Omnivision Technologies, Inc.

Intersil Americas Inc.

Manoj Bikumandla

Howard E Rhodes

Duli Mao

Gang Chen

Vincent Venezia

Yin Qian

Hsin-Chih Tai

Sing-Chung Hu

Dominic Massetti

Wei Zheng

Keh-Chiang Ku

Zhibin Xiong

Sasidhar Saladi

Celine Baron

An optical proximity detector includes a plurality photodetectors (PDs) and a winner-take-all (WTA) circuit. Each of the PDs has a respective field of view (FOV) and produces a respective analog current detection signal indicative of light incident on and detected by the PD. In an embodiment, the WTA circuit includes a comparator and a multiplexor (MUX). The comparator compares the analog current detection signals produced by the PDs and produces a selection signal in dependence thereon. The MUX receives the analog current detection signals produced by the PDs and outputs one of the analog current detection signals in dependence on the selection signal produced by the comparator. Circuitry, which is shared by the PDs, produces a digital detection signal corresponding to the one of the analog current detection signals output by the MUX. Such design can be used to reduce power consumption, size and cost of an optical proximity detector.

Systems and methods for optical proximity detection with multiple field of views

Optical proximity sensors, methods for use therewith, and systems including optical proximity sensor are described herein. Such an optical proximity sensor includes a light source and a light detector, wherein the light detector includes a plurality of individually selectable photodiodes (PDs). During a calibration mode, individual PDs of the plurality of PDs of the light detector are tested to identify which PDs are crosstalk dominated. During an operation mode, the PDs of the light detector that were not identified as being crosstalk dominated are used to produce a light detection value or signal that is useful for detecting the presence, proximity and/or motion of an object within the sense region of the optical proximity sensor. By not using the PDs that were identified as being crosstalk dominated, the signal-to-noise ratio of the light detection value or signal is improved compared to if the crosstalk dominated PDs were also used.

Optical proximity sensors with reconfigurable photodiode array

Embodiments of an image sensor pixel that includes a photosensitive element, a floating diffusion region, and a transfer device. The photosensitive element is disposed in a substrate layer for accumulating an image charge in response to light. The floating diffusion region is dispose in the substrate layer to receive the image charge from the photosensitive element. The transfer device is disposed between the photosensitive element and the floating diffusion region to selectively transfer the image charge from the photosensitive element to the floating diffusion region. The transfer device includes a buried channel device including a buried channel gate disposed over a buried channel dopant region. The transfer device also includes a surface channel device including a surface channel gate disposed over a surface channel region. The surface channel device is in series with the buried channel device. The surface channel gate has the opposite polarity of the buried channel gate.

Partial buried channel transfer device for image sensors

A CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) pixel for sensing at least one selected from a biological, chemical, ionic, electrical, mechanical and magnetic stimulus. The CMOS pixel includes a substrate including a backside, a source coupled with the substrate to generate a background current, and a detection element electrically coupled to measure the background current. The stimulus, which is to be provided to the backside, affects a measurable change in the background current.

Backside stimulated sensor with background current manipulation

A method of operating an image sensor includes adjusting a capacitance coupled to a circuit node within a pixel cell. The circuit node is coupled to selectively receive an image charge acquired by a photo-sensor of the pixel cell. A conversion gain is selected from multiple conversion gains for the pixel cell by adjusting the capacitance. A voltage level from multiple voltage levels is selected for use as a reset signal when the reset signal is asserted. The reset signal controls resetting of the circuit node during operation of the pixel cell. The voltage level is selected dependent upon which of the multiple conversion gains is selected by adjusting the capacitance. The reset signal is asserted to reset a voltage at the circuit node.

Multilevel reset voltage for multi-conversion gain image sensor

Implementations of a pixel including a substrate having a front side, a back side, and a photosensitive region formed on or near the front side, a dielectric layer formed on the front side, and a metal stack having a bottom side and a top side, the bottom side being on the dielectric layer. A light guide is formed in the dielectric layer and the metal stack and extending from the front side of the substrate to the top side of the metal stack, the light guide having a refractive index equal to or greater than the refractive index of the substrate. Other implementations are disclosed and claimed.

Backside-illuminated (BSI) pixel including light guide

A time of flight pixel includes a photodiode that accumulates charge in response to light incident upon the photodiode. A first transfer transistor is couple between the photodiode and a first charge storage device to selectively transfer charge to the first charge storage device from the photodiode. A second transfer transistor coupled between the photodiode and a second charge storage device to selectively transfer charge to the second charge storage device from the photodiode. An enable transistor is coupled between the first charge storage device and a readout node coupled to the second charge storage device to selectively couple the first charge storage device to the readout node. An amplifier transistor having a gate is also coupled to a readout node.

Shared time of flight pixel

An apparatus includes a first photodetector array including visible light photodetectors disposed in semiconductor material to detect visible light included in light incident upon the semiconductor material. The apparatus also includes a second photodetector array including time of flight ('TOF') photodetectors disposed in the semiconductor material to capture TOF data from reflected light reflected from an object included in the light incident upon the semiconductor material. The reflected light reflected from the object is directed to the TOF photodetectors along an optical path through the visible light photodetectors and through a thickness of the semiconductor material. The visible light photodetectors of the first photodetector array are disposed in the semiconductor material along the optical path between the object and the TOF photodetectors of the second photodetector array.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Manoj Bikumandla