Abstract: A pipelined ADC incorporating variable input gain has a novel first stage generating a first digital output and a residue according to an analog input. The first stage comprises a novel MDAC. The MDAC comprises an operational amplifier, a feedback capacitor, a first sampling capacitor and a second sampling capacitor. First terminals of the feedback capacitor, the first sampling capacitor and the second sampling capacitor are connected to an inverted input terminal of the operational amplifier. A non-inverted input terminal of the operational amplifier is connected to a ground. In a sampling phase, second terminals of the feedback capacitor, the first sampling capacitor and the second sampling capacitor are connected to the analog input. In a charge transferring phase, second terminals of the feedback capacitor, the first sampling capacitor and the second sampling capacitor are respectively connected to the output terminal, a flash ADC output and the ground.

Abstract: Disclosed are a power on reset circuit, a power on reset method and an electric device using the same. In the power on reset circuit and method, a first voltage detecting circuit and a second voltage detecting circuit detect the voltage of a power supply and output a first voltage signal and a second voltage signal respectively. A logic circuit receives the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal to turn no or off the first voltage detecting circuit for detecting the voltage of the power supply. Specifically, merely when the voltage value of the power supply is less than a rising threshold voltage value of the first voltage detecting circuit or a falling threshold voltage value of the second voltage detecting circuit, the first voltage detecting circuit is turned on to detect the voltage value of the power supply.

Abstract: A navigation device having a small navigation sensor pixel array capable of ultra high speed imaging is proposed. A first image and a second image of a plurality of images are selected according to a predetermined difference between the corresponding acquisition times of the first image and the second image. The first image and the second image are compared to determine an amount of overlap between the first image and the second image. The predetermined difference is adjusted for subsequent image comparisons according to the amount of overlap between the first image and the second image.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for pixel image non-uniformity compensation. The method including the steps of: first, receiving an input image by an image sensor having a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel includes a variable capacitor; next, calculating brightness information of at least a portion of the pixels; and further, trimming the capacitances of the variable capacitors in the portion of pixels respectively according to the brightness information.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a voltage conversion apparatus and a power-ON reset (POR) circuit and a control method thereof. The voltage conversion apparatus includes: a conversion circuit, an input status detection circuit, an output status detection circuit, a status feedback circuit, and a POR circuit. The POR circuit generates a POR signal according to an input status signal, an output status signal, and a feedback signal, to indicate whether a POR procedure is completed. The POR circuit includes: a logic circuit, for generating a reset signal indicating whether both the input and output voltages are ready; and a delay circuit, for generating the POR signal by delaying a predetermined time period according to the reset signal and a feedback signal related to the POR signal.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a voltage conversion apparatus and a power-ON reset (POR) circuit and a control method thereof. The voltage conversion apparatus includes: a conversion circuit, an input status detection circuit, an output status detection circuit, a status feedback circuit, and a POR circuit. The POR circuit generates a POR signal according to an input status signal, an output status signal, and a feedback signal, to indicate whether a POR procedure is completed. The POR circuit includes: a logic circuit, for generating a reset signal indicating whether both the input and output voltages are ready; and a delay circuit, for generating the POR signal by delaying a predetermined time period according to the reset signal and a feedback signal related to the POR signal.

Abstract: The present disclosure illustrates a pre-flash time adjusting circuit. The pre-flash time adjusting circuit comprises a first pre-flash time adjusting unit coupled to an image sensing array. The image sensing array comprises a plurality of pixel units. The first pre-flash time adjusting unit comprises a switching module and a storage capacitor. When the image sensing array senses a light beam, the switching module selectively connects a first switch and the storage capacitor, such that the storage capacitor starts to charge the first pixel units of the first pixel group, until base-emitter voltages of a plurality of bipolar junction transistors disposed in the first pixel units reaches a stable state.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for pixel image non-uniformity compensation. The method including the steps of: first, receiving an input image by an image sensor having a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel includes a variable capacitor; next, calculating brightness information of at least a portion of the pixels; and further, trimming the capacitances of the variable capacitors in the portion of pixels respectively according to the brightness information.

Abstract: A method for selectively switching a frame rate of a mouse includes: setting a plurality of acceleration thresholds respectively corresponding to a plurality of frame rates at which the mouse is operated; operating the mouse at a first frame rate of the plurality of frame rates; determining a velocity of the mouse according to a difference between a first frame captured by the mouse at the first frame rate and a second frame following the first frame captured by the mouse at the first frame rate; determining an acceleration of the mouse between the first captured frame and second captured frame according to the velocity of the first frame, the velocity of the second frame, and the frame rate; comparing the acceleration with the plurality of thresholds; and directly switching the frame rate of the mouse to a frame rate which corresponds to the determined threshold.

Abstract: A method for making a lower frame rate of an optical navigation sensor mimic a higher frame rate of the optical navigation sensor includes: receiving a motion delta of the optical navigation sensor at the lower frame rate; dividing the motion delta into a smaller number of parts; dividing a time period of the lower frame rate to generate a time threshold which is shorter than the time period of the lower frame rate; receiving a clock signal for updating a counter; and outputting a first part of the delta when the counter reaches the time threshold.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a region based shutter adaptation method for image exposure. The method includes the steps of: (a) providing an image which is non-uniformly illuminated; (b) segmenting the image into two or more non-overlapping regions; (c) identifying brightness values for each of the regions when more than one brightness value has been produced for each of the regions; (d) applying the whole image with different shutters for different regions; and (e) exposing different regions for different exposure durations according to the brightness values respectively assigned to the regions, so that the present invention is capable of enabling different regions within the whole image which is non-uniformly illuminated to have different shutter adaptions.

Abstract: There is provided a color image sensor including a sensing array and a processing unit. The sensing array includes a red pixel, a green pixel, a blue pixel, a red and green pixel and a red and blue pixel configured to output a detected signal, respectively. The processing unit is configured to calculate a signal difference between detected signals associated with the red pixel and the red and green pixel to be served as a red detected signal, calculate a signal difference between detected signals associated with the green pixel and the red and green pixel to be served as a green detected signal, and calculate a signal difference between detected signals associated with the blue pixel and the red and blue pixel to be served as a blue detected signal.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a driving circuit, which includes a switch, a driver unit, a fault detection circuit, and a processor. The switch is coupled between a power terminal and an anode of a light emitting diode (LED) of a light source. The driver unit is coupled between a cathode of the LED and a ground for generating a driving current according to a control signal. The fault detection circuit operatively detects whether the cathode of the LED is shorted and generate a fault signal when detected that the cathode of the LED is shorted. The processor initiates a fault detection period, during which the processor turns off the switch and the driver unit causes the cathode of the LED to be floating while activates the fault detection circuit to detect whether the cathode of the LED is shorted.

Abstract: An image pixel includes light nodes and a dark node. The dark node includes: a first charge storage unit for storing first power supply information during a first time period; a second charge storage unit for storing second power supply information related to the power supply during a second time period; and an information output unit for outputting a first sample signal related to the first power supply information or a second sample signal related to the second power supply information. The first power supply information remains in the first charge storage unit during the second time period and during when the second sample signal is outputted by the information output unit.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a region based shutter adaptation method for image exposure. The method includes the steps of: (a) providing an image which is non-uniformly illuminated; (b) segmenting the image into two or more non-overlapping regions; (c) identifying brightness values for each of the regions when more than one brightness value has been produced for each of the regions; (d) applying the whole image with different shutters for different regions; and (e) exposing different regions for different exposure durations according to the brightness values respectively assigned to the regions, so that the present invention is capable of enabling different regions within the whole image which is non-uniformly illuminated to have different shutter adaptions.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a driving circuit, which includes a switch, a driver unit, a fault detection circuit, and a processor. The switch is coupled between a power terminal and an anode of a light emitting diode (LED) of a light source. The driver unit is coupled between a cathode of the LED and a ground for generating a driving current according to a control signal. The fault detection circuit operatively detects whether the cathode of the LED is shorted and generate a fault signal when detected that the cathode of the LED is shorted. The processor initiates a fault detection period, during which the processor turns off the switch and the driver unit causes the cathode of the LED to be floating while activates the fault detection circuit to detect whether the cathode of the LED is shorted.

Abstract: An optical navigation sensor includes: a driving circuit and a charge pump. The driving circuit is employed for driving a light source externally connected to the optical navigation sensor. The charge pump is employed for intermittently performing an operation of providing a first supply voltage to the light source. When the driving circuit drives the light source, the charge pump does not perform the operation of providing the first supply voltage to the light source.

Abstract: An optical navigation sensor includes: a driving circuit and a charge pump. The driving circuit is employed for driving a light source externally connected to the optical navigation sensor. The charge pump is employed for intermittently performing an operation of providing a first supply voltage to the light source. When the driving circuit drives the light source, the charge pump does not perform the operation of providing the first supply voltage to the light source.

Abstract: A method for making a lower frame rate of an optical navigation sensor mimic a higher frame rate of the optical navigation sensor includes: receiving a motion delta of the optical navigation sensor at the lower frame rate; dividing the motion delta into a smaller number of parts; dividing a time period of the lower frame rate to generate a time threshold which is shorter than the time period of the lower frame rate; receiving a clock signal for updating a counter; and outputting a first part of the delta when the counter reaches the time threshold.

Abstract: A navigation device having a small navigation sensor pixel array capable of ultra high speed imaging is proposed. A first image and a second image of a plurality of images are selected according to a predetermined difference between the corresponding acquisition times of the first image and the second image. The first image and the second image are compared to determine an amount of overlap between the first image and the second image. The predetermined difference is adjusted for subsequent image comparisons according to the amount of overlap between the first image and the second image.