Method for forming LED flickering reduction (LFR) film for HDR image sensor and image sensor having same
Granted: May 9, 2023
Patent Number:
11647300
A pixel array for a high definition (HD) image sensor is disclosed. The pixel array includes a number of split pixel cells each including a first photodiode and a second photodiode that is more sensitive to incident light than the first photodiode. The first photodiode can be used to sense bright or high intensity light conditions, while the second photodiode can be used to sense low to medium intensity light conditions. In the disclosed pixel array, the sensitivity of one or more…
Determining depth information from a single camera
Granted: May 9, 2023
Patent Number:
11647175
An optical system comprises an imaging lens for imaging an object to an image and a sensing pixel array for detecting lights from the object toward the image. The sensing pixel array comprises a first sensing pixel and a second sensing pixel, each sensing pixel comprising a microlens covering a one-dimensional series of photodiodes having n photodiodes. A photodiode at an end of the one-dimensional series of photodiodes of the first sensing pixel detects a first light from the object…
Tilted transfer gate for advanced CMOS image sensor
Granted: April 25, 2023
Patent Number:
11637138
A pixel circuit includes a trench etched into a front side surface of a semiconductor substrate. The trench includes a bottom surface etched along a <100> crystalline plane and a tilted side surface etched along a <111> crystalline plane that extends between the bottom surface and the front side surface. A floating diffusion is disposed in the semiconductor substrate beneath the bottom surface of the trench. A photodiode is disposed in the semiconductor substrate beneath the…
Arithmetic logic unit design in column analog to digital converter with shared gray code generator for correlated multiple samplings
Granted: April 18, 2023
Patent Number:
11632512
An arithmetic logic unit (ALU) includes a front end latch stage coupled to latch Gray code (GC) outputs of a GC generator in response to a comparator output. A signal latch stage is coupled to latch outputs of the front end latch stage. A GC to binary stage is coupled to generate a binary representation of the GC outputs latched in the signal latch stage. First inputs of an adder stage are coupled to receive outputs of the GC to binary stage. Outputs of the adder stage are generated in…
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.…
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…
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…
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…
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…
