Texas Instruments Corporation

Ams Ag

Texas Advanced Optoelectronic Solutions, Inc.

Other

Ams International Ag

Eugene G Dierschke

Cecil J Aswell

John H Berlien, Jr

Zhiliang Julian Chen

Norman L Culp

Cecil Aswell

Anli Liu

Steven Derek Clynes

John Hull Berlien, Jr

Martin Schrems

Franz Schrank

David Mehrl

Jingwei Xu

Lester L Hodson

Mehedi Hassan

William E Grose

Jong Mun Park

Mario Manninger

Todd Nicholas Bishop

Gerhard Eilmsteiner

Frederic Roger

Dan Jacobs

Victor Sidorov

Richard D Harris

Barry F Haesly

Troy Chesler

John Hull Berlien Jr

Carlo S Strippoli

Michael R Hailey

Marco Marchl

Todd Bishop

The semiconductor photodetector device comprises a substrate of semiconductor material of a first type of electric conductivity, an epitaxial layer of an opposite second type of electric conductivity, a further epitaxial layer of the first type of electric conductivity and photodetectors. The epitaxial layer functions as a shielding layer for charge carriers (e, hgenerated by radiation that is incident from a rear side opposite the photodetectors.

Semiconductor photodetector device with protection against ambient back light

An optical sensor device comprises a first and a second optical sensor arrangement. In the first optical sensor arrangement at least one optical sensor structure measures the incidence angle of incoming light that is approximately on the main beam axis of a light source. The second optical sensor arrangement comprises at least one optical sensor structure with at least one optical sensor, at least two metal layers and opaque walls optically isolating the optical sensor. An evaluation circuit provides an output signal of the second optical sensor arrangement under the condition that the incidence angle measured by the first optical sensor arrangement lies within a set interval.

Optical sensor device

An embodiment of a method for compensating variations in an attenuation of light of an optical filter of a light sensor system comprises illuminating a clear sensor and a color sensor of the light sensor system with a test light having a test spectrum. Therein the color sensor comprises the optical filter and is designed to predominantly sense light with a wavelength within a pass band of the filter; and the test spectrum has components outside the pass band. A clear test signal generated by the clear sensor and a color test signal generated by the color sensor are received in particular in response to the illumination with the test light. Then a first transmission value T is determined based on the clear test signal and on the color test signal. Finally, a compensation factor Kr, Kg, Kb is calculated to compensate the variations in the attenuation of light based on the first transmission value T and a nominal transmission value Tn of the filter.

Method for processing light sensor signals and light sensor system

An optical sensor arrangement, in particular an optical proximity sensor arrangement comprises a three-dimensional integrated circuit further comprising a first layer comprising a light-emitting device, a second layer comprising a light-detector and a driver circuit. The driver circuit is electrically connected to the light-emitting device and to the light-detector to control the operation of the light-emitting device and the light-detector. A mold layer comprising a first light-barrier between the light-emitting device and the light-detector configured to block light from being transmitted directly from the light-emitting device to the light-detector.

Optical sensor arrangement and method of producing an optical sensor arrangement

A photodiode () and a further photodiode () are arranged in a substrate () at or near a main surface (). The photodiodes are formed and arranged in such a manner that in case of incident ultraviolet radiation () the electric signal from the photodiode () is larger than the further electric signal from the further photodiode (). In particular, the first photodiode may be more sensitive to ultraviolet radiation than the further photodiode. The electric signal from the photodiode is attenuated by the further electric signal and thus yields an electric signal primarily measuring the incident ultraviolet radiation. The attenuation of the electric signal from the first photodiode may be achieved internally using an integrated circuit () or externally using a separate device.

Ultraviolet semiconductor sensor device and method of measuring ultraviolet radiation

Semiconductor structures for optoelectronic sensors with an infrared (IR) blocking filter and methods for using such sensors with post-detection compensation for IR content that passes through the IR blocking filter are provided herein.

Method and device for optoelectronic sensors with IR blocking filter

A thin film structure for an optical sensor to achieve a wavelength window with nearly ripple free reflection and transmission has different areas of thin film with two or more different thicknesses.

Thin film interference ripple reduction

Defective pixels in a CMOS array give rise to spot noise that diminishes the integrity of the resulting image. Because CMOS arrays and digital logic can be fabricated on the same integrated circuit using the same processing technology and relatively inexpensive and fast circuit can be employed to digitally filter the pixel data stream and to identify pixels having values that do not fall in the range defined by the immediately neighboring pixels and the deviate from the neighboring pixels by more than a threshold amount. Such conditions would indicate that the deviation is caused by a defective pixel rather than by desired image data. The threshold amount can be preprogrammed or can be provided by a user or can be dynamically set using feedback indicating image quality. The filter would also provide a solution for other sensors such as CCD, although a single chip solution would likely not be possible.

Defective pixel filtering for digital imagers

An linear optical sensor charged-coupled topology using single-stage inverting charge-coupled amplifier driving an analog-to-digital converter which uses the converter full-scale reference as a precharge level. Since an offset in the range of 100&#x2013;200 mV is introduced in the charge amplifier, a corresponding offset is also introduced into the ADC to allow the amplifier to more quickly drive the amplifier output to a low level. The converter offset is proportional to the converter reference to ensure that it is controlled and tracks the reference.

Charge-coupled amplifier and converter with matched offsets

Image enhancement is automatically achieved by calibrating the reference voltage and gain of a differential amplifier and the integration interval so as to provide an input to a differential analog to digital converter (ADC) that utilizes the full dynamic range of the ADC. When used with a CMOS array, the imaging logic can be fabricated on a single chip with the array using combinational logic for fast, inexpensive calibration. Another advantageous feature is the ability to expand a desired portion of the luminance spectrum of the image in order to increase the digital resolution of the resulting image for that portion of the spectrum of interest.

Digital imaging control with selective intensity resolution enhancement

A MOS architecture for reading rows of pixels in an area array imager. After initial setup, individual pixels are read one row at a time using one clock pulse per pixel.

Fast frame readout architecture for array sensors with integrated correlated double sampling system

Two methods for suppressing the fixed pattern noise effects of a pixel reset switch by ensuring that the reset NMOS device operates in its linear region. The first approach uses a separate reset switch supply voltage, V , set to at least one threshold voltage below the sensing switch supply voltage, V . The second approach uses a charge pump and level shifter to push the reset gate voltage at least one threshold voltage higher than a supply voltage common to both the reset and sense transistors.

Mismatch-independent reset sensing for CMOS area array sensors

A monolithic optical detector for determining spectral content of an incident light includes at least a first and second well in a substrate, the second well formed proximate the first well. The first well is configured to be exposed to incident light and for generating a first photocurrent as a function of the incident light. The second well is configured to be shielded from the incident light and for generating a second photocurrent as a function of the incident light. Lastly, a processing and control unit, responsive to the first and second photocurrents, determines an indication of spectral content of the incident light. A method and device parameter controller are also disclosed.

Method and apparatus for optical detector with special discrimination

A technique for serially controlling an array of optical sensor chips over a pair of signal lines. After broadcasting an initializing reset command to all chips over serial lines, a determine-address command is broadcast to commence unique address determination. On subsequent clock signals, each chip locks its address into an on-board register. Following this process, each chip can be addressed individually. Subsequently, when each array chip is directed to read data out, the data is output to a single common bus line to the controller. Alternatively, individual chip outputs may be connected directly to the controller, or the outputs of odd and even chip pairs may be tied together for broadcast readout of all odd chips or all even chips.

Addressing and communication for multiple-chip optical sensor arrays

Driver circuitry ( ) is disclosed, incorporating feedback circuitry ( ) inter-coupled with reference circuitry ( ) to equalize the voltage level of an output ( ) with a reference voltage source ( ) in the reference circuitry; where the driver circuitry comprises a first transistor ( ) having a first terminal coupled to a voltage source ( ), a second terminal coupled to an input ( ), and a third terminal coupled to a resistor ( ), a second transistor ( ) having a first terminal coupled to ground ( ), a second terminal coupled to an input ( ), and a third terminal coupled to a resistor ( ), a third transistor ( ) having a first terminal coupled to the output, a second terminal ( ) coupled jointly to the resistors, and a third terminal coupled to ground, and a resistor ( ) coupling the output to a voltage source ( ).

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Dallas, TX, United States of America

Eugene G Dierschke