Eastman-kodak Company

Omnivision Technologies, Inc.

Intellectual Ventures Fund 83 LLC

Herbert J Erhardt

Joseph R Summa

Eric Gordon Stevens

Robert H Philbrick

John N Border

Robert Michael Guidash

Marek W Kowarz

J Kelly Lee

Robert Mark Boysel

Antonio S Ciccarelli

Constantine N Anagnostopoulos

John Thomas Compton

David N Nichols

Teh-Hsuang Lee

Eric J Meisenzahl

Martin Potucek

Edward T Nelson

Edward J Ozimek

David M Charneski

William F DesJardin

Edward P Lawler

Richard B Brolly

Wayne W Hintz

Liang Tan

A motor vehicle system for automatically reporting exception events, comprising: one or more digital cameras, at least one digital camera having a primary function; an image memory system for storing digital images; means for detecting exception events; and a wireless communications system for communicating with a central reporting service. A program memory stores executable instruction for causing a processor to perform the steps of: using at least one of the digital cameras to periodically capture digital images at a specified capture frequency; storing the periodically captured digital images in the image memory for a specified period of time; and receiving input from the means for detecting an exception event. In response to the detection of an exception event a communication link is opened to the central reporting service using the wireless communications system, and one or more of the captured digital images are transmitted to the central reporting service.

Automotive imaging system for recording exception events

A microshutter array has a frame having a light transmissive portion. Linear microshutter elements extend across the light transmissive portion and in parallel to each other. Each microshutter element has a flat blade extended in a length direction and first and second torsion arms extending outwards from each side of the blade in the length direction, the blade extending across the light transmissive portion. There is at least one electrode associated with each linear microshutter element and extended in the length direction parallel to the microshutter element.

Micro-electromechanical microshutter array

An integrated circuit includes a substrate; a sealing element spanning a periphery of the substrate that forms a protective boundary for the substrate; a plurality of copper lines spanning the substrate in at least two distinct layers contained within the protective boundary; a first conducting element disposed outside the sealing element; and one or more second conducting elements connecting at least two of the copper lines and that spans the sealing element; wherein the conducting elements are substantially non-oxidizing metals that are resistant to oxidization and that connect the copper line to the first conducting element.

Metal interconnects for integrated circuit die comprising non-oxidizing portions extending outside seal ring

An image sensor includes at least first and second photo-sensitive regions; a color filter array having at least two different colors that selectively absorb specific bands of wavelengths, and the two colors respectively span portions of predetermined photo-sensitive regions; and wherein the two photo sensitive regions are doped so that electrons that are released at two different depths in the substrate are collected in two separate regions of the photo sensitive regions so that, when wavelengths of light pass through the color filter array, light is absorbed by the photo sensitive regions which photo sensitive regions consequently releases electrons at two different depths of the photo sensitive regions and are stored in first and second separate regions; at least two charge-coupled devices adjacent the first photo sensitive regions; and a first transfer gate associated with the first photo sensitive region that selectively passes charge at first and second levels which, when at the first level, causes the charge stored in the first region to be passed to one of its associated charge-coupled devices, and when the transfer gate is at the second level, charge stored in the second region is passed to one of the associated charge-coupled devices.

Interline CCD implementation of hybrid two color per pixel architecture

An image sensor comprising a plurality of pixels arranged in at least two sub-arrays; first and second delay areas respectively connected to each sub-array for respectively receiving charge from the sub-array; wherein a pitch of the first delay area is different from the second delay area and at least two readout mechanisms for respectively receiving the charge from the delay areas, wherein a same line from the first and second sub-arrays is received by each delay area at substantially the same time.

Charge-coupled device having multiple readout paths for multiple outputs

An image sensor includes a plurality of photosensitive sites which convert incident light into a charge for forming a bounded array of active imaging pixels; one or more substitutional pixels sites arranged in predetermined locations and interspersed amongst the boundary of the array of active imaging pixels; wherein the substitutional pixels are of a different design from the active imaging pixels which provides data, information or function different from the active pixels for improving performance, operation, manufacture, and/or assembly of the image sensor.

Image sensor array with substitutional circuit distribution

A timing generator for an electronic image sensor includes one or more memory based tables for controlling timing events that occur within one or more different types of image sensor lines, and one or more memory based tables for controlling timing events that occur within one or more different types of image sensor frames.

Timing generator for electronic image sensor with tables that control line and frame timing

A solid state image sensor architecture that utilizes drain structures at one or more locations on a shift register, as set by the design, allowing the user to select which charge packets are needed to represent the image and draining the remaining packets. Since the used packets are drained, there is no need to provide clock cycles to output charge packets that are not used while in the low resolution mode. Clocking can be stopped after the needed number of cycles without leaving charge packets in the shift register without the possibility of corrupting subsequent image information by charge packets that have not been removed. Additionally, the reduction in clock cycles decreases the time required to process the current information, and allows the system to operate at higher speeds.

Solid state image sensor with selectable resolution

This invention concerns a novel structure to create a low capacitance floating diffusion without changing or adding steps to the image sensor fabrication process. It consists of incorporation of a novel structure at the contact area between the floating diffusion and the gate electrode that reduces the junction capacitance of the floating diffusion and improves the sensitivity of the device (the structure features overlapping contact, gate, metalization and n-type regions which provide the electrical contact between the floating diffusion and the gate). Additionally, the structure has a low resistance diffusion region that is self aligned with a gate electrode.

Low capacitance floating diffusion structure for a solid state image

A CCD image sensor having a linear array of individual imaging photodetecting cells aligned along a scanning line for sensing light information and converting the light information to charge carriers. A CCD shift register, adjacent to the linear array of photodetecting cells, is used for receiving and temporarily storing the charge carriers generated by the photodetecting cells of the linear array. The CCD shift register has a plurality of CCD cells, each of the photodetecting cells being associated with at least two CCD cells such that there is an imaging CCD cell for receiving the charge carriers from the associated photodetecting cell, and at least one buffer cell for receiving a pre-loaded signal to reduce charge transfer inefficiency of the charge carriers. A pre-loaded signal is injected into the buffer cells of the CCD shift register and all the cells are clocked out such that the pre-loaded buffer cells are clocked through the image cells to improve charge transfer inefficiency characteristics.

Image sensor with improved charge transfer inefficiency characteristics

A method of precisely aligning and fastening a glass cover plate over an image sensor includes the use of first and second sets of spacers arranged so that the glass cover plate is provided on the base plate and the image sensor is provided on the first set of spacers and spaced from a carrier mounted on the second set of spacers. An adhesive secures the glass cover plate to the image sensor as well as the image sensor to the carrier.

Growing community of inventors

Rochester, NY, United States of America

Herbert J Erhardt