Abstract: A signal processing apparatus comprising: a first gain-adjustable amplifier receiving the first input signal and generating a gain-adjusted first input signal according to a first gain; a first adder for subtracting the gain-adjusted first input signal from the second input signal, thereby generating a second output signal; a second gain-adjustable amplifier receiving the second input signal and generating a gain-adjusted second input signal according to a second gain; a second adder for subtracting the gain-adjusted second input signal from the first input signal, thereby generating a first output signal; and a weighting correlator receiving the first output signal and the second output signal, and generating the first integrated signal to control the first gain and the second gain.

Abstract: A multiple energetic penetration and damage progression sensor is disclosed. A grid of sensing lines, such as passive optical fibers, is formed by laying the sensing lines in a crossing pattern to form a 2-Dimensional or 3-Dimensional coordinate grid. Signal receivers such as photo-detectors are connected to one or both ends of the sensing lines, and a data processor interprets received signals. When an impact or energetic penetration occurs at a location on or near a sensing line, energy passes down the sensing line in both directions away from the point of impact or penetration. Each pair of “X-Y” or “X-Y-Z” recordings from receivers receiving the energy is processed to determine a location, penetration volume and progression in time of the impact or penetration. This sensor can be made conformal to any regular and continuous surface geometry, volume geometry, or surfaces or volumes of physical objects of interest.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of fabricating an image sensor device, such as a BSI image sensor, and more particularly, a method of forming a dielectric film in a radiation-absorption region without using a conventional plasma etching causing roughness on the surface and non-uniformity within a die and a wafer. The method includes providing layers comprising a substrate having radiation sensors adjacent its front surface, an anti-reflective layer formed over the back surface of the substrate, a sacrificial dielectric layer formed over the anti-reflective layer, and a conductive layer formed over the sacrificial dielectric layer in a radiation-blocking region. The method further includes removing the sacrificial dielectric layer in the radiation-absorption region completely by a highly selective etching process and forming a dielectric film on the anti-reflective layer by deposition such as CVD or PVD while precisely controlling the thickness.

Abstract: A method is given for finding a reference correction value of an index mark of an angular encoder. The angular encoder includes a first read head, a second read head, and a patterned element having incremental marks and an index mark. In a first instance and in a second instance, the patterned element is rotated relative to the read heads to obtain incremental readings from the first read head and the second read head and an index mark from the first read head. Based on these readings, a processor determines, in the first instance, a first reference position and, in the second instance, a second reference position. The processor determines the reference correction value based at least in part on the first reference position and the second reference position.

Abstract: A binary image sensor includes a plurality of unit pixels on a substrate having a surface on which light is incident. At least one quantum dot is disposed on the surface of a substrate. A column sense amplifier circuit is configured to detect binary information of a selected unit pixel among the plurality of unit pixels from a voltage or a current detected from the selected unit pixel, and a processing unit is configured to process binary information of the respective unit pixels to generate pixel image information. Related devices and methods of operation are also discussed.

Abstract: An optical sensor arrangement for measuring an observable including at least one light source for generating a first light component of a first frequency including a first mode and a second light component of a second frequency including a second mode orthogonal to the first mode, an optical resonator having differing optical lengths for the first and second modes, at least one of the optical lengths being variable depending on the observable and a dependence of the respective optical length being different for the first and second modes, and a detector unit coupled to the optical resonator for coupling out the two light components and being configured for detecting a frequency difference between a resonance frequency of the optical resonator for the first mode and a resonance frequency of the optical resonator for the second mode.

Abstract: An imaging device comprises a solid-state image sensor including a plurality of unit pixels, and a driving unit. Each unit pixel includes a photo-electric converter that converts incident light into a signal charge, a holding unit that temporarily holds the signal charge obtained by the photo-electric converter, a first transfer gate arranged between the photo-electric converter and the holding unit, that transfers the signal charge to the holding unit, a charge-voltage converter that converts the signal charge into a voltage signal, and a second transfer gate arranged between the holding unit and the charge-voltage converter, that transfers the signal charge to the charge-voltage converter, and that is in a non-conductive state in the case where an image capturing operation is performed in the photo-electric converter. The driving unit drives the solid-state image sensor so as to supply three or more mutually different electric potentials to the first transfer gate.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a color filter configured to pass a specific color of light; a micro lens formed under the color filter and configured with a plurality of layers in which an upper layer has a smaller area than a lower layer; and a photo device formed under the micro lens and configured to receive light passing through the micro lens and convert the received light into an electrical signal.

Abstract: An optical detection system for detecting an incident optical signal is described. The system includes an optical package adapted to collect the incident optical signal and directed it to a detector array that is coupled thereto. The array outputs electrical signals to be analyzed by a processor. The processor is adapted to iterate algorithms using the signals to calculate an incident angle of arrival for the incident optical signal and a range of the source of the optical signal to the system based on the angle of arrival calculation. The processor is further configured to discriminate the optical signal spectrally to calculate wavelengths thereof for false alarm rejection.

Abstract: An imaging device and method for operating the imaging device. Some embodiments comprise a pixel array configured as rows and columns of binning pixel units, each binning pixel unit including a plurality of photosensors that generate respective charge signals in response to incident light. Each binning pixel unit is configured to selectively bin the charge from at least two of the photosensors. The pixel array may be readout in a binning-pixel-unit row by binning-pixel-unit row basis. During readout of each binning pixel unit row, each binning pixel unit in the row is operable to selectively bin at least two of the charge signals therein based on a respective one of control signals provided to each of the binning pixel units in the row. In reading out a binning pixel unit row for a given image frame, a first binning pixel unit may perform in-pixel charge domain binning while a second binning pixel unit in the row may not bin the charge from the different photosensors therein.

Abstract: A two-dimensional solid-state image capture device includes pixel areas arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, each pixel area being constituted by multiple sub-pixel regions, each sub-pixel region having a photoelectric conversion element. A polarization member is disposed at a light incident side of at least one of the sub-pixel regions constituting each pixel area. The polarization member has strip-shaped conductive light-shielding material layers and slit areas, provided between the strip-shaped conductive light-shielding material layers. Each sub-pixel region further has a wiring layer for controlling an operation of the photoelectric conversion element, and the polarization member and the wiring layer are made of the same material and are disposed on the same virtual plane.

Abstract: A system allowing automatic detection of the end of winding of a cable on a winch comprises an optical detector which emits, in the direction of the cable, a light beam which illuminates a given zone through which the cable travels in the course of its winding. The detector is associated with a specific marking, strongly reflecting, positioned on a section of the cable close to its end, such that, when this section enters into the zone illuminated by the detector, it reflects the beam in the direction of the detector which detects this reflected beam and which then signals that the cable is almost at the end of winding. The detector, placed in a fixed position at a given distance from the cable, is also associated with a light waveguide interposed between the cable and the optical detector.

Abstract: MEMS shutters are applied in displays and imaging devices. In a display, sensors may detect light from a light source that is back-reflected by a MEMS shutter and/or ambient light that enters through the MEMS shutter. The sensors may be used to monitor performance of the light source and/or ambient lighting conditions. In an imaging device, MEMS shutters may be applied to selectively block light to prevent overexposed areas within an image.

Abstract: A signal processing apparatus includes an adder and a weighting integrator. The adder receives a first input signal and an integrated signal, and generates a first output signal. The first output signal is obtained by subtracting the integrated signal from the first input signal. The weighting integrator receives the first output signal, and generates the integrated signal. The weighting integrator includes a weighting function generator, a multiplier, and an accumulator. The weighting function generator receives the first output signal. When the first output signal crosses a zero crossing point, the weighting function generator generates a weighting function. The multiplier performs a multiplication on the weighting function and the first output signal. The accumulator is connected to the multiplier for accumulating the product of the weighting function and the first output signal, thereby generating the integrated signal.

Abstract: One or more embodiments are directed to a device comprising: a body having a cavity, an opaque structure, and an aperture in the body that places the cavity in fluid communication with an environment external to the body. A photon emitter is located in the cavity below the aperture and configured to emit photons through the aperture to the environment external to the body. A photon receiver is located in the cavity below the opaque structure of the body and configured to receive photons that are each reflected from both an object that is spaced apart from the body in the environment external to the body and from a surface of the opaque structure.

Abstract: A device and a system for detecting a tape or a piece of glue on a document and methods for detecting a tape or a piece of glue on a document are described. The device comprises at least one light source, at least one light receiver and at least one light barrier. The at least one light source is arranged on a first side of the at least one light barrier and the at least one light receiver is arranged on a second side of the at least one light barrier opposite to the first side. The light barrier is configured to come into contact with a document to prevent or reduce light emitted from the light source on the first side of the light barrier to be transmitted to the light receiver on the second side of the light barrier.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a photodiode that generates a signal charge by photoelectric conversion according to received light, a floating diffusion that accumulates the signal charge generated by the photodiode, an amplification transistor that amplifies and outputs a power source voltage according to the signal charge accumulated in the floating diffusion, a dummy transistor having the same characteristics as the amplification transistor, and a negative feedback circuit that applies a negative feedback to the dummy transistor such that respective source currents of the amplification transistor and the dummy transistor are equal to each other. The respective source currents of the amplification transistor and the dummy transistor are controlled so as to coincide with each other by the negative feedback circuit.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an image sensor device and a method for manufacturing the image sensor device. An exemplary image sensor device includes a substrate having a front surface and a back surface, a plurality of sensor elements disposed at the front surface of the substrate. Each of the plurality of sensor elements is operable to sense radiation projected towards the back surface of the substrate. The image sensor also includes a high-k dielectric grid disposed over the back surface of the substrate. The high-k dielectric grid has a high-k dielectric trench and sidewalls. The image sensor also includes a color filter and a microlens disposed over the high-k dielectric grid.

Abstract: The effects of inter pixel capacitance in a pixilated array may be measured by first resetting all pixels in the array to a first voltage, where a first image is read out, followed by resetting only a subset of pixels in the array to a second voltage, where a second image is read out, where the difference in the first and second images provide information about the inter pixel capacitance. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A driver circuit outputs a result of classifying and counting photons based on one or more energy levels to a column line. The driver circuit includes a multiplexer for receiving the result from a counter, a driving inverter for receiving a signal from the multiplexer and a power supply, and a switch connected between the power supply and an input terminal of the driving inverter.