Intersil Americas Inc.

Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.

Xicor Corporation

Phillip J Benzel

Joy T Jones

Xijian Lin

Alexander Kalnitsky

Dong Zheng

Nicole Dorene Kerness

Christopher Francis Edwards

John T Gasner

Jeanne Marie McNamara

John M Wettroth

Cristian Cerutti

Helen Hongwei Li

Joy Ellen Jones

Arkadii V Samoilov

Peter R Harper

Perumal Ratnam

Anand K Chamakura

David Skurnik

Nevzat Akin Kestelli

Roger A Levinson

Gregory Keith Cestra

Richard I Olsen

Sunny Kweisun Hsu

David B Bell

Zhong Li

Wendy Ng

Oleg Steciw

Perumal Ratman

Bjoy Santos

Aspects of the disclosure pertain to a system and method for reducing ambient light sensitivity of Infrared (IR) detectors. Optical filter(s) (e.g., absorption filter(s), interference filter(s)) placed over a sensor of the IR detector (e.g., gesture sensor) absorb or reflect visible light, while passing specific IR wavelengths, for promoting the reduced ambient light sensitivity of the IR detector.

System and method for reducing ambient light sensitivity of infrared (IR) detectors

A Maintain Power Signature (MPS) Powered Device (PD) is described. In one or more implementations, the MPS device comprises a current sensor configured to sense current flowing from Power Sourcing Equipment (PSE) to the PD. The current sense based MPS device also comprises a current generator configured to sink electrical current to prevent the PSE from removing power to the PD. Thus, the electrical current comprises a current amplitude characteristic selected based upon MPS requirements of the PSE. In some implementations, the current is sunk to a ground. In other implementations, the current is sunk to a storage device, such as a storage device included with the PD and/or external to the PD.

Maintain power signature (MPS) powered device (PD)

Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems, devices and methods for translating I2C addresses. In accordance with an embodiment, a method for translating an I2C address includes receiving an original I2C address from a first I2C compatible device via an I2C-bus to which the first I2C compatible device is connected. The method also includes translating the original I2C address to a translated I2C address, and outputting the translated I2C address to a second I2C compatible device via a secondary side of the I2C-bus to which the slave device is connected. The original I2C address can be translated to the translated I2C address by subtracting an offset value from (or adding an offset value to) the original I2C address to produce the translated I2C address. Such an offset value can be specified using pin strapping, or by storing the offset value in a register or non-volatile memory that is programmable via the&#x2014;I2C bus. Alternatively, a look-up-table, that is programmable via the I2C-bus, can be used to perform the I2C address translation.

I2C address translation

Optical devices are described that integrate multiple heterogeneous components in a single, compact package. In one or more implementations, the optical devices include a carrier substrate having a surface that includes two or more cavities formed therein. One or more optical component devices are disposed within the respective cavities in a predetermined arrangement. A cover is disposed on the surface of the carrier substrate so that the cover at least substantially encloses the optical component devices within their respective cavities. The cover, which may be glass, is configured to transmit light within the predetermined spectrum of wavelengths.

Multichip wafer level package (WLP) optical device

A device having a detector includes a sensor package. The sensor package includes a light sensor, at least one filter located over the light sensor and at least one bond pad. The light sensor is formed on a semiconductor device that provides sensor information related to light incident upon the light sensor. A perimeter of each bond pad is covered by a protective layer forming a sidewall seal. The sensor package also includes a package that encases the light sensor, filter(s) and bond pad(s). Additionally, at least one package pin is communicatively coupled to the bond pad(s). The device also includes a functional circuit that is coupled to the sensor package and receives the sensor information from the light sensor. The device can be an ambient light sensor, camera, backlit mirror, handheld electronic device, filter device, light-to-digital output sensor, gain selection device, proximity sensor, or light-to-voltage non-linear converter.

Devices including bond pad having protective sidewall seal

A method for opening a bond pad on a semiconductor device is provided. The method comprises removing a first layer to expose a first portion of the bond pad and forming a protective layer over the exposed first portion of the bond pad. The method further comprises performing subsequent processing of the semiconductor device and removing the protective layer to expose a second portion of the bond pad.

Protecting bond pad for subsequent processing

Described herein are light sensors that primarily respond to visible light while suppressing infrared light. Also described herein are systems the incorporate such light sensors. Such a system can include a display, a light source to backlight the display and a controller to control the brightness of the light source based on feedback received from such light sensors. Described herein are also methods for controlling backlighting.

Backlight control using light sensors with infrared suppression

Methods and systems for producing a digital temperature reading are provided. In an embodiment, one or more current sources and one or more switches are used to selectively provide a first amount of current (I) and a second amount of current (I) to the emitter of a transistor (Q), during different time slots of a time period, to thereby produce a first base-emitter voltage (Vbe) and a second base-emitter voltage (Vbe), where I=I*M, and M is a known constant. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) digitizes analog signals representative of the magnitudes Vbeand Vbe. A difference is determined between the magnitudes of Vbeand Vbe. A digital calculator produces a digital temperature reading (DTR) based on the difference between the magnitudes of Vbeand Vbe

CMOS temperature-to-digital converter with digital correction

A CMOS light detector configured to detect specific wavelengths of light includes a first sensor and a second sensor. The first sensor includes CMOS photocells that are covered by a colored filter layer of a first color that has a first transmittance that allows both light of the specific wavelengths and light of other wavelengths to pass. The second sensor including further CMOS photocells, at least some of which are covered by both a colored filter layer of the first color and a colored filter layer of a second color, stacked one above the other in either order, where the colored filter layer of the second color has a second transmittance that allows light of the other wavelengths to pass. The first sensor produces a first photocurrent, and the second sensor produces a second photocurrent, when light including both the specific and other wavelengths is incident upon the detector. A differential photocurrent, produced by determining a difference between the first and second photocurrents, has a spectral response with at least part of the light of other wavelengths cancelled.

Ambient light detectors using conventional CMOS image sensor process

A photodiode includes a substrate having a first semiconductor type surface region on at least a portion thereof, and a second semiconductor type surface layer formed in a portion of the surface region. A multi-layer anti-reflective coating (ARC) is on the second semiconductor type surface layer, wherein the multi-layer ARC comprises at least two different dielectric layers. A layer resistant to oxide etch is above a peripheral portion the multi-layer ARC. Further layers are above the layer resistant to oxide etch, and thereby above the peripheral portion the multi-layer ARC. A window extends down to the multi-layer ARC. A photodiode region is formed by a pn-junction of the first semiconductor type surface region and the second semiconductor type surface layer.

Photodiode for multiple wavelength operation

In an embodiment, a proximity sensor includes a driver, a photo-diode (PD) and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The proximity sensor can also include a controller to control the driver. The driver selectively drives a light source, e.g., an infrared (IR) light emitting diode (LED). The PD, which produces a current signal indicative of the intensity of light detected by the PD, is capable of detecting both ambient light and light produced by the light source that is reflected off an object. The ADC receives one or more portion of the current signal produced by the PD. The ADC produces one or more digital output that can be used to estimate the proximity of an object to the PD in a manner that compensates for ambient light detected by the PD and transient changes to the detected ambient light.

Proximity sensors and methods for sensing proximity

A method of a fabricating a multiple wavelength adapted photodiode and resulting photodiode includes the steps of providing a substrate having a first semiconductor type surface region on at least a portion thereof, implanting and forming a second semiconductor type shallow surface layer into the surface region, and forming a multi-layer anti-reflective coating (ARC) on the shallow surface layer. The forming step includes depositing or forming a thin oxide layer on the shallow surface layer and depositing a second dielectric layer different from the thin oxide layer on the thin oxide layer. An etch stop is formed on the second dielectric, wherein the etch stop includes at least one layer resistant to oxide etch. At least one oxide including layer (e.g. ILD) is then deposited on the etch stop. The oxide including layer and etch stop are then removed to expose at least a portion of the ARC to the ambient.

Methods and apparatus for converting analog signals to digital signals using a switched integrator. A method includes receiving the analog signal at a summing junction, receiving a clock signal transitioning between a first level and a second level, connecting an output of the summing junction to an integrator when the clock signal is at the first level, and disconnecting the output of the summing junction from the integrator when the clock signal is at the second level. An output signal is provided, and is determined by the polarity of an output of the integrator when the clock signal transitions from the first level to the second level. The output signal is delayed, and received with a digital-to-analog converter; which provides an output to the summing junction.

Growing community of inventors

Pleasanton, CA, United States of America

Phillip J Benzel