Abstract: An image-sensing device is provided. The image-sensing device includes a substrate, a light-sensing element, a first dielectric layer, a light-guiding structure, and a patterned conductive layer. The light-sensing element is disposed in the substrate. The first dielectric layer is disposed on the first side of the substrate. The light-guiding structure is disposed in the first dielectric layer. The patterned conductive layer is disposed between the light-sensing element and the light-guiding structure. In addition, the patterned conductive layer includes a subwavelength structure. An image-sensing system including the above image-sensing device is also provided.

Abstract: An image-sensing system for the efficient detection of defective pixels is shown. An arithmetic logic unit (ALU) determines a defective pixel candidate of an image sensor based on the first frame captured by the image sensor, performs a lower-part comparison on the defective pixel candidate based on the first frame, and performs an upper-part comparison on the defective pixel candidate based on the second frame captured by the image sensor. The defective pixel candidate is confirmed to be defective based on the first frame as well as the second frame. Only limited pixel data is buffered for the defective pixel detection.

Abstract: An image sensing device is provided. The image sensing device includes a substrate, a plurality of photosensitive elements, a dielectric layer, a reflector, a color filter, and a microlens structure. The substrate has a first pixel and a second pixel adjacent to the first pixel, and the substrate has a front side and a back side opposite the front side. The photosensitive elements are disposed in the substrate. The dielectric layer is disposed on the back side of the substrate. The reflection is disposed on the front side of the substrate and has a parabolic surface. The color filter layer is disposed on the dielectric layer. The microlens structure is disposed on the color filter layer.

Abstract: A method for black-level calibration for an image-sensing device is provided. The image-sensing device includes a pixel array that has a first non-light-sensing region, a second non-light-sensing region, and an image-pixel region. The method includes the following steps: receiving a first analog signal, a second analog signal, and a third analog signal respectively from the first non-light-sensing region, the second non-light-sensing region, and the image-pixel region every predetermined scanning period; utilizing an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) of the image-sensing device to convert the first analog signal, the second analog signal, and the third analog signal to a first digital signal, a second digital signal, and a third digital signal, respectively; and performing a black-level-calibration (BLC) process on the first digital signal, the second digital signal, and the third digital signal to generate a black-level-calibrated digital signal, wherein the BLC process is implemented using a Kalman filter.

Abstract: A global shutter CMOS image sensor includes a photodiode, a floating diffusion region, and a storage diode disposed in the upper portion of the substrate. The storage diode is disposed between the photodiode and the floating diffusion region. A first transfer gate is disposed on the substrate between the photodiode and the storage node. A second transfer gate is disposed on the substrate between the storage diode and the floating diffusion region. A first dielectric layer is disposed on the substrate and covers the first transfer gate and the second transfer gate. A light-shielding layer is disposed on the first dielectric layer. A light pipe is disposed through the light-shielding layer and a portion of the first dielectric layer, and is correspondingly disposed above the photodiode. The light pipe has a higher refractive index than the first dielectric layer.

Abstract: The invention provides an optical fingerprint sensor including: an image sensing layer having an array composed of a plurality of sensing blocks; a collimating layer disposed on the image sensing layer and having a plurality of through holes penetrating from the top surface to the bottom surface of the collimating layer; a light guiding layer disposed in the collimating layer, and a glass cover layer disposed on the light guiding layer, the top surface of the glass cover layer receiving a finger touch, wherein the image resolution of the optical fingerprint sensor is defined by the number of sensing blocks, and there are a plurality of through holes directly above each of the sensing blocks.

Abstract: An active pixel sensor is provided. The active pixel sensor includes a substrate, a plurality of sensing circuits, and a plurality of output circuits. The substrate is divided into a plurality of pixel rows. A plurality of pixel areas are disposed on the plurality of pixel rows. The plurality of sensing circuits are disposed in the pixel areas on the pixel rows excluding a specific pixel row among the plurality of pixel rows. The plurality of sensing circuits are further disposed on a plurality of pixel columns to form an array. Each of the plurality of sensing circuits includes a sensing element, a transfer transistor, and a floating diffusion node. The plurality of output circuits are disposed in the pixel areas on the specific pixel row. The sensing circuits on the same pixel column are coupled to the same output circuit.

Abstract: An image sensor device is provided. The image sensor device includes a substrate, a plurality of photoelectric conversion units for collecting image signals disposed in the substrate, a first dielectric layer disposed upon the substrate, a plurality of metal layers disposed in the first dielectric layer, a trench disposed in the first dielectric layer and located between the adjacent metal layers, a filling material filled in the trench, a second dielectric layer disposed upon the first dielectric layer, and a light source or a detected object disposed over the second dielectric layer. The metal layer adjacent to the substrate is defined as a first metal layer. The metal layer adjacent to the top of the first dielectric layer is defined as a top metal layer. The trench extends from the top of the first dielectric layer towards the substrate to the first metal layer.

Abstract: An image processing method is provided. The method includes the steps of: receiving upper image data; calculating a first ratio using a target pixel and a plurality of first reference pixels in the upper image data; calculating a first diffusion coefficient according to the first ratio and a diffusion coefficient mapping equation; calculating a first pixel value of the target pixel according to the target pixel, the first reference pixels, and the first diffusion coefficient; receiving lower image data; calculating a second ratio using the target pixel and a plurality of second reference pixels in the lower image data, wherein the target pixel has the first pixel value; calculating a second diffusion coefficient according to the second ratio and the diffusion coefficient mapping equation; and calculating a second pixel value of the target pixel according to the target pixel, the second reference pixels, and the second diffusion coefficient.

Abstract: A readout circuit is provided to generate an image datum representing an image sensed by a sensing array. The readout circuit includes a sample and hold circuit, an analog-digital conversion circuit, first and second memory banks, and an output circuit. The sample and hold circuit performs a sample and hold operation on at least one output signal from the sensing array to generate first and second sample-hold signals. The analog-digital conversion circuit generates first and second output datums according to the first and second sample-hold signals respectively. When the readout circuit operates in a first mode, the output circuit outputs the first and second output datums, received from the first and second memory banks, sequentially to serve as the image datum. When the readout circuit operates in a second mode, the output obtains difference between the first and second output datums to serve as the image datum.

Abstract: An image sensor device is provided. The image sensor device includes a substrate, a first photoelectric conversion unit, a second photoelectric conversion unit, a third photoelectric conversion unit, a plurality of isolation structures, a first doped region, and a second doped region. The first, second, and third photoelectric conversion units are disposed in the substrate. The second photoelectric conversion unit is located between the first photoelectric conversion unit and the third photoelectric conversion unit. The isolation structures are disposed in the substrate between the photoelectric conversion units. The first doped region is formed in the substrate below the isolation structures. The first doped region extends below the third photoelectric conversion unit. The second doped region is formed in the substrate below a part of the first doped region. The second doped region extends below the second photoelectric conversion unit.

Abstract: An active pixel sensor comprising: a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel includes a light sensitive element and a transfer gate, and the plurality of pixels have at least one floating diffusion region; and a plurality of processing circuits associated with the plurality of pixels; wherein each processing circuit comprises a charge amplifier.

Abstract: An image capture device with a reduced number of line buffers. Based on an nth line of image data provided from an image sensor array and buffered data in the line buffers, a logic circuit determines defective candidates in an nth line of image data. When the (n+p)th line of image data is provided from the image sensor array, the logic circuit reexamines the defective candidates in the nth line of image data, for defective-pixel compensation, based on the (n+p)th line of image data and the buffered data in the plurality of line buffers. The buffered data in the line buffers contains the (n?p)th to (n?1)th lines of image data while the nth line of image data is provided from the image sensor array, and contains the nth to (n+p?1)th lines of image data while the (n+p)th line of image data is provided from the image sensor array.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image-correction system, including an image-capture module, a first calculation module, a second calculation module and an output module. The image-capture module obtains an input image and a guide image. The first calculation module obtains a first correction image according to a first parameter and a second parameter, obtains the first parameter according to the mean value of the guide image, a variance value of the guide image, a mean value of the input image and a smooth function, and obtains the second parameter according to the first parameter, the mean value of the guide image and the mean value of the input image. The second calculation module obtains the ratio value of the mean value of the guide image and the variance value of the guide image. The output module outputs the first correction image.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image sensor device including a substrate, a channel formed in the substrate, a photoelectric transfer region formed in the substrate located at one side of the channel, a voltage transfer region formed in the substrate located at the other side of the channel, a first gate dielectric layer formed on the substrate, a second gate dielectric layer formed on the substrate, wherein the first gate dielectric layer and the second gate dielectric layer have a joint above the channel, and the thickness of the first gate dielectric layer is thicker than that of the second gate dielectric layer, and a gate formed on the first gate dielectric layer and the second gate a is dielectric layer. The present invention also provides a method for fabricating the image sensor device.

Abstract: An image sensor is provided. The image sensor includes a pixel array, an analog-to-digital converter, and a processor. The analog-to-digital converter converts a black level reference signal and a pix signal from the pixel array into a first digital signal and a second digital signal, respectively. The processor obtains a black level reference value according to the first digital signal, and obtains a compensation coefficient according to the black level reference value, a maximum digital level of the analog-to-digital converter and a full signal range value. The processor obtains pix data according to the compensation coefficient, the black level reference value and the second digital signal.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a transfer gate transistor of an image sensor device is disclosed. The transistor includes a substrate, a gate oxide layer on the substrate and a gate electrode portion on the gate oxide layer. The gate electrode portion has a trench or an insulating layer used for accurately defining a first region and a second region in the gate electrode portion, wherein the first region has a first conductivity type, and the second region has a second conductivity type or is an undoped region.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image sensor device including a substrate, a channel formed in the substrate, a photoelectric transfer region formed in the substrate located at one side of the channel, a voltage transfer region formed in the substrate located at the other side of the channel, a first gate dielectric layer formed on the substrate, a second gate dielectric layer formed on the substrate, wherein the first gate dielectric layer and the second gate dielectric layer have a joint above the channel, and the thickness of the first gate dielectric layer is thicker than that of the second gate dielectric layer, and a gate formed on the first gate dielectric layer and the second gate a is dielectric layer. The present invention also provides a method for fabricating the image sensor device.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image sensor device including a substrate, a channel formed in the substrate, a photoelectric transfer region formed in the substrate adjacent to one side of the channel, a voltage transfer region formed in the substrate adjacent to the other side of the channel, wherein the doping concentration of the channel is decreased from the side adjacent to the photoelectric transfer region to the other side adjacent to the voltage transfer region of the channel, a gate dielectric layer formed on the substrate, and a gate formed on the gate dielectric layer. The present invention also provides a method for fabricating the image sensor device.

Abstract: An active pixel sensor comprises a sensor die and a circuit die. The sensor die comprises a plurality of pixels. Each pixel includes a light sensitive element and a transfer gate, a floating diffusion region, and a reset gate. The circuit die comprises a plurality of processing and amplification circuits associated with the reset gates of the sensor die. The sensor die is interconnected with the circuit die utilizing a plurality of inter-die interconnects each coupled to a source node of the reset gate on the sensor die and a node of a processing and amplification circuit on the circuit die.