Abstract: A plural line CMOS sensor array device is provided with sensor cells arranged in a matrix of coordinate-wise rows and columns. Each cell comprises a photosensitive area, an output node, and a transfer gate for selectively interconnecting the photosensitive area and the output node. Along at least a first coordinate direction adjacent cells are functionally configured as mutually mirror-symmetric structures in that their proximate output nodes are facing each other and are arranged for separately feeding a respective output channel. Preferably, also in a second coordinate direction adjacent cells are functionally configured as mutually mirror-symmetric structures in that their proximate output nodes are facing each other and all such facing output nodes are separately feeding a respective column-directed output channel.

Abstract: An interactive multimedia applications device and method for an interactive multimedia application comprises one or more live media capture devices providing a media stream, an engine comprising a real time media processing module for processing said media stream, and rendering means connected to multimedia output devices. In addition, said device comprises (i) a virtual scenario description repository adapted for storing a plurality of scenarios expressed in a scenario programming language; (ii) a memory module adapted for storing an internal representation of one of said scenarios, and an internal representation of a virtual scene and (iii) a parser/loader for parsing a selected one of said plurality of scenarios, and loading it in said memory module.

Abstract: A method of using a line-scan sensor device to scan an image includes determining and removing. The device includes sensor cells arranged in a matrix of rows and columns. The determining includes determining when a pixel signal value from a pixel in a first row and in a column deviates from a pixel signal value from a pixel in a second row and in said column. The removing includes removing the pixel signal value of the pixel in the first row and in said column when the pixel signal value from the pixel in the first row and in said column deviates from the pixel signal value from the pixel in the second row and in said column. The pixel in the first row and in said column images a portion of the image and the pixel in the second row and in said column images the same portion of the image.

Abstract: A method of capturing a color image includes steps of operating a first sensor of a camera to integrate a first charge over a first time interval, operating a second sensor of the camera to integrate a second charge over a second time interval and scanning the first and second sensors to readout the respective first and second charges during a third time interval. The first time interval overlaps the second time interval. The third time interval includes no overlapping time with the first time interval. The third time interval includes no overlapping time with the second time interval.

Abstract: A method for joining a plurality of reticles is used for producing a semiconductor layout pattern, so that the reticles will collectively map a circuit arrangement on a semiconductor substrate. A plurality of matching patterns is provided that are each geometrically linked to a respective particular reticle and through detecting pairwise correspondence among the matching patterns likewise correspondence among the associated reticles is ascertained. In particular, the method has bulk sub-reticles and peripheral sub-reticles, and a first matching pattern associates to a peripheral sub-reticle that abuts a bulk sub-reticle and a second matching pattern to the bulk sub-reticle at such distance therefrom that fitting of the peripheral sub-reticle between the second matching pattern and the bulk sub-reticle allows matching of the first and second matching patterns. The bulk sub-reticles are used to constitute an array of sub-reticles.

Abstract: The invention relates to a semiconductor device with a semiconductor body comprising a CMOS image sensor with an active region having viewed in projection first sides and second sides perpendicular to the first sides said active region comprising a matrix of active pixels arranged in rows and columns, each pixel having a photosensitive region, the device further comprising a plurality of circuit elements for operating the pixel in the image forming process, the plurality of circuit elements comprising a first set of circuit elements for read-out of the columns and a second set of circuit elements for controlling the rows. According to the invention a first part of the plurality of circuit elements is positioned outside the matrix along one of the first sides and a second part of the plurality of circuit elements is positioned within the matrix of active pixels remote from the second sides.

Abstract: An array-based C-MOS sensor device is provided with a facility for on the basis of non-destructive cell readout generating a radiation dose-sensing signal. In particular, the facility is arranged for accessing a subset of multiple distributed C-MOS cells across the array and feeding by such accessed cells an algorithmic means for therein generating an overall feedback dose control signalization and/or an over-all trigger signalization.

Abstract: This invention is generally concerned with power semiconductors such as power MOS transistors, insulated gate by bipolar transistors (IGBTs), high voltage diodes and the like, and methods for their fabrication. A power semiconductor, the semiconductor comprising: a power device, said power device having first and second electrical contact regions and a drift region extending therebetween; and a semiconductor substrate mounting said device; and wherein said power semiconductor includes an electrically insulating layer between said semiconductor substrate and said power device, said electrically insulating layer having a thickness of at least 5 ?m.

Abstract: A CMOS-based sensor apparatus comprises an array of sensor cells that are interconnected by a first set of vertical driver lines to a selective driver facility and by a second set of horizontal sensing lines to a sensing facility for sensing respectively sensed amounts of radiation. In particular, the sensor cells through being appropriately spaced in at least either row or column direction, comprise a redundancy facility that is selectively activatable for isolating an interconnect short on the basis of externally applied control actuation.

Abstract: A method for in a multi-pixel pick-up element reducing a pixel-based resolution and/or effecting anti-aliasing through selectively combining selective primary pixel outputs to combined secondary pixel outputs, comprises the following steps: row-wise, whether or not restrictively, selecting pixels for loading into a first parallel-in register; serial shifting of the load within the register for aligning selected first pixels in the first parallel-in register with selected second pixels not in the first parallel-in register; arithmetically combining pixel groups so aligned; and outputting combination results from preselected multi-pixel configurations as secondary pixels. The invention is applicable to a selection from amongst a two-dimensional pick-up array, an Interline Architecture, a Frame Transfer Architecture, a combination of those two, a TDI pick-up array, and a linear pick-up array, and for both mono-color and multi-color pick-up facilities.

Abstract: A charge multiplication amplifier device comprises a series arrangement of a first separation barrier facility, a temporary storage well for charge carriers, a second charge transfer barrier facility, an impact ionization facility that is operative through electric field strength effective on mobile charge carriers, and a charge collection well for receiving charge carriers so multiplied. Advantageously, the device comprises a charge collection and transfer facility (32) that is geometrically disposed next to the impact ionization facility (31) whereas impact ionization facility is controlled at a substantially static electric potential (DC1, DC2) for controlling the electric field strength. Advantageously, another embodiment of this device comprises charge collection and transfer facilities (41, 42) implemented as two (or more) independently clocked signals ?1, ?2 that require nearly two times less swing to achieve same effect.

Abstract: A method of adaptive pixel correction of a multi-color matrix from a sensor includes collecting pixel values, generating plural vectors, normalizing values and determining an estimated value. The collecting pixel values collects values of a two-dimensional multi-pixel kernel around a particular pixel from the multi-color matrix. The generating plural vectors generates vectors from the kernel where each vector has the particular pixel as a central element. The normalizing values normalizes values for nearest neighbor elements to the central element for each vector. The determining an estimated value determines the value based on the normalized values.

Abstract: A method for finding and correcting single-pixel noise defects in a two-dimensional camera pixel field assigns to such pixel defect an interpolation multi-pixel environment of the same color as the pixel to be corrected for therefrom deriving an interpolated substitute pixel value. In particular, the method executes the following steps: assigns a multi pixel checking environment of the same color to a possibly defect pixel and checks the possibly defect pixel to the checking environment for finding a correct or an incorrect pixel assigns to an incorrect pixel a plurality of predictive multi-pixel environments each oriented in a respective different orientation with respect to the incorrect pixel for therefrom deriving respective viability characterizations for interpolation in the associated orientation finds the highest viability characterization and thereby selects an appropriate multi-pixel interpolation environment of the same color for actually interpolating a substitute pixel value.

Abstract: A viewfinder system for a digital camera comprises a main optical path for projecting an outside scene image onto a light sensitive area facility, which facility determines a user field, and an optical extraction path for through mirror-operation extracting a fraction of the outside scene image onto a viewer optical path. The viewer optical path comprises a first mask for inserting a negative delineating outline into a viewer field and a second mask for inserting a positive delineating outline into the viewer field, both said first and second masks corresponding to the user field. In particular, at least one of the first and second masks is realized by an electronic device that has its mask size variably controlled by an electronic facility on the basis of pixel-wise driving. Advantageously, the electronic device is controlled by a sensor facility that is adapted for with respect to the other of the masks that has a fixed size sensing the latter size.

Abstract: This invention is generally concerned with power semiconductors such as power MOS transistors, insulated gate by bipolar transistors (IGBTs), high voltage diodes and the like, and method for their fabrication. A power semiconductor, the semiconductor comprising a power device, said power device having first and second electrical contact regions and a drift region extending therebetween; and a semiconductor substrate mounting said device; and wherein said power semiconductor includes an electrically insulating layer between said semiconductor substrate and said power device, said electrically insulating layer having a thickness of at least 5 ?m.

Abstract: A charge-coupled imager includes an imaging section, a read-out section, and a way to reduce the number of charge packets for every row read. The imager is switchable between at least two read-out modes. The imaging section includes image elements arranged in a two-dimensional pattern. The read-out section includes at least a first horizontal CCD channel disposed beside the two-dimensional pattern, a second horizontal CCD channel and vertical CCD channels interlineated within the pattern of image elements. The imager is operable so that every image element of a row is individually readable in a first read-out mode using the first horizontal CCD channel comprising n charge storage locations. The imager is further operable in a second read-out mode so that a lower horizontal sampling frequency is read from the read-out section than in the first read-out mode using a second horizontal CCD channel comprising fewer storage locations than n.

Abstract: A sensor includes control circuitry and a pixel. The pixel includes a photo site, a first storage node and a second storage node. The control circuitry causes the pixel to transfer a first collected signal from the photo site to the first storage node during a first period, to transfer a second collected signal from the photo site to the second storage node during a second period that follows the first period, and to transfer the first and second collected signals out of the pixel during a third period that follows the second period.