Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC

Charles Frederic McCord

Jeffery S Beck

Christopher D Silsby

Various embodiments of the present technology may comprise methods and apparatus for a password-protected integrated circuit. According to various aspects of the present invention, the password-protected integrated circuit may comprise a cryptosystem that is encoded with a password seed and used to authenticate control data prior to being transmitted to a sensor and/or a sensor control circuit, wherein the sensor and/or sensor control circuit responds to authenticated control data.

Methods and apparatus for a password-protected integrated circuit

An imaging system may include an array of image pixels and verification circuitry. The verification circuitry may inject test voltages into the image pixel array during the photodiode reset operation. The test signals may then be read out using a correlated double sampling operation. Verification circuitry may compare the test signals to reference data to determine whether the imaging system is functioning properly (e.g., to determine whether the array of image pixels satisfies performance criteria). If the amount of mismatch between the test signals and the reference data exceed a predetermined threshold, the imaging system may be disabled and/or a warning signal may be presented to a user of the system.

Imaging systems with pixel array verification circuitry

An imaging system may include processing circuitry, a lens, and an array of pixels including image sensor pixels and temperature sensor pixels. The image sensor pixels may generate image pixel values in response to image light received through the lens. The temperature sensor pixels may generate thermal estimate signals based on the temperature of the pixel array. The image sensor pixels and temperature sensor pixels may generate dark current. As the temperature of the pixel array increases, the image sensor pixels and temperatures sensor pixels may generate increased dark current. Temperature sensor pixels may generate more dark current than image sensor pixels. Dark current generated by the temperature sensor pixels may be used to generate dark current compensation values that may compensate for the dark current generated by the image sensor pixels.

Systems and methods for pixel-level dark current compensation in image sensors

An imaging system may include an image sensor and a transparent protective layer formed within the field-of-view of the image sensor. The imaging system may include a light source that emits light in a predetermined pattern. The imaging system may include circuitry that may detect a reflected version of the predetermined pattern of light in image data captured by image sensor. In response, the imaging system may determine an obstruction is present within the field-of-view of the image sensor. The obstruction may be located on the transparent protective layer and may be within 10 centimeters of the image sensor. The light source and image sensor may be located in the interior of a vehicle and oriented to face the exterior of the vehicle. The imaging system may use the image data captured by the image sensor to perform vehicle assist functions for the vehicle.

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Corvallis, OR, United States of America

Charles Frederic McCord