Caeleste Cvba

Cypress Semiconductor Corporation

Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Belgium) Bvba

Other

Imec

Fillfactory

Imec Vzw

On Semiconductor Trading, Ltd.

Paradromics, Inc.

On Semiconductor Image Sensor

Caeleste Bv

Bart Dierickx

Bert Luyssaert

Gaozhan Cai

Peng Gao

Miguel Miranda

Jan Bogaerts

Tomas Geurts

Matthew R Angle

Robert Bilhorn

Gerald LePage

Robert Edgington

Ankur Anchlia

Jiaqi Zhu

Guy Meynants

Spyros Kavadias

Nico Ricquier

Danny Scheffer

Ajit Kumar Kalgi

Aamir Ahmed Khan

Nick Witvrouwen

Qiang Yao

Ahmed Abdelmoneem

Jean Pierre Vermeiren

Koen Liekens

Amir Babaiefishani

Dirk Van Aken

A solid-state image sensor with quasi-global shutter function and a method of operating the same. A row control unit of the image sensor is configured to determine exceptional pixel rows for which a pre-scheduled global exposure control pulse would fully or partially coincide with a sequentially applied readout control pulse that is selecting a number of pixel rows of the pixel array to be read out. The pre-scheduled global exposure control pulse is applied simultaneously to all but the exceptional pixel rows and delayed and/or advanced versions of the exposure control pulse are applied to the exceptional pixel rows.

Quasi-global shutter for image sensors

A column circuit for single-ended to fully differential conversion includes capacitors for sampling a pixel signal level, and capacitors for sampling a pixel reset level; and switches for connecting capacitors for sampling the pixel signal level and capacitors for sampling the pixel reset level in opposite polarity, thereby realizing symmetrical differential signals on two output nodes. A method is provided for single-ended to fully differential conversion, and a use of the column circuit for single-ended to fully differential conversion.

Single-ended signal to differential signal conversion

A sensor circuit that is capable of sensing of neural action potentials is disclosed. The circuit can be designed to minimize power dissipation and total silicon area so that it can be incorporated into a massively parallel sensor array and ultimately implanted in the body (e.g. into the brain) in a safe manner. The circuit can also be designed to be tunable such that it can be optimized in silico prior to fabrication, and can be optimized through the use of controllable current sources after fabrication.

Low-area, low-power neural recording circuit, and method of training the same

An array of pixels for charge domain binning in a CMOS image sensor, to increase the readout sensitivity of such a sensor. The array of pixels comprises at least two pixels in a common substrate. At least one of said pixels is configured or configurable to function as a pixel of a first type with a first, higher, charge collecting capability, for collecting charges generated by radiation impinging on the substrate. At least another one of said pixels is configurable to function as pixel of a second type, with a second, reduced, charge collecting capability, and as a pixel of the first type.

Charge domain binning in a MOS pixel

A pixel structure and a method of reading charges generated by a radiation sensing element upon exposure thereof to radiation is presented. The pixel structure comprises at least two capacitors configured for integrating charge from a radiation sensing element, where an overflow transistor sets a predetermined threshold level by a static voltage on its control electrode. This allows charges generated in the radiation sensing element to be integrated in either the first capacitor for a level of charge generated by the radiation sensing element, while the level remains under a predetermined threshold level, or in the at least one further capacitor for a level of charge generated by the radiation sensing element when said level surpasses said predetermined threshold level. At least one merge switch is used for merging the charges of the first capacitor with the charges of the at least one further capacitor.

High dynamic range in direct injection

An imaging system for detecting one or more events in a pixel array. The imaging system comprises the pixel array and a processing area adjacent to the pixel array. The imaging system is configured to transfer the pixel information of a subgroup of pixels to the processing area and the processing area is configured to process the event information.

Imaging device for detecting sparse event information in a pixel array

A pixel element for an imaging sensor comprises a semiconductor substrate, a radiation-sensitive element configured to generate electric charges in response to incident radiation, a charge accumulation region provided in the semiconductor substrate configured to accumulate at least a portion of the electric charges, and an electrode arranged on the semiconductor substrate adjacent to the charge accumulation region. The electrode is electrically insulated from the semiconductor substrate such as to form an inversion region in the semiconductor substrate that connects to the charge accumulation region when a voltage is applied to said electrode.

Enhanced dynamic range imaging

A stacked image sensor comprises an array of tiles, each comprising a sensor array layer tile comprising a plurality of sensing elements for receiving radiation, one or more electronics layer tiles comprising at least one read-out circuit, connected to at least one subgroup of sensing elements of the sensor array layer tile, a photonics layer tile comprising at least one waveguide and one or more modulators, each connected to the one or more electronics layer tiles. The modulators are adapted for modulating an optical signal travelling within the at least one waveguide. The electronics layer tile comprises at least one driver for driving an optical modulator in the photonics layer tile in accordance with the signals received in each sensing element of the sensor array layer tile. At least one of the layer tiles (sensor array layer, electronics layer and/or photonics layer tiles) is implemented in a single integrated circuit.

Opto-electronic stacked sensor

The present invention provides a pixel circuit comprising a pinned photodiode, at least one first transfer gate for electrically connecting the pinned photodiode to at least one storage node and at least one further transfer gate. The at least one further gate can connect the at least one storage node with at least one floating diffusion node. At least one merging switch is included for allowing connection between the at least one floating diffusion node with one or more capacitor nodes, which can accept charge that exceeds the maximum storage capacity of the storage node.

Global shutter high dynamic range sensor

A pixel circuit comprising a photodiode, a floating diffusion, a transfer gate for electrically connecting the photodiode to the floating diffusion, and a charge storage device, wherein the charge storage device comprises an electrode which is at least partly overlaying the photodiode, and which is configured and adapted to be driven so as to influence the total capacitance of the pixel.

Pixel with increased charge storage

The present invention provides an array of pixels for the detection of a flash of electromagnetic radiation or a cloud of impinging high energy particles. Each pixel in the array comprises a radiation receptor for converting the electromagnetic radiation or impinging high energy particles into a radiation signal, and a converter for converting the radiation signal into pulses. The array further comprises a circuit for comparing one or more of the criteria pulse amplitude, pulse arrival time, time to convert a pulse in a digital signal, pulse duration time, pulse rise and fall time or integral of pulse over time for pulses coinciding on pixels in a predetermined neighborhood. The array also comprises a circuit for suppressing those pulses that are compared negatively versus the corresponding pulses in another pixel of the neighborhood for the same one or more criteria. A corresponding method is also provided.

Counting pixel with good dynamic range properties

A pixel for the detection of electromagnetic radiation or high energy particles or charge packets, in particular for detecting X-ray photons, comprises a radiation receptor for converting the radiation into a sensing signal, the pixel being adapted for performing both pulse detection and integration of the same sensing signal.

Combined integration and pulse detection

A method for determining an estimate of statistical properties of an electronic system comprising individual components subject to manufacturing process variability is disclosed. In one aspect, the method comprises obtaining statistical properties of the performance of individual components of the electronic system, obtaining information about execution of an application on the system, simulating execution of the application based on the obtained information about execution of the application on the system for a simulated electronic system realization constructed by selecting individual components with the obtained statistical properties determining the delay and energy of the electronic system, and determining the statistical properties of the delay and energy of the electronic system.

Methods for characterization of electronic circuits under process variability effects

A pixel for the detection of electromagnetic radiation or impinging high energy particles, in particular for detecting X-ray photons, including a radiation receptor for converting the electromagnetic radiation or impinging high energy particles into a radiation signal, a converter for converting the radiation signal into a pulse train, and an analog accumulator for accumulating the pulses of a pulse train to an analog signal for readout. The analog accumulator is adapted such that the analog signal is non-linearly proportional to the pulse count. Such non-linear analog accumulator has the advantage of an large dynamic range.

High dynamic range analog X-ray photon counting

A method obtains a read-out signal of a pixel having at least a photosensitive element with a charge storage node. The method includes the steps of acquiring charge carriers, converted from impinging radiation on the photosensitive element, on the charge storage node, applying during the integration period at least one reset pulse, resetting incompletely the charge carriers acquired at the moment of applying the reset pulse, to obtain at least one linear response region for the pixel, and driving the pixel in weak inversion after the last incomplete reset pulse of the integration period so as to obtain a logarithmic response part. A corresponding pixel is also described.

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Edegem, Belgium

Bart Dierickx