Patents by Inventor Christopher D. Silsby

Christopher D. Silsby 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: 9467633
    Abstract: Image sensors may include an array of photodiodes arranged in groups of adjacent photodiodes that generate charge in response to same-colored light. The image sensor may generate high-dynamic-range (HDR) images. To establish an effective exposure ratio between sets of photodiodes on the array for generating HDR images, microlenses may be formed over some photodiodes in a checkerboard pattern and may have portions that extend over other photodiodes in the array. Control circuitry may control photodiodes in each group to perform pulsed integration in which charge transfer control signals are intermittently pulsed for those photodiodes. A substantially opaque element may be formed over photodiodes in each of the groups such that the corresponding photodiodes generate signals in response to crosstalk. In this way, different effective exposures may be established across the array, allowing for HDR images to be generated without motion artifacts and with super-pixel resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Scott Johnson, Robert M. Gravelle, Jr., Brian W. Keelan, Christopher D. Silsby
  • Publication number: 20160255289
    Abstract: Image sensors may include an array of photodiodes arranged in groups of adjacent photodiodes that generate charge in response to same-colored light. The image sensor may generate high-dynamic-range (HDR) images. To establish an effective exposure ratio between sets of photodiodes on the array for generating HDR images, microlenses may be formed over some photodiodes in a checkerboard pattern and may have portions that extend over other photodiodes in the array. Control circuitry may control photodiodes in each group to perform pulsed integration in which charge transfer control signals are intermittently pulsed for those photodiodes. A substantially opaque element may be formed over photodiodes in each of the groups such that the corresponding photodiodes generate signals in response to crosstalk. In this way, different effective exposures may be established across the array, allowing for HDR images to be generated without motion artifacts and with super-pixel resolution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Scott JOHNSON, Robert M. GRAVELLE, JR., Brian W. KEELAN, Christopher D. SILSBY
  • Patent number: 7817187
    Abstract: A device that employs a secondary camera for use in image blur correction. The device includes a first camera that acquires a digital image and a second camera that acquires a series of digital images that enable a determination of a motion of the device during acquisition of the digital image. The determined motion may be used to correct an image blur in the digital image acquired with the primary camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Aptina Imaging Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher D. Silsby, Peter David Cooper
  • Patent number: 7728271
    Abstract: An image sensor including a substrate, at least one metal layer, and a plurality of pixels arranged in array. Each pixel includes a sense element disposed in the substrate and at least one metal interconnect segment disposed in the at least one metal layer. The array includes a pair of perpendicular axes extending from an optical center, wherein for a line of pixels extending perpendicularly from one of the axes to a peripheral edge of the array a spacing between the sense elements of consecutive pairs of pixels of the line is at least equal to a spacing between the associated at least one metal interconnect segments, and wherein for at least one consecutive pair of pixels of the line the spacing between the sense elements is greater by an incremental amount than the spacing between the corresponding at least one metal interconnect segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Aptina Imaging Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher D. Silsby, William G. Gazeley, Matthew M. Borg
  • Publication number: 20090057537
    Abstract: An image sensor including a substrate, at least one metal layer, and a plurality of pixels arranged in array. Each pixel includes a sense element disposed in the substrate and at least one metal interconnect segment disposed in the at least one metal layer. The array includes a pair of perpendicular axes extending from an optical center, wherein for a line of pixels extending perpendicularly from one of the axes to a peripheral edge of the array a spacing between the sense elements of consecutive pairs of pixels of the line is at least equal to a spacing between the associated at least one metal interconnect segments, and wherein for at least one consecutive pair of pixels of the line the spacing between the sense elements is greater by an incremental amount than the spacing between the corresponding at least one metal interconnect segments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: CHRISTOPHER D. SILSBY, WILLIAM G. GAZELEY, MATTHEW M. BORG
  • Publication number: 20090002501
    Abstract: A device that employs a secondary camera for use in image blur correction. The device includes a first camera that acquires a digital image and a second camera that acquires a series of digital images that enable a determination of a motion of the device during acquisition of the digital image. The determined motion may be used to correct an image blur in the digital image acquired with the primary camera.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher D. Silsby, Peter David Cooper
  • Patent number: 7432491
    Abstract: An image sensor including a substrate, at least one metal layer, and a plurality of pixels arranged in array. Each pixel includes a sense element disposed in the substrate and at least one metal interconnect segment disposed in the at least one metal layer. The array includes a pair of perpendicular axes extending from an optical center, wherein for a line of pixels extending perpendicularly from one of the axes to a peripheral edge of the array a spacing between the sense elements of consecutive pairs of pixels of the line is at least equal to a spacing between the associated at least one metal interconnect segments, and wherein for at least one consecutive pair of pixels of the line the spacing between the sense elements is greater by an incremental amount than the spacing between the corresponding at least one metal interconnect segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher D. Silsby, William G. Gazeley, Matthew M. Borg