal respective refractive indices n1, n2, n3, and n4. A difference between (i) the maximum of n1,…
Panel carrier and method for attaching a liquid-crystal-on-silicon panel thereto
Granted: January 22, 2019
Patent Number:
10185191
A panel carrier includes a substrate, a die-attach region, a short sidewall, and a conductor. The die-attach region is on a top substrate surface of the substrate for supporting the LCoS panel. The short sidewall is on a first side of the die-attach region and has a top sidewall surface at a first height above the top substrate surface exceeding 0.4 millimeters and an aperture spanning the top sidewall surface and the top substrate surface. The conductor at least partially fills the…
Current injection for fast ramp start-up during analog-to-digital operations
Granted: January 22, 2019
Patent Number:
10187602
An example method for fast ramp start-up during analog to digital conversion (ADC) includes opening a feedback bypass switch coupled to an amplifier to initiate an ADC operation, providing an injection current pulse to an inverting input of the amplifier, where the non-inverting input is coupled to a feedback bypass switch, integrating a first reference current coupled to the inverting input of the amplifier, where the integrating of the first reference current occurs due to the opening…
Notched-spacer camera module and method for fabricating same
Granted: January 22, 2019
Patent Number:
10187560
A notched-spacer camera module includes a chip-scale package, a lens plate, a spacer ring, and a glue ring. The chip-scale package has an image sensor and a top surface. The spacer ring includes a glue gate having a gate height and a spacer base, having a base height, between the glue gate and the lens plate. The glue ring is between the spacer ring and the top surface and has (i) an outer region between the top surface and a bottom surface of the spacer base, and (ii) an inner region,…
Information technology device input systems and associated methods
Granted: January 22, 2019
Patent Number:
10185406
A method for generating a control signal to control an information technology device includes the following steps: (1) capturing, using an image sensor, a current control image of a light source of a remote controller positioned within a field of view of the image sensor; (2) identifying, within the current control image, a current location of light emitted from the light source; (3) determining movement between (a) the current location of the light emitted from the light source and (b)…
Cross talk reduction for high dynamic range image sensors
Granted: January 15, 2019
Patent Number:
10181490
A multi-color HDR image sensor includes at least a first combination color pixel with a first color filter and an adjacent second combination color pixel with a second color filter which is different from the first color filter, wherein each combination color pixel includes at least two sub-pixels having at least two adjacent photodiodes. Within each combination color pixel, there is a dielectric deep trench isolation (d-DTI) structure to isolate the two adjacent photodiodes of the two…
Reference clock-less CMOS image sensor
Granted: January 8, 2019
Patent Number:
10175715
Apparatuses and methods for a reference clock-less CMOS image sensor are disclosed herein. An example apparatus may include a controller coupled to an image sensor via a serial bus, and the controller may provide an access burst to the image sensor over the serial bus, the access burst including a plurality of data signals and an associated clock signal, where the associated clock signal is a timing signal for the acquisition of bits of the plurality of data signals. The image sensor may…
Bit line boost for fast settling with current source of adjustable size
Granted: January 1, 2019
Patent Number:
10171765
A photodiode is adapted to accumulate image charges. A transfer transistor transfers the image charges to the floating diffusion. A source follower transistor is coupled to receive the voltage of the floating diffusion and provide an amplified signal. A row select transistor enables the amplified signal and outputs the amplified signal to a bitline. A first current source generator is coupled between the bitline and a ground. The first current source generator sinks current through a…
De-emphasized image signal transmission
Granted: January 1, 2019
Patent Number:
10171711
A transmitter circuit coupled to output image data from an image sensor includes a plurality of transmitters. The transmitters may include a plurality of drivers coupled to receive a data signal, and output a differential signal in response to receiving the data signal. A de-emphasis circuit is coupled between a first output of a first driver in the plurality of drivers, and a second output of a second driver in the plurality of drivers. The de-emphasis circuit is coupled to receive a…
Bitline settling improvement by using dummy pixels for clamp
Granted: December 25, 2018
Patent Number:
10165210
A photodiode is adapted to accumulate image charges in response to incident light. A transfer transistor is coupled between the photodiode and a floating diffusion to transfer the image charges accumulated in the photodiode to the floating diffusion. A reset transistor is coupled to supply a supply voltage to the floating diffusion. A source follower transistor is coupled to receive voltage of the floating diffusion from a SF gate terminal and provide an amplified signal to a source…
Trenched device wafer, stepped-sidewall device die, and associated method
Granted: December 25, 2018
Patent Number:
10163954
A trenched device wafer includes a device substrate layer having a top surface; a plurality of devices in the device substrate layer, and a trench in the top surface. The trench extends into the device substrate layer, and is located between a pair of adjacent devices of the plurality of devices. A method for forming a device die from a device wafer includes forming a trench in a top surface of the device wafer between two adjacent devices of the device wafer. The trench has a bottom…
Trenched-bonding-dam device and manufacturing method for same
Granted: December 18, 2018
Patent Number:
10157943
Trenched-bonding-dam devices and corresponding methods of manufacture are provided. A trenched-bonding-dam device includes a bonding dam structure positioned upon a top surface of a substrate. The bonding dam structure has a bottom surface attached to a top surface of the substrate, an inner dam surrounded by an outer dam, and a trench between the inner and outer dams. The device may further include an optics system including a lens and an adhesive positioned within a bonding region…
Multi-projector display box for use in retail marketing
Granted: December 11, 2018
Patent Number:
10152291
A novel multi-display projection box includes a housing that is short and wide, a set of display panels, a set of projectors, and a controller. In a particular embodiment the set of display panels includes two display panels, each coupled to opposite sides of the housing. The set of projectors includes two projectors placed adjacent opposite side walls of the housing. One of the projectors projects a first image onto one of the display panels and the other projector projects a second…
Image sensor with peripheral 3A-control sensors and associated imaging system
Granted: December 11, 2018
Patent Number:
10154234
An imaging system includes a primary imager and plurality of 3A-control sensors. The primary imager has a first field of view and includes a primary image sensor and a primary imaging lens with a first optical axis. The primary image sensor has a primary pixel array and control circuitry communicatively coupled thereto. The plurality of 3A-control sensors includes at least one of a peripheral imager and a 3A-control sensor. The peripheral imager, if included, has a second field of view…
Stacked-chip backside-illuminated SPAD sensor with high fill-factor
Granted: December 11, 2018
Patent Number:
10153310
A photon detection device includes a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) disposed in a semiconductor layer. A guard ring structure is disposed in the semiconductor layer surrounding the SPAD to isolate the SPAD. A well region is disposed in the semiconductor layer surrounding the guard ring structure and disposed along an outside perimeter of the photon detection device. A contact region is disposed in the well region only in a corner region of the outside perimeter such that there is…
