Patents by Inventor Bernd Höfflinger

Bernd Höfflinger has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7430005
    Abstract: A camera module for electronically recording images has an image sensor with a plurality of image cells. Each image cell provides an electric image signal as a function of the intensity of incident light. Each image cell has a light-sensitive element for generating a light-dependent current, as well as at least one MOS transistor which is arranged in series therewith. The gate of the MOS transistor is at a fixed potential, and the source-drain path is flowed through by the light-dependent current. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is arranged at least one light source in the region of the image sensor by means of which the image cells can be illuminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Institut fur Mikroelektronik Stuttgart
    Inventors: Bernd Höfflinger, Hans-Georg Kober
  • Patent number: 7420599
    Abstract: A device for the FPN correction of image signals which are generated by image cells of an image sensor comprises a discriminator for determining in which value range out of at least two value ranges a value of an image signal of an image cell is located at a predetermined instant of time. The result determined by the discriminator is feed to a correction device. The correction device selects correction coefficients from a plurality of sets of correction coefficients as a function of the result determined by the discriminator, and a transformation unit calculates the corrected value for the image signal by using the selected correction coefficients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Institut für Mikroelektronik Stuttgart
    Inventors: Bernd Höfflinger, Cornelis Scherjon
  • Patent number: 7224848
    Abstract: In order to correct for fixed pattern noise in the signals of an image sensor, image signal values are read out from the pixels of the sensor. Individual correction values are added as analogue quantities to the image signal values via a signal path having a defined transfer function. Parameters which are characteristic of the defined transfer function are provided in a memory and the individual correction values are calculated in a correction value calculating unit using the parameters provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Institut für Mikroelektronik Stuttgart
    Inventors: Bernd Höfflinger, Markus Strobel
  • Patent number: 6546147
    Abstract: What is described here is a method of analog signal processing of video signals from picture elements arranged in an array, which are adapted for discrete scanning in terms of time, using a resistive network, the so-called electronic retina, having a two-dimensional field structure including a number of lines m smaller than the number of lines p of the picture element array, wherein the video signals are transmitted from the picture elements in the electronic retina by lines in such a manner that, starting with the first line of picture elements, the video signals are transmitted into the first line of said electronic retina until after the transmission of the video signals from the m-th line of the picture element arrays into the m-th line of said electronic retina the picture elements of the m+1st line of the picture element array are transmitted into the electronic retina, starting again with the first line, until the p-th line of the picture element array is transmitted in a roll-over manner into the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Institut Fur Mikroelectronik Stuttgart
    Inventors: Uwe Apel, Bernd Höfflinger, Ulrich Seger
  • Patent number: 6489658
    Abstract: The invention relates to a MOS transistor for a photo cell, comprising a semiconductor substrate on which a gate electrode, a drain electrode and a photosensitive source region are configured. An oxide layer is arranged between the gate electrode and the substrate, and in the active region of the MOS transistor this oxide layer is formed as thin oxide film while it is configured as thick oxide film in a passive region. The inventive transistor is distinguished by the provisions that the gate electrode comprises a closed annular section in the active region of the MOS transistor, and that either the drain electrode or the photosensitive source region is arranged within the annular section of the gate electrode so that current will only flow in the active region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Institut fur Mikroelectronik
    Inventors: Harald Richter, Bernd Höfflinger, Uwe Apel, Ulrich Seger
  • Patent number: 6455429
    Abstract: Inventive methods are provided for the production of large-area membrane masks, wherein an inexpedient mechanical excessive strain on the membrane or of the membrane layer/etching stop layer/supporting wafer system or the resulting breaking of the components is avoided, which excessive strain occurs particularly due to the employment of an etching cell or generally due to the thin semiconductor layers. The stripping of the semiconductor support layer is preferably performed in two partial steps that are carried out in a mechanically sealed etching cell or with a protective coating, or that one partial step is performed with an etching cell and one with a protective coating, or that the stripping of the semiconductor support layer is performed in a mechanically sealed etching cell initially with a supporting grid and that the supporting grid is removed only after withdrawal from the etching cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Institut fur Mikroelektronik Stuttgart
    Inventors: Jörg Butschke, Florian Letzkus, Elisabeth Penteker, Reinhard Springer, Bernd Höfflinger, Hans Löschner
  • Publication number: 20020105038
    Abstract: The invention relates to a MOS transistor for a photo cell, comprising a semiconductor substrate on which a gate electrode, a drain electrode and a photosensitive source region are configured. An oxide layer is arranged between the gate electrode and the substrate, and in the active region of the MOS transistor this oxide layer is formed as thin oxide film while it is configured as thick oxide film in a passive region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 1999
    Publication date: August 8, 2002
    Inventors: HARALD RICHTER, BERND HOFFLINGER, UWE APEL, ULRICH SEGER