Stanley Electric Co., Ltd

Brainvision Inc.

Michinori Ichikawa

Tadashi Kawata

Takanori Tanite

Fumio Kubo

Yutaka Ishiyama

Ryohoi Ikono

Ryouhei Ikeno

Tadashi Kawate

A pixel structure of a solid-state image sensor in which residual electrons in a photodiode is reduced and which has a first-stage gate that is arranged adjacent to the photodiode and controls read-out of electrons generated in the photodiode, a second-stage gate that is adjacent to the first-stage gate on the rear stage of the gate at a predetermined gap and controls movement of electrons read out by the readout control of the first-stage gate to the plurality of the charge-storage sections, and a plurality of third-stage gates that are adjacent to the second-stage gate on the rear stage of the gate at a predetermined gap, severally arranged corresponding to the plurality of the charge-storage sections, and perform control of distributing the electrons moved by the movement control of the second-stage gate severally to the plurality of the charge-storage sections, and gradient on which electrons are moved in the first-stage gate direction is formed on the potential of the photodiode.

Pixel structure of a solid-state image sensor employing a charge sorting method

The disclosed subject matter is directed to solid state cameras and sensor systems that include a pickup surface thereof with both a distance detecting area for measuring a distance from a moving object and a movement detecting area for detecting the object's movement. The device can also include an optical communication area for communicating with an outside communication device. Therefore, the device enables a single pickup surface to include at least the following three functions: distance measurement; movement detection; and optical communication. The above-described sensor systems can output a control signal for collision avoidance with stationary or moving obstacle(s) by using the solid state camera. Because the sensor system can be integrated as a single chip IC with a small size, the system is useful as a sensor device in a vehicle, a robot, and the like.

Solid state camera and sensor system and method

The disclosed subject matter relates to a method and apparatus for position judgment, which can include a plurality of light sources and a photo-detector. The plurality of light sources can be configured to emit a plurality of pulsed lights towards an object from different directions, and a photo-detector can be configured to serially detect the light reflected from the object. A determination of whether the object is moving further away or coming closer to the apparatus can be judged by calculating at least one of a position, an area and a brightness of the object from the reflected light and comparing the data with the previous data for the same value(s). Thus, because the method of the disclosed subject matter does not require a measurement of time as in the conventional methods, the method can result in providing a similar apparatus with a simple configuration and at a low cost, and can be used as a sensor for detecting an obstacle and the like in a vehicle, alarm system, etc.

Method and apparatus for position judgment

To eliminate uneven distribution of electrons caused by variation in threshold voltages of gates for distributing electrons and to have sensitivity in a long wavelength in a pixel structure of a solid-state image sensor of a charge sorting method, the structure has: a photodiode that generates electrons by photoelectric conversion; a plurality of charge-storage sections that store electrons generated in the photodiode; and a gate structure that is arranged between the photodiode and the charge-storage sections and controls transfer of electrons generated in the photodiode to the plurality of charge-storage sections, in which the gate structure is made up of plural stages of gates, and the plural stages of gates at least have: a front stage gate that is arranged adjacent to the photodiode and controls readout of electrons generated in the photodiode; and a rear stage gate that is arranged adjacent to the plurality of charge-storage sections on the rear stage of the front stage gate and performs control of distributing electrons read out by readout control of the front stage gate to the plurality of charge-storage sections.

Pixel structure of solid-state image sensor

A solid-state image sensor of a charge sorting method used in a time-of-flight measurement method, in which noise derived from background light, which is caused by the reflection light from the subject derived from background light is eliminated, reflection light from the subject derived from a predetermined light source, which is previously set in the solid-state image sensor, is effectively extracted as a signal component to achieve high sensitivity and low noise, which is a solid-state image sensor that is equipped with a plurality of charge-storage sections, discriminates photoelectrons generated by incoming light on the incoming timing and sort to the above-described plurality of charge-storage sections, and measures the timing of the incoming light, in which the sensor has: a plurality of capacitors that capable of conducting to the plurality of charge-storage sections; and a control section that controls a conducted state between the above-described plurality of charge-storage sections and the above-described plurality of capacitors, in which by selectively conducting the above-described plurality of charge-storage sections and the above-described plurality of capacitors by the control of the above-described control section, the difference component of charge stored in the above-described plurality of charge-storage sections is extracted.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Michinori Ichikawa