Patents Examined by John R. Lee
  • Patent number: 11722800
    Abstract: A CMOS type semiconductor image sensor module wherein a pixel aperture ratio is improved, chip use efficiency is improved and furthermore, simultaneous shutter operation by all the pixels is made possible, and a method for manufacturing such semiconductor image sensor module are provided. The semiconductor image sensor module is provided by stacking a first semiconductor chip, which has an image sensor wherein a plurality of pixels composed of a photoelectric conversion element and a transistor are arranged, and a second semiconductor chip, which has an A/D converter array. Preferably, the semiconductor image sensor module is provided by stacking a third semiconductor chip having a memory element array. Furthermore, the semiconductor image sensor module is provided by stacking the first semiconductor chip having the image sensor and a fourth semiconductor chip having an analog nonvolatile memory array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventors: Shin Iwabuchi, Makoto Motoyoshi
  • Patent number: 11714044
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides improved optical systems for particle processing (e.g., cytometry including microfluidic based sorters, drop sorters, and/or cell purification) systems and methods. More particularly, the present disclosure provides advantageous micro-lens array optical detection assemblies for particle (e.g., cells, microscopic particles, etc.) processing systems and methods (e.g., for analyzing, sorting, processing, purifying, measuring, isolating, detecting, monitoring and/or enriching particles).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: CYTONOME/ST, LLC
    Inventors: Johnathan Charles Sharpe, Donald Francis Perrault, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11713998
    Abstract: According to one aspect, an ambient-light sensor includes a photodiode configured to generate an electrical signal according to an ambient light, a capacitive-feedback transimpedance amplifier connected at its input to the photodiode for receiving a signal generated by the photodiode and for generating as an output an amplified signal from the signal generated by the photodiode, and an auto-zero switch at the input of the capacitive-feedback transimpedance amplifier. The ambient-light sensor further includes a control circuit including a bootstrap circuit configured to receive an initial positive- or zero-voltage logic control signal, and then generate, from this initial logic control signal, an adapted logic control signal having a first positive voltage level and a second negative voltage control level for controlling the auto-zero switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignees: STMICROELECTRONICS INTERNATIONAL N.V., STMICROELECTRONICS (GRENOBLE 2) SAS
    Inventors: Nicolas Moeneclaey, Sri Ram Gupta, Sarika Kushwaha
  • Patent number: 11709095
    Abstract: A light sensing module including a photodiode array substrate, a distance increasing layer, and a light converging element array is provided. The photodiode array substrate includes a plurality of light sensing units arranged in an array and a circuit region. The circuit region is disposed on the periphery of the light sensing units. Each of the light sensing units includes a plurality of adjacent photodiodes arranged in an array. The distance increasing layer is disposed on the photodiode array substrate. The light converging element array is disposed on the distance increasing layer, and includes a plurality of light converging units arranged in an array. Reflected light from an outside is converged by the light converging elements on the light sensing units, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Egis Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Chen-Chih Fan, Bruce C. S. Chou
  • Patent number: 11703383
    Abstract: A vehicle window with an anisotropic light sensor, has a first glass layer and a second glass layer, wherein an arrangement of light-sensitive elements is arranged, substantially parallel to the first glass layer, between the first glass layer and the second glass layer, wherein the pane furthermore has an aperture such that light can shine through the second glass layer and the aperture onto at least one of the light-sensitive elements, wherein, depending on the direction of incident light, the sensor provides a signal that is indicative of the direction, wherein the arrangement of light-sensitive elements has a camera chip and wherein the arrangement of light-sensitive elements is arranged on a flexible film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS FRANCE
    Inventors: Christopher Matheisen, Gabor Varga, Richard Stelzer, Benjamin Kaplan
  • Patent number: 11703378
    Abstract: A metal stem includes a cylindrical portion in which an FPC inserting portion is formed, and a base standing upright from one plane of the cylindrical portion. A tubular lens cap with one open end is fixed to a peripheral portion of the one plane of the cylindrical portion, and has a lens mounted on a bottomed portion. A substrate mounted on one plane of the base includes a signal wiring layer and a ground wiring layer. An optical semiconductor element is mounted on the substrate and has a signal terminal connected to the signal wiring layer of the substrate, and a ground terminal connected to the ground wiring layer of the substrate. An FPC substrate is disposed so as to pass through the FPC inserting portion and to face the one plane of the base. The FPC substrate includes a signal wiring layer connected to the signal wiring layer of the substrate with a metal wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mizuki Shirao, Seiki Nakamura, Kiyotomo Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 11703594
    Abstract: A time-resolving sensor includes a single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD), a logic circuit and differential time-to-charge converter (DTCC) circuit. The SPAD is responsive to a shutter signal to generate an output signal based on detecting an incident photon. The logic circuit generates first and second enable signals. The DTCC includes a capacitor device, first and second switching devices, and an output circuit. The first switching device is responsive to the first enable signal to transfer a charge on the capacitor device to the first floating diffusion. The second switching device is responsive to the second enable signal to transfer a remaining charge on the capacitor device to the second floating diffusion. The output circuit outputs a first voltage that is based on the first charge on the first floating diffusion and a second voltage that is based on the second charge on the second floating diffusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Inventor: Yibing Michelle Wang
  • Patent number: 11703381
    Abstract: Provided are a light detection element, a receiving device, and a light sensor device. The light detection element includes a magnetic element that includes a first ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer, and a spacer layer interposed between the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer, wherein the first ferromagnetic layer is irradiated with light in a direction intersecting a stacking direction of the magnetic element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naomichi Degawa
  • Patent number: 11698435
    Abstract: A detector (110, 1110, 2110) for determining a position of at least one object (112) is proposed. The detector (110, 1110, 2110) comprises: at least one transfer device (128, 1128), wherein the transfer device (128, 1128) has at least one focal length in response to at least one incident light beam (116, 1116) propagating from the object (112, 1112) to the detector (110, 1110, 2110); at least two optical sensors (113, 1118, 1120), wherein each optical sensor (113, 1118, 1120) has at least one light sensitive area (121, 1122, 1124), wherein each optical sensor (113, 1118, 1120) is designed to generate at least one sensor signal in response to an illumination of its respective light-sensitive area by the light beam (116, 1116), at least one evaluation device (132, 1132) being configured for determining at least one longitudinal coordinate z of the object (112, 1112) by evaluating a quotient signal Q from the sensor signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: TRINAMIX GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Eberspach, Thomas Ohmer, Robert Send, Christian Lennartz, Christopher Hahne, Stefan Hengen, Sebastian Valouch, Christoph Lungenschmied, Ingmar Bruder, Wilfried Hermes, Celal Mohan Oeguen, Christian Daniel Schildknecht, Peter Schillen, Patrick Schindler, Peter Fejes
  • Patent number: 11693129
    Abstract: A radiation imaging apparatus is provided. The radiation imaging apparatus comprises a plurality of pixels used to acquire a radiation image, and a readout circuit configured to read out a signal from each of the plurality of pixels. Correction image data used for performing offset correction is acquired from the plurality of pixels in an acquisition mode associated with an estimated value of the signal and system noise generated when the readout circuit reads out the signal, the estimated value and the system noise being set according to an imaging mode by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yutaka Ishinari, Tomoyuki Yagi, Yoshiaki Ishii, Yuki Iwabuchi, Kai Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11692938
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods relating to photonic bandgap optical nanostructures are described. Such optical nanostructures may exhibit prohibited photonic bandgaps or allowed photonic bands, and may be used to reject (e.g., block or attenuate) radiation at a first wavelength while allowing transmission of radiation at a second wavelength. Examples of photonic bandgap optical nanostructures includes periodic and quasi-periodic structures, with periodicity or quasi-periodicity in one, two, or three dimensions and structural variations in at least two dimensions. Such photonic bandgap optical nanostructures may be formed in integrated devices that include photodiodes and CMOS circuitry arranged to analyze radiation received by the photodiodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Quantum-Si Incorporated
    Inventors: Ali Kabiri, Bing Shen, James Beach, Kyle Preston, Gerard Schmid
  • Patent number: 11695028
    Abstract: A semiconductor image sensor includes a plurality of pixels. Each pixel of the sensor includes a semiconductor substrate having opposite front and back sides and laterally delimited by a first insulating wall including a first conductive core insulated from the substrate, electron-hole pairs being capable of forming in the substrate due to a back-side illumination. A circuit is configured to maintain, during a first phase in a first operating mode, the first conductive core at a first potential and to maintain, during at least a portion of the first phase in a second operating mode, the first conductive core at a second potential different from the first potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS
    Inventors: Francois Roy, Stephane Hulot, Andrej Suler, Nicolas Virollet
  • Patent number: 11686630
    Abstract: To obtain an imaging device that can improve temperature detection accuracy. An imaging device of the present disclosure includes a processing unit formed on a first semiconductor substrate and capable of performing predetermined image processing on the basis of image data obtained by an imaging unit, a temperature sensor formed on the first semiconductor substrate and capable of generating a detection signal according to a temperature, and a first pad electrode formed on the first semiconductor substrate and electrically insulated from a circuit formed on the first semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Kawazu, Keita Sasaki, Takumi Oka, Mohammad Munirul Haque, Nobuhiko Fujimori, Makoto Satou, Masahiro Baba, Satoshi Yamamoto, Yuichi Motohashi, Atsushi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11681071
    Abstract: A power beaming system includes a power beam transmitter arranged to transmit the power beam, and a power beam receiver arranged to receive the power beam from the power beam transmitter. A power beam transmission source is arranged to generate a laser light beam for transmission by the power beam transmitter from a first location toward a remote second location. A beam-shaping element shapes the laser light beam, at least one diffusion element uniformly distributes light of the shaped laser light beam, and a projection element illuminates a power beam receiving element of predetermined shape with the shaped laser light beam. At the power beam receiver, a diffusion surface diffuses a portion the power beam specularly reflected from the power beam receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Inventors: Jordin T. Kare, Thomas J. Nugent, Jr., David Bashford
  • Patent number: 11676981
    Abstract: An image sensor for recording incident radiation may include a first layer for filtering the incident radiation by attenuating incident radiation with a frequency below a cutoff frequency and a second light-sensitive layer for absorbing radiation passing through the first layer. The first layer may precede the second light-sensitive layer in a direction of propagation of the incident radiation and the first layer includes at least one aperture passing through the first layer to the second light-sensitive layer for propagating radiation therethrough. The cross sectional size of the at least one aperture may be configured to provide a cutoff frequency so that incident radiation with a frequency below the cutoff frequency is attenuated inside the at least one aperture and incident radiation with a frequency above the cutoff frequency propagates through the at least one aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: LIFE TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventor: Christian Woehler
  • Patent number: 11678063
    Abstract: A high dynamic range sensing device is disclosed. The device includes an array of Bayer pattern units. Each of the Bayer pattern units comprises a plurality of pixels and each of the plurality of pixels comprises a plurality of photodiodes. At least one of the plurality of photodiodes in each pixel is configured to detect near infrared (NIR) light and at least one of the plurality of photodiodes in each of the plurality of pixels is configured to detect visible light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Cista System Corp.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Komori, Zhaojian Li
  • Patent number: 11672444
    Abstract: An action recognition system is illustrated. The action recognition system has an annular body, at least one light emitting unit, at least one light sensing unit and an action recognition module. The annular body is worn on a movable part of a user. One end of the light emitting unit is exposed on an inner side of the annular body, wherein the light emitting unit emits a first light beam illuminating at least a portion of the movable part. One end of the light sensing unit is exposed on the inner side of the annular body. The light sensing unit operatively senses a second light beam reflected by the at least portion of the movable part and generates a light sensing signal. The action recognition module is configured to operatively determine an action of the user according to the light sensing signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: PIXART IMAGING INC.
    Inventors: Ren-Hau Gu, Chung-Wen Lo
  • Patent number: 11670647
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards an integrated chip (IC). The IC comprises a first phase detection autofocus (PDAF) photodetector and a second PDAF photodetector in a substrate. A first electromagnetic radiation (EMR) diffuser is disposed along a back-side of the substrate and within a perimeter of the first PDAF photodetector. The first EMR diffuser is spaced a first distance from a first side of the first PDAF photodetector and a second distance less than the first distance from a second side of the first PDAF photodetector. A second EMR diffuser is disposed along the back-side of the substrate and within a perimeter of the second PDAF photodetector. The second EMR diffuser is spaced a third distance from a first side of the second PDAF photodetector and a fourth distance less than the third distance from a second side of the second PDAF photodetector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keng-Yu Chou, Chun-Hao Chuang, Kazuaki Hashimoto, Wei-Chieh Chiang, Cheng Yu Huang, Wen-Hau Wu, Chih-Kung Chang
  • Patent number: 11656120
    Abstract: This application provides a structure of the optical sensor, in which a photosensitive element is arranged on a substrate, a colloid layer is arranged on the upper part of the substrate and covers the photosensitive element, and a thin film is further arranged. The device includes an adhesive layer and a light-transmitting layer, the adhesive layer is disposed above one of the colloid layers, the light-transmitting layer is disposed above one of the adhesive layers, and the structure can be used to provide the film member that can be changed according to requirements The optical design reduces the production cost of the optical sensor; this application further provides a shielding layer between the film member and the colloid layer to improve the photosensitive efficiency of the optical sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Sensortek Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Feng-Jung Hsu
  • Patent number: 11653123
    Abstract: A light sensor module includes a substrate. A first detection region is provided on the substrate. At least one photosensitive device is provided inside the first detection region. The at least one photosensitive device is adapted to collecting first light sensor data from the first detection region under current incident light. The first light sensor data are used for determining whether light sensor data collected by the light sensor module under the current incident light are to be compensated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chihjen Cheng