Patents Assigned to ams Sensors Belgium BVBA
  • Patent number: 12096140
    Abstract: In an embodiment a pixel arrangement includes a photodetector configured to accumulate charge carriers by converting electromagnetic radiation, a transfer transistor electrically coupled to the photodetector, a diffusion node electrically coupled to the transfer transistor, a reset transistor electrically coupled to the diffusion node and to a pixel supply voltage and a sample-and-hold stage including at least a first capacitor and a second capacitor, an input of the sample-and-hold stage being electrically coupled to the diffusion node via an amplifier, wherein the transfer transistor is configured to be pulsed to different voltage levels for transferring parts of the accumulated charge carriers to the diffusion node, wherein at least the second capacitor is configured to store a low conversion gain signal representing a first part of the accumulated charge carriers, and wherein the first capacitor is configured to store a high conversion gain signal representing a remaining part of the accumulated charge ca
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignees: ams Sensors USA Inc., ams Sensors Belgium BVBA
    Inventors: Denver Lloyd, Adi Xhakoni, Scott Johnson
  • Publication number: 20240107196
    Abstract: An optical sensor includes an array of pixels, wherein each pixel includes a photodiode configured to receive an optical signal and a floating node coupled to the photodiode. At least one sensing path is capacitively coupled to the floating node of at least one of the pixels. An evaluation unit is coupled to the at least one sensing path to generate an electrical signal dependent on the optical signal received by the photodiode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: ams Sensors Belgium BVBA
    Inventor: Dong-Long LIN
  • Publication number: 20230370733
    Abstract: A sensor arrangement includes a first, second, third and fourth group of receiving elements for detecting light in the red, green, blue and infrared wavelength range. At least one first sub-arrangement is formed by arranging one receiving element of the first group, two receiving elements of the second group and one receiving element of the third group in a first Bayer-like pattern. At least one second sub-arrangement is formed by arranging two receiving elements of the second group one receiving element of the fourth group and one receiving element of the first or the third group in a second Bayer-like pattern. The at least one first sub-arrangement and the at least one second sub-arrangement are arranged adjacent to each other in a main plane of extension of the sensor arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Applicant: ams Sensors Belgium BVBA
    Inventors: Maarten PENNINGS, Johan DE MEULDER
  • Publication number: 20230361136
    Abstract: A pixel structure includes a substrate body having a light entrance surface, a plurality of first photodiodes formed in the substrate body at a first depth with respect to the light entrance surface, and a second photodiode formed in the substrate body at a second depth with respect to the light entrance surface. The first depth corresponds to a photon absorption length in a material of the substrate body at a first wavelength range, and the second depth corresponds to a photon absorption length in the material of the substrate body at a second wavelength range that is different from the first wavelength range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Applicant: ams Sensors Belgium BVBA
    Inventors: Dong-Long LIN, Adi XHAKONI
  • Patent number: 11765474
    Abstract: In an embodiment a pixel arrangement includes at least one photodiode configured to convert electromagnetic radiation into a respective charge signal, a transfer gate between the photodiode and a capacitance for transferring the respective charge signal to the capacitance, a reset gate electrically coupled to the capacitance, the reset gate configured to reset the capacitance, an amplifier electrically connected to the capacitance and configured to generate, based on the respective charge signal and on a sensitivity mode, a respective amplified signal being a low sensitivity signal or a high sensitivity signal, respectively, wherein the low sensitivity signal and the high sensitivity signal are based on a common noise level, a first capacitor configured to store the high sensitivity signal, a second capacitor configured to store the low sensitivity signal, a first switch between an output terminal of the amplifier and the first capacitor and a second switch between the output terminal of the amplifier and the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignees: ams Sensors USA Inc., ams Sensors Belgium BVBA
    Inventors: Denver Lloyd, Adi Xhakoni, Scott Johnson
  • Publication number: 20230276137
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a processing arrangement for converting digital image data. Conventional approaches suffer from speed or non-ideal compressing schemes. These drawbacks are overcome by the processing arrangement for determining a digital output value from a digital input value based on a linear function and a square root function. The processing arrangement includes a first calculation block configured to determine a first output value of the linear function, a second calculation block configured to determine a second output value of the square root function. A selector is configured to select, based on a comparison between the digital input value and a threshold value, whether the digital output value is determined by the first calculation block or by the second calculation block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2021
    Publication date: August 31, 2023
    Applicant: ams Sensors Belgium BVBA
    Inventor: Stefaan Margriet Albert VAN HOOGENBEMT
  • Publication number: 20230232132
    Abstract: A pixel includes a transfer gate, and a sample structure having a first sample stage and a second sample stage. The transfer gate and the first and the second sample stages are configured to be operated in conjunction with a light source in response to a control signal. The first sample stage is configured to sample a first sample value that depends on radiation incident on the photosensitive element from an object or a scene that is illuminated by the light source emitting light at a first output power, while the second sample stage is configured to sample a second sample value that depends on radiation incident on the photosensitive element from the object or the scene that is illuminated by the light source emitting light at a second output power. The first output power is different, in particular significantly different, from the second output power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Applicant: ams Sensors Belgium BVBA
    Inventors: Adi XHAKONI, Xiaoliang GE
  • Publication number: 20230054015
    Abstract: A pixel cell comprises a plurality of pixels, each pixel comprising a photodiode, a readout circuit comprising a first readout component and a second readout component, wherein a first group of the pixels is configured to detect electromagnetic radiation in a first wavelength range, a second group of the pixels is configured to detect electromagnetic radiation in a second wavelength range, the first readout component is connected with the first group of pixels, the second readout component is connected with the second group of pixels, the first wavelength range is different from the second wavelength range, and the second readout component comprises a plurality of storage capacitors, wherein each pixel of the second group of pixels is assigned to at least one of the storage capacitors, or the second readout component comprises a memory element. Furthermore, a method for operating a pixel cell is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2020
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Applicant: ams Sensors Belgium BVBA
    Inventor: Adi XHAKONI
  • Patent number: 10348323
    Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter (110) comprises an analog signal input (122) for receiving an analog signal and an amplifying stage (160) configured to generate a set of N amplified analog signals, where N is an integer ?2. The set of N signals have different gains. The ADC has a ramp signal input (121) for receiving a ramp signal and a clock input (143) for receiving at least one clock signal. A comparison stage (120) is connected to the set of amplified analog signals (SigG1, SigG2) and to the ramp signal input (121). The comparison stage (120) is configured to compare the amplified analog signals with the ramp signal to provide comparison outputs during a conversion period. A control stage is configured to control the counter stage (140) based on the comparison outputs and a selection input indicative of when at least one handover point has been reached during the conversion period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: ams Sensors Belgium BVBA
    Inventors: Adi Xhakoni, Tim Blanchaert, Guy Meynants
  • Patent number: 10340936
    Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter (110) for an imaging device comprises an analog signal input (123) for receiving an analog signal from a pixel array of the imaging device and N ramp signal inputs (121, 122) for receiving N ramp signals, where N is an integer ?2. The N ramp signals have different slopes. The ADC has a clock input (143) for receiving at least one clock signal. A comparison stage (120) is connected to the ramp signal inputs and to the analog signal input. The comparison stage (120) is configured to compare the ramp signals with the analog signal to provide comparison outputs during the conversion period. A control stage (130) is configured to control a counter stage (140) based on the comparison outputs and a selection input indicative of when at least one handover point has been reached during the conversion period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: ams Sensors Belgium BVBA
    Inventors: Adi Xhakoni, Tim Blanchaert