Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Exelis Inc.

John Richard Troxell

Marie I Harrington

Charles Neil Stevenson

Frank J Schauerte

Ronald Melvin Taylor

Larry Max Oberdier

Binghua Pan

Jeffrey H Burns

David Kay Lambert

Michel Farid Sultan

Jeffery Alan Zuraski

Charles Robert Harrington

William J Baney

Arun K Chaudhuri

Brian Thomas Murray

James C Erskine

Ronald Michael Lesperance

Dan W Chilcott

Siddharth S Rege

Teck Tiong Tan

Tecktiong Tan

Su Liang Chan

Charged particle sensing devices and methods of forming charged particle sensing devices are provided. The charged particle sensing device includes a source of charged particles, a plurality of collector electrodes for receiving a first portion of the charged particles and a grid formed around and spaced apart from the plurality of collector electrodes. The grid receives a second portion of the charged particles and directs backscattered charged particles, generated responsive to the second portion, to adjacent collector electrodes.

Charged particle collector for a CMOS imager

An optical system and method for controlling light propagation along a light path. An optical element such as a lens is formed of a first light transmitting material and has a surface finish effective to scatter light impinging on the surface. Index matching material contacts to a portion of the surface so as to reduce or nullify the scattering effects of the surface finish within the portion. This allows the first optical element to have surfaces that have been generally prepared for scattering light and then later selectively negate the scattering effects of the surface finish by contacting portions of the surface with index matching material. As such, light in the optical element directed toward a surface or boundary within selected portion propagates into or out of the optical element. Light outside of the selected portion is scattered. Such an arrangement helps to reduce image degradation due to light outside of the light path being reflected about within the optical system.

Optical system for controlling light propagation along a light path

In an actively illuminated imaging system, illumination of a segmented scene is synchronized with an image sensing period. A scene is segmented into a plurality of scene portions utilizing a segmented lens. In an aspect, a first scene portion is illuminated when an imager is actively collecting photogenerated charge from the first scene portion, and a second scene portion is illuminated when an imager is actively collecting photogenerated charge from the second scene portion. The sensitivity of an image sensor is maximized, while simultaneously minimizing the amount of light that must be supplied to illuminate a scene. An irradiance pattern is varied allowing a more uniform distribution of light. Bands of varying wavelength, polarization, and light intensity may be variously applied to illuminate individual scene segments, as needed to enhance an identification of an object in the scene. The present invention is particularly useful with high frame rate imaging systems.

Synchronous imaging using segmented illumination

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are directed to a photonic sensor and method of operation, in one embodiment a photonic has: a sensing element; a dielectric layer; a first electrode disposed between the sensing element and the dielectric layer; a second electrode positioned in a facing spaced relationship with respect to the dielectric layer, the second electrode being disposed upon a substrate; and wherein an applied voltage between the first and second electrodes attracts the first electrode towards the second electrode resulting in a movement of the sensor and the first electrode and dielectric layer with respect to the second electrode, wherein a path of thermal conductance is provided between the substrate and the sensing element through the first electrode, the dielectric layer and the second electrode, and the dielectric layer and the first electrode return to the facing spaced relationship when the applied voltage is removed.

Apparatus and method for providing thermal conductance in thermally responsive photonic imaging devices

A transparent overlay input device includes a transparent non-conductive substrate, a plurality of transparent conductive electrode pairs and a transparent non-conductive cover. The plurality of transparent conductive electrode pairs are formed on the substrate and each form a proximity sensitive region and include a first electrode that receives an input signal and a second electrode that provides an output signal. The first and second electrodes are capacitively coupled and the capacitance of the electrode pair changes when a conductive member, e.g., a user's finger, is located near the electrode pair. The transparent non-conductive cover is formed on the substrate over the electrode pairs.

Transparent overlay input device

An optical information processing circuit assembly includes an optically transmissive substrate and a resiliently compressible circuit member affixed to the substrate and defining an opening therethrough with a number of leads disposed about the opening. An integrated imaging circuit defines a corresponding number of pads wherein the pads align with and electrically contact the leads. An optically transmissive medium may be disposed between and in contact with the substrate and the integrated imaging circuit to allow light transmission therethrough from the substrate to the imaging circuit. In one embodiment, resilient bumps are provided between the integrated imaging circuit and the resiliently compressible circuit member to form the electrical connection therebetween. Alternatively, solder bumps may replace the resilient bumps. Additional circuit components may be similarly mounted to the resiliently compressible circuit member to complete the assembly.

Optical information processing circuit assembly

An electronic module adapted to sense light and configured to minimize the entry of stray light into the module. The module includes a housing having an opening through which light enters the housing, a first substrate coupled to the housing, a second substrate on the first substrate opposite the housing, and a chip on the second substrate. The first substrate defines a window aligned with the housing so that light traveling through the housing also passes through window. The second substrate defines an opening aligned with the window, and the chip is located over the opening in the second substrate so that a light-sensing element on the chip senses light passing through the opening. The module is equipped with features that prevent light from entering the module through the second substrate, the first substrate, and between the chip and second substrate.

Electronic module with light-blocking features

An integrated switch-indicator unit includes a light emitting diode (LED) structure for providing a plurality of indicators and an overlay input device integrated with the LED structure. The overlay input device includes a non-conductive substrate and a plurality of conductive electrode pairs. The plurality of conductive electrode pairs are formed on the substrate and each form a proximity sensitive region and include a first electrode that receives an input signal and a second electrode that provides an output signal. The first and second electrodes are capacitively coupled and the capacitance of the electrode pair changes when a conductive member, e.g., a user's finger, is located near the electrode pair.

Retaskable switch-indicator unit

An image sensor comprising an integrated circuit chip that includes both a pixel array and edge detection circuitry hardwired together on the chip. The pixel array provides an addressable, non-destructive readout of the pixel data, with the edge detection circuit providing a hardwired implementation of a pair of n&#xd7;n masks that are convolved with the pixel array data to thereby generate horizontal and vertical edge data that is combined together and outputted by the image sensor. The masks are implemented as a pair of one-dimensional filters, with one of the filters being a one-dimensional Gaussian filter used to smooth the pixel data along one axis and the other filter providing a first derivative Gaussian function to detect edges along the other, orthogonal axis. The non-destructibility of the readout from the pixel array eliminates the need for buffering large amounts of pixel data and the use of separable, one-dimensional filters permits each mask to be implemented using only n simultaneous outputs from the array, 2weights, and n&#x2212;1 buffers for temporary storage of the smoothed pixel data.

Image sensor method and apparatus having hardware implemented edge detection processing

A refractive block includes a light-entrance surface configured to be mounted in contact with a refractive boundary of a vehicle, and a light-exit surface wherein the refractive block is configured to refract an optical path of light corresponding to an imaged area and to direct the light to an image-sensing component.

Refractive block and imaging systems for use in automobiles

An image sensor having an array of pixel elements constructed using a two level polysilicon CMOS process that provides individual addressability and a non-destructive readout of the pixels. The pixel elements each includes a substrate, an insulating layer formed on the substrate, a collection capacitor electrode, a transfer electrode, a readout capacitor electrode, and a readout transistor. The transfer electrode is located between the collection and readout capacitor electrodes and all three electrodes are electrically isolated from the substrate and each other by the insulating layer. The collection capacitor electrode and insulating layer are transparent so that incident light can pass through these elements and be absorbed by the substrate. A bias voltage is applied to the collection electrode to form a depletion region in the substrate where photoelectrically generated charge is collected. The charge is then transferred to a second depletion region underneath the readout capacitor electrode by applying a bias voltage to the transfer electrode. The readout transistor has an insulated gate connected to the readout capacitor electrode, so that it can generate a pixel data output signal indicative of the charge that is now stored under the readout capacitor electrode. This reading out of the pixel data is therefore non-destructive, allowing the pixel to be read multiple times without loss of information. An image sensor so constructed can be used in conjunction with on-chip image processing circuits for performing such tasks as edge detection and other algorithms that involve convolutions or other combinations of pixel data.

Image sensor method and apparatus having addressable pixels and non-destructive readout

A self testing CMOS imager chip includes a controller which outputs a sewer signal, a dump signal, a collect signal, and a read signal, and a pixel array connected to the controller including a plurality of pixels arranged in an array of rows and columns, each pixel having a collect gate disposed adjacent a collect well for receiving a charge in response to application of the collect signal to the collect gate, a sewer for injecting a charge into the collect well in response to the concurrent application of the sewer signal to the sewer and the collect signal to the collect well, a read gate disposed adjacent a read well for receiving the injected charge from the collect well in response to application of the read signal to the read gate and the absence of the collect signal at the collect gate, and a transistor having a gate coupled to the read well, a source for receiving the read signal, and a drain coupled to an output node connected to the controller. The read signal is modulated by the injected charge at the gate of the transistor, thereby generating an injected output signal at the output node representing the injected charge. The controller, through read-out circuitry, comparing the injected output signal to an expected output signal to test the operation of each pixel of the array.

Self testing CMOS imager chip

A device for disabling vehicle controls includes one or more switches that control a function. This device also has a sensor to detect a vehicle event. When the sensor detects a vehicle event, a controller prevents the switches from controlling that function.

Device and method for disabling vehicle controls

A photoresponsive device wherein a plurality of slots is formed in a continuous polycrystalline silicon film that forms a top electrode of the photoresponsive device structure. The resulting &ldquo;picket fence-like&rdquo; fingers are capable of generating a depletion region that extends beyond the physical extent of the fingers themselves. The shorter wavelengths of light can reach these unobstructed depletion areas of the substrate and be rapidly detected instead of being absorbed in the electrode. By appropriate spacing of the individual fingers, the individual depletion regions can be effectively merged into one continuous depletion region.

Photoresponsive device for detection of long and short wavelength photons

In an infra-red imaging system, infra-red radiation from a scene is optically collected and directed to form an infra-red image of the scene on an array of bi-state diffraction grating elements. Each bi-state diffraction grating element has an activated state providing diffraction of incident infra-red radiation at a predetermined angle from the incident direction and an alternative inactivated state providing no such diffraction at the predetermined angle. Scanning apparatus sequentially activates the bi-state diffraction grating elements temporarily from their inactivated states to their activated states to produce a scanned infra-red image of the scene in IR radiation diffracted by the elements at the predetermined angle, which is collected and directed to an infra-red detector. The detector provides a coded electrical representation of the scanned infra-red image of the scene to further apparatus which generates therefrom a human-detectable signal. The separation of scanning from detection allows a single detector to be used for the detection of multiple pixels and thus reduces the size, complexity and cost of the detector apparatus. The scanning apparatus may also provide a chopping function by delaying the activation of each bi-state diffraction grating element to its activated state for a predetermined time period after a deactivation to the inactivated state of the previous sequentially activated diffraction grating element. The apparatus may combine IR radiation at two wavelengths by providing separate detectors at the angle of diffraction of each wavelength or by mixing diffraction grating elements of different grating pitch providing diffraction of each wavelength at the same angle to a single IR detector. Some embodiments may provide combination of IR and visible light for an enhanced visible image.

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Sterling Heights, MI, United States of America

John Richard Troxell