The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 25, 2018
Filed:
Feb. 01, 2016
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, Hsin-Chu, TW;
Kuo-Yu Chou, Hsinchu, TW;
Calvin Yi-Ping Chao, Zhubei, TW;
Fu-Lung Hsueh, Kaohsiung, TW;
Honyih Tu, Hsinchu, TW;
Jhy-Jyi Sze, Hsin-Chu, TW;
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, Hsin-Chu, TW;
Abstract
Among other things, techniques and systems are provided for identifying when a pixel of an image sensor is in an idle period. A flag is utilized to differentiate when the pixel is in an idle period and when the pixel is in an integration period. When the flag indicates that the pixel is in an idle period, a blooming operation is performed on the pixel to reduce an amount of electrical charge that has accumulated at the pixel or to mitigate electrical charge from accumulating at the pixel. In this way, the blooming operation reduces a probability that the photosensitive sensor becomes saturated during an idle period of the pixel, and thus reduces the likelihood of electrical charge from a pixel that is not intended contribute to an image from spilling over and potentially contaminating a pixel that is intended to contribute to the image.