Abstract: A pixel for an ambient light and/or color sensor includes a plurality of pinned photodiodes. The pixel also includes a floating diffusion region. A ratio of an active area of the plurality of pinned photodiodes to an area of the floating diffusion region is greater than 150.

Abstract: An optical sensor includes an array of pixels, wherein each pixel includes a photodiode configured to receive an optical signal and a floating node coupled to the photodiode. At least one sensing path is capacitively coupled to the floating node of at least one of the pixels. An evaluation unit is coupled to the at least one sensing path to generate an electrical signal dependent on the optical signal received by the photodiode.

Abstract: A pixel structure includes a substrate body having a light entrance surface, a plurality of first photodiodes formed in the substrate body at a first depth with respect to the light entrance surface, and a second photodiode formed in the substrate body at a second depth with respect to the light entrance surface. The first depth corresponds to a photon absorption length in a material of the substrate body at a first wavelength range, and the second depth corresponds to a photon absorption length in the material of the substrate body at a second wavelength range that is different from the first wavelength range.

Abstract: An image sensor and a pixel array circuit thereof are provided. The image sensor includes the pixel array circuit and a readout circuit. The pixel array circuit includes pixel units. Each pixel unit includes a photo sensor, N storages, N transmission circuits, and M floating diffusion nodes. The N storages are coupled to the photo sensor and configured to store charges accumulated by the photo sensor at different exposures. Each transmission circuit is coupled between a corresponding storage and a corresponding floating diffusion node, and controlled by one of N transmission control signals to transmit the charges of the corresponding storage to the corresponding floating diffusion node during a certain time period. The readout circuit is coupled to the M floating diffusion nodes and configured to obtain N digital pixel values respectively corresponding to N image frames according to voltages of the M floating diffusion nodes of each pixel unit.

Abstract: A pixel circuit includes: a photodetector, a signal adjustment circuit and a switch circuit. The photodetector is employed for generating an output signal in response to light that is incident thereon. The signal adjustment circuit is coupled to the photodetector, and employed for selectively adjusting the output signal to allow the output signal to have a plurality of different logarithmic functions in respect to an intensity of the light. The switch circuit is coupled to the signal adjustment circuit and the photodetector, and employed for coupling the photodetector to the signal adjustment circuit.

Abstract: An image sensor includes an M-shared pixel architecture, an N-shared pixel architecture and a switch unit, wherein M is an integer not smaller than two and N is an integer not smaller than two. The switch unit is coupled between a floating diffusion node of the M-shared pixel architecture and a floating diffusion node of the N-shared pixel architecture.

Abstract: A shared active pixel sensor includes a first shared photodiode, a first shared sense node, a first transfer gate, a first shared reset gate and a first shared source follower gate. The first shared photodiode consists of a first signal node and a second signal node. The first shared sense node is electrically connected to the first shared photodiode. The first transfer gate is disposed between the first signal node and the first shared sense node so that the first signal node and the first shared sense node together serve as a source and a drain controlled by the first transfer gate. The first shared reset gate is electrically connected to the first shared sense node. The first shared source follower gate is capable of reading a photocurrent from the first shared photodiode.

Abstract: A pixel circuit includes a plurality of pixel units, and one of the pixel units includes a photosensor, a readout circuit, and a switch circuit. The readout circuit is coupled to a supply voltage and the photosensor, which includes a floating diffusion node for storing data of the photosensor and an output node for outputting data of the floating diffusion node. The switch circuit is coupled between the photosensor and a tail node, wherein the tail node is coupled to the floating diffusion node of another pixel unit.

Abstract: A shared active pixel sensor with a shared photodiode, a shared sense node, a transfer gate, a shared reset gate and a shared source follower gate is disclosed. A shared photodiode includes at least a first signal node and a second signal node. A shared sense node electrically connected to the shared photodiode. A transfer gate disposed between the first signal node and the shared sense node to control the first signal node and the shared sense node. A shared reset gate is electrically connected to the shared sense node and a shared source follower gate reads a photocurrent from the shared photodiode.

Abstract: A color processing system includes a color interpolation unit coupled to receive color and white (W) signals and accordingly generate interpolated white signals and difference signals; a color correction unit configured to correct the difference signals, thereby resulting in corrected color signals; and a sensitivity control unit configured to generate adjusted color signals according to the corrected color signals, the interpolated white signals, and surrounding illumination.

Abstract: An image sensor is provided in the present invention, including a plurality of optical elements, wherein each optical element includes a semiconductor substrate, a dielectric layer and a color filter set. The semiconductor substrate includes a plurality of photosensitive units. The dielectric layer is disposed above the semiconductor substrate and includes a plurality of notches. The color filter set is disposed above the dielectric layer and includes a plurality of filter units and a plurality of convex substances corresponding to the filter units, and the convex substances and the notches are engaged with each other, wherein the convex substances and the notches change in accordance with the distance to the center of the image sensor.

Abstract: A pixel circuit includes a plurality of pixel units, and one of the pixel units includes a photosensor, a readout circuit, and a switch circuit. The readout circuit is coupled to a supply voltage and the photosensor, which includes a floating diffusion node for storing data of the photosensor and an output node for outputting data of the floating diffusion node. The switch circuit is coupled between the photosensor and a tail node, wherein the tail node is coupled to the floating diffusion node of another pixel unit.

Abstract: A shared active pixel sensor with a shared photodiode, a shared sense node, a transfer gate, a shared reset gate and a shared source follower gate is disclosed. A shared photodiode includes at least a first signal node and a second signal node. A shared sense node electrically connected to the shared photodiode. A transfer gate disposed between the first signal node and the shared sense node to control the first signal node and the shared sense node. A shared reset gate is electrically connected to the shared sense node and a shared source follower gate reads a photocurrent from the shared photodiode.

Abstract: A shared active pixel sensor includes a first shared photodiode, a first shared sense node, a first transfer gate, a first shared reset gate and a first shared source follower gate. The first shared photodiode consists of a first signal node and a second signal node. The first shared sense node is electrically connected to the first shared photodiode. The first transfer gate is disposed between the first signal node and the first shared sense node so that the first signal node and the first shared sense node together serve as a source and a drain controlled by the first transfer gate. The first shared reset gate is electrically connected to the first shared sense node. The first shared source follower gate is capable of reading a photocurrent from the first shared photodiode.

Abstract: A pixel circuit includes: a photodetector, a signal adjustment circuit and a switch circuit. The photodetector is employed for generating an output signal in response to light that is incident thereon. The signal adjustment circuit is coupled to the photodetector, and employed for selectively adjusting the output signal to allow the output signal to have a plurality of different logarithmic functions in respect to an intensity of the light. The switch circuit is coupled to the signal adjustment circuit and the photodetector, and employed for coupling the photodetector to the signal adjustment circuit.

Abstract: An image sensor includes an M-shared pixel architecture, an N-shared pixel architecture and a switch unit, wherein M is an integer not smaller than two and N is an integer not smaller than two. The switch unit is coupled between a floating diffusion node of the M-shared pixel architecture and a floating diffusion node of the N-shared pixel architecture.

Abstract: An image sensor is provided in the present invention, including a plurality of optical elements, wherein each optical element includes a semiconductor substrate, a dielectric layer and a color filter set. The semiconductor substrate includes a plurality of photosensitive units. The dielectric layer is disposed above the semiconductor substrate and includes a plurality of notches. The color filter set is disposed above the dielectric layer and includes a plurality of filter units and a plurality of convex substances corresponding to the filter units, and the convex substances and the notches are engaged with each other, wherein the convex substances and the notches change in accordance with the distance to the center of the image sensor.