Omnivision Technologies, Inc.

National Semiconductor Corporation

Agilent Technologies, Inc.

Spreadtrum Communications Corporation

Hewlett-packard Company

Spreadtrum Communications (shanghai) Co., Ltd.

Datong Chen

Xinping James He

Francois Hebert

Rashid Bashir

Tai-Ching Shyu

Julie Elizabeth Fouquet

Jingdong Lin

Hongli Yang

Tiemin Zhao

Jian Mg Cheng

Ian Hardcastle

Qingwei Shan

John C Philipp

Shengquan Hu

Kok Wai Chang

Patricia A Beck

Mark Andrew Troll

David K Donald

Reda R Razouk

Shalini Venkatesh

Richard Earl Haven

David James Anvar

Yanshan Shi

Frederick A Stawitcke

Zhiqun Chen

Jun Liu

Kimble Dong

Ling Lv

Jin Ji

Ping Wu

Yi Kang

Kang Yi

Tai Ching Shyu

Ying Tian

Qiu Sha

Francois H&egrave;bert

An apparatus and method of an outer Forward Error Correcting (FEC) code for a mobile broadcast service based on TD-SCDMA network is disclosed.

Error correction methods and apparatus for mobile broadcast services

A networking method of single frequency network in a TD-SCDMA system includes the steps of: (1) deciding a networking configuration scheme by a universal mobile telecommunications system terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN), (2) based on the decided networking configuration scheme, configuring an intra-frequency cell info list information element and an inter-frequency cell info list information element in system information and measurement control messages by the UTRAN, (3) transmitting signals over a servicing area by the UTRAN, and (4) receiving the system information and measurement control messages by a user equipment (UE) from the UTRAN, acquiring working mode configuration information of each frequency and each timeslot of a serving cell and neighboring cells, and judging whether there are duplicated cell information elements in the intra-frequency cell info list information element or the inter-frequency cell info list information element.

Networking method of single frequency network in TD-SCDMA system

A mobile TV broadcast system based on TD-SCDMA network is disclosed herein.

Mobile TV broadcast systems and methods based on TD-SCDMA network

An improved active pixel sensor soft reset circuit for reducing image lag while maintaining low reset kTC noise. The circuit pulls down the sensor potential to a sufficiently low level before the soft reset function is completed. The level to which the sensor potential is pulled is set between 0 and the critical potential at which the reset transistor will be on when the soft reset function begins. The timing of the pull down function is such that the sensor is stabilized at the low potential before the soft reset function completes. In one embodiment, the sensor potential is pulled down using a pull-down circuit, which may consist of a CMOS type inverter. In another embodiment, the sensor potential is pulled down by the bit line. Two ways in which the bit line may be pulled down are natural discharge, or by increasing the bias on the loading transistor. Two ways in which the bias on the loading transistor may be increased are a biasing circuit, or by using a pull-down transistor. The active pixel sensor may be implemented with any suitable sensor technology, such as photodiode, photogate, or pinned diode.

APS soft reset circuit for reducing image lag

A method for processing a received signal at a mobile receiver of a wireless communications system is disclosed. The method comprises demodulating the received signal to obtain an analog base band signal and converting the analog base band signal into a digital base band signal. The signal strength of the digital base band signal is estimated and, using the estimation, the digital base band signal is scaled by a scaling factor. The digital base band signal is equalized into an equalized digital signal which is then rescaled by a resealing factor.

Receiver signal dynamic range compensation based on received signal strength indicator

Auto black expansion circuitry with a simplified digital control system. According to the system, a count of the number of pixels that fall below desired black level and mid-level ranges are maintained. The pixel counts are obtained by comparators that receive the adjusted signals at one input and the desired comparator signal levels at the other input. At the end of a field, when the pixel counts are complete, adjustment to the auto black expansion may be made for the following field. Once the pixel count at the end of a given field indicates that the auto black expansion has achieved the desired level, the automatic gain control may be adjusted for the following field. The method uses single comparators and single counters to obtain the pixel counts. The digital controller outputs an 8-bit control signal to adjust the analog auto black expansion and automatic gain control circuits to precise levels.

Auto black expansion method and apparatus for an image sensor

An optical memory having an input port for receiving an input optical signal to be stored in the optical memory is disclosed. A portion of the optical signal is coupled to a storage loop for storing optical signals by a coupler that transfers a portion of the input optical signal to the storage loop. An optical signal stored in the storage loop is output by coupling a portion of that optical signal to a first external optical waveguide. The storage loop includes a semiconductor optical amplifier for amplifying the signals stored in the storage loop to compensate for losses incurred by those signals in traversing the storage loop. A plurality of such optical memories can be combined to form a larger memory that includes a reconditioning circuit that resets the amplitude of the optical signals to a value that depends on the amplitude of the optical signals.

Optical cache memory

An integrated circuit including a power ring and an embedded low drop-off voltage regulator is disclosed herein. The regulator is located within an inner side of the power ring. An input of the regulator is coupled to the power ring. An output of the regulator is coupled to a circuit also included in the integrated circuit. The regulator is configured to fit within a bond pad frame.

Power ring architecture for embedded low drop off voltage regulators

An optical switch that includes optical paths organized into a set of M input optical paths and a set of N output optical paths, where at least one of M and N is greater than unity. The optical switch additionally includes a faceted mirror corresponding to each of the M input optical paths and including N facets and a faceted mirror corresponding to each of the N output optical paths and including M facets. Finally, the optical switch includes a moving mechanism coupled to each faceted mirror to step the faceted mirror linearly in a direction orthogonal to the optical paths to selectively align one of the facets of the faceted mirror with the one of the optical paths with which the faceted mirror is associated. The facets of each of the faceted mirror corresponding to one of the sets of optical paths, i.e., the set of input optical paths or the set of output optical paths, are preferably angled to reflect light towards a different one of the faceted mirrors corresponding to the other of the sets of optical paths, i.e., the set of output optical paths or the set of input optical paths, respectively.

Optical switch incorporating stepped faceted mirrors

An optical switch and method of switching provide 1&times;N optical switching. The optical switch comprises a plurality of optical ports arranged in an annular pattern visible to and aligned with a movable mirror. The mirror is equidistant from each port of the plurality. The optical switch having a 1-dimensional (1D) annular array of ports comprises the mirror located at a center of a circle and the 1D array disposed on a portion of a circumference of the circle. The optical switch having a 2-dimensional (2D) annular array of ports comprises the mirror located at a center of a sphere and the 2D array disposed on a portion of a surface of the sphere. The mirror is movable about one or more axes to direct an optical signal from any port to any other port of the plurality.

Optical switch using an annular array of optical ports

Bubble stability within an optical switch is enhanced by controlling the expansion or movement of a bubble from a liquid-containing trench into available adjacent spacing. Typically, the adjacent spacing is formed between an optical waveguide substrate and a heater substrate, where the heater substrate includes a microheater for forming the bubble. The bubble enhancement is provided by intentionally altering surface features along at least one of the substrates.

Bubble stability in an optical switch

The present invention is directed to an analog delay line for a color CMOS image sensor which is compatible with MOS fabrication technology. The invention allows for the simultaneous reading of pixel signals from two rows of pixels so that combinations of signals from pixels in different rows may be obtained. The delay line includes a set of storage capacitors on which the pixel signals are stored, and a means for writing the signals from the pixels onto the capacitors in sequence. The stored analog pixel signals may then be read out from the delay line at the appropriate time so that they may be combined with pixel signals from adjacent pixels in different rows. In one embodiment, two delay lines are used, so that pixel signals from a current row can be written into one delay line, while the pixel signals from a previous row are being read out from the other delay line. In another embodiment, a single delay line is used in combination with a single pixel delay circuit. When the single pixel delay circuit is used, the pixel signals from a previous row are read out from the delay line and temporarily stored in the single pixel delay circuit, one at a time, shortly after which the pixel signals from the next row are written into the delay line. The pixel signals from the single pixel delay circuit are then read out at the same time that the pixel signals from the next row are being read in, so that signals from adjacent pixels in adjacent rows are available to the processing circuitry at the same time.

CMOS sensor having analog delay line for image processing

An optical switch that includes optical paths organized into a set of M input optical paths and a set of N output optical paths. The optical switch additionally includes a faceted mirror corresponding to each of the M input optical paths and including N facets and a faceted mirror corresponding to each of the N output optical paths and including M facets. Finally, the optical switch includes a moving mechanism coupled to each faceted mirror to step the faceted mirror to selectively align one of the facets of the faceted mirror with the one of the optical paths with which the faceted mirror is associated. The facets of each of the faceted mirrors corresponding to one of the sets of optical paths, i.e., the set of input optical paths or the set of output optical paths, are preferably angled to reflect light towards a different one of the faceted mirrors corresponding to the other of the sets of optical paths, i.e., the set of output optical paths or the set of input optical paths, respectively.

A photodiode with an optimized floating P&plus; region for a CMOS image sensor. The photodiode is constructed with a P&plus;/Nwell/Psub structure. The Nwell/Psub junction of the photodiode acts as a deep junction photodiode which offers high sensitivity. The P&plus; floating region passivates the silicon surface to reduce dark currents. Unlike a traditional pinned photodiode structure, the P&plus; region in the present invention is not connected to the Pwell or Psub regions, thus making the P&plus; region floating. This avoids the addition of extra capacitance to the cell. The photodiode may be included as part of an active pixel sensor cell, the layout of which is fully compatible with the standard CMOS fabrication process. This type of active pixel sensor cell includes the photodiode, and may be configured with a three transistor configuration for reading out the photodiode signals. Examples of other configurations that the photodiode can be used with include two transistors, four transistors, log scale, as well as its ability to be used in a passive pixel implementation. Also, an additional optional N type layer can be introduced in between the P&plus; region and Nwell to fine tune the junction profile for special applications. In addition, the field oxide region may be made to extend over the photodiode, so as to reduce the exposure of the diode area to the field oxide region edge, which can be a source of dark current due to the high electric fields and mechanical stresses.

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Fremont, CA, United States of America

Datong Chen