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.
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…
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.
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…
Event-assisted autofocus methods and apparatus implementing the same
Granted: January 17, 2023
Patent Number:
11558542
A focus method and an image sensing apparatus are disclosed. The method includes capturing, by a plurality of event sensing pixels, event data of a targeted scene, wherein the event data indicates which pixels of the event sensing pixels have changes in light intensity, accumulating the event data for a predetermined time interval to obtain accumulated event data, determining whether a scene change occurs in the targeted scene according to the accumulated event data, obtaining one or…
Image sensors with embedded wells for accommodating light emitters
Granted: January 17, 2023
Patent Number:
11557625
An image sensor with embedded wells for accommodating light emitters includes a semiconductor substrate including an array of doped sensing regions respectively corresponding to an array of photosensitive pixels of the image sensor. The semiconductor substrate forms an array of wells. Each well is aligned with a respective doped sensing region to facilitate detection, by the photosensitive pixel that includes said respective doped sensing region, of light emitted to the photosensitive…
Metal grid structure integrated with deep trench isolation structure
Granted: January 17, 2023
Patent Number:
11557620
A high k passivation layer, an anti-reflective coating layer, and a buffer layer are disposed over semiconductor substrate including photodiodes formed therein. Trenches are etched into the semiconductor substrate through the buffer layer, anti-reflective coating layer, and the high k passivation layer in a grid-like pattern surrounding each of the photodiodes in the semiconductor substrate. Another high k passivation layer lines an interior of the trenches in the semiconductor…
Tri-gate charge transfer block structure in time of flight pixel
Granted: January 3, 2023
Patent Number:
11543498
A pixel circuit includes a photodiode in semiconductor material to accumulate image charge in response to incident light. A tri-gate charge transfer block coupled includes a single shared channel region the semiconductor material. A transfer gate, shutter gate, and switch gate are disposed proximate to the single shared channel region. The transfer gate transfers image charge accumulated in the photodiode to the single shared channel region in response to a transfer signal. The shutter…
Image-focusing method and associated image sensor
Granted: December 27, 2022
Patent Number:
11539875
An autofocusing method includes capturing an image of a scene with a camera that includes a pixel array; computing a horizontal-difference image, and a vertical-difference image; and combining the horizontal-difference image and the vertical-difference image to yield a combined image. The method also includes determining, from the combined image and the intensity image, an image distance with respect to a lens of the camera at which the camera forms an in-focus image. The pixel array…
Cell deep trench isolation pyramid structures for CMOS image sensors
Granted: December 27, 2022
Patent Number:
11538836
A pixel cell includes a photodiode disposed proximate to a front side of a semiconductor layer to generate image charge in response to incident light directed through a backside of the semiconductor layer. A cell deep trench isolation (CDTI) structure is disposed along an optical path of the incident light to the photodiode and proximate to the backside of the semiconductor layer. The CDTI structure includes a plurality of portions arranged in the semiconductor layer. Each of the…
Optical fingerprint sensor for LCD panel
Granted: December 27, 2022
Patent Number:
11538269
An optical fingerprint sensor (OFPS) for use with a liquid-crystal display (LCD) panel having a backlight module is positioned under the backlight module and captures an image of a fingerprint sensing area on the LCD panel through an aperture in both a reflector and a metal shield of the backlight module. The OFPS includes a sensor layer, a wafer-level optic layer bonded to the sensor layer and an infrared pass filter (IRPF) coating formed on a substantially flat top surface of the…
High dynamic range split pixel CMOS image sensor with low color crosstalk
Granted: December 13, 2022
Patent Number:
11527569
A pixel cell includes a plurality of subpixels to generate image charge in response to incident light. The subpixels include an inner subpixel laterally surrounded by outer subpixels. A first plurality of transfer gates disposed proximate to the inner subpixel and a first grouping of outer subpixels. A first floating diffusion is coupled to receive the image charge from the first grouping of outer subpixels through a first plurality of transfer gates. A second plurality of transfer gates…
Structured light projector and projector assembly thereof
Granted: December 13, 2022
Patent Number:
11526020
A projector assembly includes three coaxially aligned lenses and an aperture stop. The three coaxially aligned lenses include a first lens and, in order of increasing distance therefrom and on a same side thereof, a second lens and a positive meniscus lens. The first lens is a positive lens. The second lens is a negative lens. The second lens is located between the aperture stop and the positive meniscus lens. The projector assembly is one-sided telecentric at a plane proximate the…
Trench formation methods
Granted: December 6, 2022
Patent Number:
11522005
Methods of forming trench structures of different depths in a semiconductor substrate are provided. A first mask forming a first opening and a second opening is provided on the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate is etched through the first and second openings, thereby forming a first trench and a second trench. Trench structure material is deposited in the first and second trenches, thereby forming first and second trench structures. A second mask is provided on the…
Active-pixel device assemblies with rough coating for stray-light reduction, and methods for manufacture
Granted: December 6, 2022
Patent Number:
11520197
An active-pixel device assembly with stray-light reduction includes an active-pixel device including a semiconductor substrate and an array of active pixels, a light-transmissive substrate disposed on a light-receiving side of the active-pixel device, and a rough opaque coating disposed on a first surface of the light-transmissive substrate and forming an aperture aligned with the array of active pixels, wherein the rough opaque coating is rough so as to suppress reflection of light…
Dam of image sensor module having sawtooth pattern and inclined surface on its inner wall and method of making same
Granted: November 29, 2022
Patent Number:
11515347
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…
Digital time stamping design for event driven pixel
Granted: November 29, 2022
Patent Number:
11516419
An event driven pixel includes a photodiode configured to photogenerate charge in response to incident light received from an external scene. A photocurrent to voltage converter is coupled to the photodiode to convert photocurrent generated by the photodiode to a voltage. A filter amplifier is coupled to the photocurrent to voltage converter to generate a filtered and amplified signal in response to the voltage received from the photocurrent to voltage converter. A threshold comparison…
Light sensing system and light sensor with polarizer
Granted: November 29, 2022
Patent Number:
11515437
A light sensor includes a photodiode, interlayer dielectric layer and plurality of metal layers. A polarizer is disposed in the plurality of metal layers. The photodiode is coupled to generate charge in response to incident light directed through a first side of the semiconductor layer. The polarizer includes a first metal grid formed with a first metal layer and a second metal grid formed with a third metal layer. The second metal grid is stacked with the first metal grid such that the…
