Patents Assigned to OmniVision Technologies
-
Patent number: 11871135Abstract: In an embodiment, a method of reducing resistance-capacitance delay along photodiode transfer lines of an image sensor includes forking a plurality of photodiode transfer lines each into a plurality of sublines coupled together and to a first decoder-driver at a first end of each subline; and distributing selection transistors of a plurality of multiple-photodiode cells among the plurality of sublines. In embodiments, the sublines may be recombined at a second end of the sublines and driven by a second decoder-driver at the second end.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2022Date of Patent: January 9, 2024Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Selcuk Sen, Liang Zuo, Rui Wang, Xuelian Liu, Min Qu, Hiroaki Ebihara
-
Patent number: 11869267Abstract: A multiple-lens optical fingerprint reader for reading fingerprints through a display has a spacer; and multiple microlenses with concave and convex surfaces in a microlens array, each microlens of multiple lenses focuses light arriving at that microlens from a finger adjacent the display through the spacer forms an image on associated photosensors on a photosensor array of an image sensor integrated circuit. A method of verifying identity of a user includes illuminating a finger of the user with an OLED display; focusing light from the finger through arrayed microlenses onto a photosensor array, reading the array into overlapping electronic fingerprint images; extracting features from the overlapping fingerprint images or from a stitched fingerprint image, and comparing the features to features of at least one user in a library of features and associated with one or more fingers of one or more authorized users.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2021Date of Patent: January 9, 2024Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Jau-Jan Deng, Kuang-Ju Wang, Chun-Jen Wei
-
Patent number: 11871129Abstract: A method for estimating a signal charge collected by a pixel of an image sensor includes determining an average bias that depends on the pixel's floating-diffusion dark current and pixel-sampling period. The method also includes determining a signal-charge estimate as the average bias subtracted from a difference between a weighted sum of a plurality of N multiple-sampling values each multiplied by a respective one of a plurality of N sample-weights.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2022Date of Patent: January 9, 2024Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Boyd Fowler, Andreas Suess
-
Patent number: 11862678Abstract: A pixel-array substrate includes a semiconductor substrate with a pixel array, a back surface, and a front surface, and a guard ring formed of a doped semiconductor, enclosing the pixel array, and extending into the semiconductor substrate from the front surface, the back surface forming a trench extending into the semiconductor substrate, the trench overlapping the guard ring. A method for reducing leakage current into a pixel-array includes doping a semiconductor substrate to form a guard ring that extends into the semiconductor substrate from a front surface, encloses a pixel array, excludes a periphery region, and resists a flow of electric current, and forming, into a back surface of the semiconductor substrate, a trench that penetrates into the back surface and overlaps the guard ring, the guard ring and the trench configured to resist the flow of electric current between the pixel array and the periphery region.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2020Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Yuanwei Zheng, Sing-Chung Hu, Gang Chen, Dyson Tai, Lindsay Grant
-
Patent number: 11862509Abstract: A shallow trench isolation (STI) structure and method of fabrication includes forming a shallow trench isolation (STI) structure having a polygonal shaped cross-section in a semiconductor substrate of an image sensor includes a two-step etching process. The first step is a dry plasma etch that forms a portion of the trench to a first depth. The second step is a wet etch process that completes the trench etching to the desired depth and cures damage caused by the dry etch process. A CMOS image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate having a photodiode region and a pixel transistor region separated by a shallow trench isolation (STI) structure having a polygonal shaped cross-section.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2021Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Seong Yeol Mun, Heesoo Kang, Xiang Zhang
-
Patent number: 11860383Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein reduce petal flare. A flare-suppressing image sensor includes a plurality of pixels including a first set of pixels and a second set of pixels. The flare-suppressing image sensor further includes plurality of microlenses, where each microlens is aligned to a respective one of the first set of pixels. The flare-suppressing image sensor further includes plurality of sub-microlens, where each microlens array is aligned to a respective one of the second set of pixels.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2021Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Gang Chen, Qin Wang, Chao Niu
-
Patent number: 11862651Abstract: A light-trapping image sensor includes a pixel array and a lens array. The pixel array is formed in and on a semiconductor substrate and including photosensitive pixels each including a reflective material forming a cavity around a portion of semiconductor material to at least partly trap light that has entered the cavity. The cavity has a ceiling at a light-receiving surface of the semiconductor substrate, and the ceiling forms an aperture for receiving the light into the cavity. The lens array is disposed on the pixel array. Each lens of the lens array is aligned to the aperture of a respective cavity to focus the light into the cavity through the aperture.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2020Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Alireza Bonakdar, Zhiqiang Lin, Lindsay Grant
-
Patent number: 11842563Abstract: An optical fingerprint sensor with spoof detection includes a plurality of lenses, an image sensor including a pixel array that includes a plurality of first photodiodes and a plurality of second photodiodes, and at least one apertured baffle-layer having a plurality of aperture stops, wherein each second photodiode is configured to detect light having passed through a lens and at least one aperture stop not aligned with the lens along an optical axis. A method for detecting spoof fingerprints detected using an optical fingerprint sensor includes detecting large-angle light incident on a plurality of anti-spoof photodiodes, wherein the plurality of anti-spoof photodiodes is interleaved with a plurality of imaging photodiodes, determining an angular distribution of light based at least in part one the large-angle light, and detecting spoof fingerprints based at least in part on the angular distribution of light.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2021Date of Patent: December 12, 2023Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Paul Wickboldt, Jau-Jan Deng, Shih-Hsin Hsu
-
Patent number: 11843884Abstract: An imaging system includes a pixel array with pixel circuits, each including a photodiode, a floating diffusion, a source follower transistor, and a row select transistor. The imaging system further includes rolling clamp (RC) drivers, each coupled to a gate terminal of a row select transistor of one of the pixel circuits and each including first and second PMOS transistors coupled between a clamp voltage and the gate terminal of the row select transistor of the one of the pixel circuits, and first, second, and third NMOS transistors coupled between the clamp voltage and the gate terminal of the row select transistor of the one of the pixel circuits. The PMOS transistors and the NMOS transistors are coupled in parallel. The PMOS transistors are configured to provide an upper clamp voltage range, and the NMOS transistors are configured to provide a lower clamp voltage range.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2023Date of Patent: December 12, 2023Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Lei Zou, Sindre Mikkelsen
-
Patent number: 11830894Abstract: An image sensor element includes a transfer transistor TX, a LOFIC select transistor LF, a photodiode PD, and a first overflow path OFP. The transfer transistor TX outputs a readout signal from a first end. The LOFIC select transistor LF includes a first end connected to a second end of the transfer transistor TX, and a second end connected to a capacitor. The photodiode PD is connected in common to a third end of the transfer transistor and a third end of the LOFIC select transistor LF. The first overflow path OFP is formed between the photodiode PD and a second end of the LOFIC select transistor LF. Each of the transfer transistor TX and the LOFIC select transistor LF is configured with a vertical gate transistor.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2021Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Yoshiharu Kudo
-
Patent number: 11810931Abstract: A pixel-array substrate includes (i) a semiconductor substrate including a photodiode region and a floating diffusion region, and (ii) a vertical-transfer-gate structure that includes a trench and a gate electrode. The trench is defined by a bottom surface and a sidewall surface of the substrate each located between a front substrate-surface and a back substrate-surface thereof. The trench extends into the substrate. In a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the front substrate-surface and intersecting the floating diffusion region, the photodiode region, and the sidewall surface, (a) the trench is located between the floating diffusion region and the photodiode region, and (b) a top section of the sidewall surface is adjacent to the floating diffusion region. A gate electrode partially fills the trench such that the top section and a conductive-surface of the gate electrode in-part define a recess located between the floating diffusion region and the gate electrode.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2021Date of Patent: November 7, 2023Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Hui Zang, Gang Chen
-
Patent number: 11810940Abstract: A pointed-trench pixel-array substrate includes a floating diffusion region and a photodiode region formed in a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate includes, between a top surface and a back surface thereof, a sidewall surface and a bottom surface defining a trench extending into the semiconductor substrate away from a planar region of the top surface surrounding the trench. In a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the top surface and intersecting the floating diffusion region, the photodiode region, and the trench, (i) the bottom surface is V-shaped and (ii) the trench is located between the floating diffusion region and the photodiode region.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2020Date of Patent: November 7, 2023Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Hui Zang, Gang Chen
-
Patent number: 11782256Abstract: An endoscope imager includes a system-in-package and a specularly reflective surface. The system-in-package includes (a) a camera module having an imaging lens with an optical axis and (b) an illumination unit. The system-in-package includes (a) a camera module having an imaging lens with an optical axis and (b) an illumination unit configured to emit illumination propagating in a direction away from the imaging lens, the direction having a component parallel to the optical axis. The specularly reflective surface faces the imaging lens and forming an oblique angle with the optical axis, to deflect the illumination toward a scene and deflect light from the scene toward the camera module.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2016Date of Patent: October 10, 2023Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Yi-Fan Lin, Wei-Ping Chen, Jau-Jan Deng, Suganda Jutamulia
-
Patent number: 11784206Abstract: A pixel-array substrate includes a floating diffusion region and a first photodiode formed in a semiconductor substrate. A top surface of the semiconductor substrate defines a trench 1A and a trench 1B each (i) extending into the semiconductor substrate away from a planar region of the top surface between the trench 1A and the trench 1B and (ii) having a respective distal end, with respect to the floating diffusion region, located between the floating diffusion region and the first photodiode. In a horizontal plane parallel to the top surface and along an inter-trench direction between the trench 1A and the trench 1B, a first spatial separation between the trench 1A and the trench 1B increases with increasing distance from the floating diffusion region.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2020Date of Patent: October 10, 2023Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Hui Zang, Gang Chen
-
Publication number: 20230307484Abstract: A pixel cell is formed on a semiconductor substrate having a front surface. The pixel cell includes a photodiode, a floating diffusion region, and a transfer gate. The photodiode is disposed in the semiconductor substrate. The floating diffusion region includes a first doped region disposed in the semiconductor substrate, wherein the first doped region extends from the front surface to a first junction depth in the semiconductor substrate. The transfer gate is configured to selectively couple the photodiode to the floating diffusion region controlling charge transfer between the photodiode and the floating diffusion region. The transfer gate includes a planar gate disposed on the front surface of the semiconductor substrate and a pair of vertical gate electrodes. Each vertical gate electrode extending a gate depth from the planar gate into the semiconductor substrate. The first junction depth is greater than the gate depth.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2022Publication date: September 28, 2023Applicant: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Shiyu Sun, Yuanwei Zheng, Gang Chen, Sing-Chung Hu, Armin Yazdani
-
Patent number: 11770633Abstract: A time-of-flight sensor includes a pixel array of pixel circuits. A first subset of the pixel circuits is illuminated by reflected modulated light from a portion of an object. A second subset of the pixel circuits is non-illuminated by the reflected modulated light. Each pixel circuit includes a floating diffusion that stores a portion of charge photogenerated in a photodiode in response to the reflected modulated light. A transfer transistor transfers the portion of charge from the photodiode to the floating diffusion in response to modulation by a phase modulation signal. A modulation driver block generates the phase modulation signal and is coupled to a light source that emits the modulated light to the portion of the object. The modulation driver block synchronizes scanning the modulated light emitted by the light source across the object with scanning of the first subset of the pixel circuits across the pixel array.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2021Date of Patent: September 26, 2023Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Andreas Suess, Zheng Yang
-
Patent number: 11770634Abstract: A ramp generator includes an operational amplifier having an output to generate a ramp signal. An integration current source is coupled to a first input and a reference voltage is coupled to a second input of the operational amplifier. A feedback capacitor is coupled between the first input and the output of the operational amplifier. A monitor circuit is coupled to the first and second inputs of the operational amplifier to generate an output flag in response to a comparison of the first and second inputs. A trimming control circuit is configured to generate a trimming signal in response to the output flag. An assist current source is configured to conduct an assist current from the output of the operational amplifier to ground in response the trimming signal generated by the trimming control circuit.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2022Date of Patent: September 26, 2023Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Zhenfu Tian, Hiroaki Ebihara, Tao Sun, Yi Liu, Shan Chen
-
Patent number: 11769779Abstract: A method for forming a deep trench isolation structure for a CMOS image sensor includes providing a trench that extends from a first side toward a second side of a semiconductor substrate. The trench has an opening on the first side and a bottom and sides. A conformal layer of B-doped oxide is deposited on the bottom and sides of the trench and is less than half a width of the trench leaving a depthwise recess in the trench. A second material is deposited on the conformal layer of B-doped oxide in the trench filling the recess in the trench to the first side. The conformal layer of B-doped oxide is annealed driving boron from the conformal layer of B-doped oxide to the semiconductor substrate forming a B-doped region as a passivation layer juxtaposed next to the conformal layer of B-doped oxide having negative fixed charges.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2019Date of Patent: September 26, 2023Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Shiyu Sun
-
Patent number: 11765484Abstract: A pixel circuit includes a transfer transistor is coupled between a photodiode and a floating diffusion to transfer the image charge from the photodiode to the floating diffusion. A lateral overflow integration capacitor (LOFIC) includes an insulating region between a first metal electrode and a second metal electrode that is coupled to a first reset transistor and selectively coupled to the floating diffusion. A second reset transistor and a bias voltage source are coupled to the first metal electrode. During an idle period, the first reset transistor is configured to be on, the second reset transistor is configured to be off, and the bias voltage source is configured to provide a first bias voltage to the first metal electrode to reverse bias the LOFIC. The first bias voltage is less than a reset voltage provided from the reset voltage source.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2022Date of Patent: September 19, 2023Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Woon Il Choi, Yifei Du
-
Patent number: 11758109Abstract: In some embodiments, an image sensor is provided. The image sensor comprises a plurality of photodiodes arranged as a photodiode array. The photodiodes of the photodiode array are arranged into a first quadrant, a second quadrant, a third quadrant, and a fourth quadrant. A first polarization filter and a first telecentric lens are aligned with the first quadrant. A second polarization filter and a second telecentric lens are aligned with the second quadrant. A third polarization filter and a third telecentric lens are aligned with the third quadrant. A fourth telecentric lens is aligned with the fourth quadrant.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2021Date of Patent: September 12, 2023Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Wenshou Chen, Yiyi Ren, Guansong Liu, Badri Padmanabhan, Alireza Bonakdar, Richard Mann