Abstract: A high sensitivity image sensor including a pixel, the pixel including a single electron field effect transistor (SEFET), the SEFET including a first conductive type well in a second conductive type substrate, second conductive type source and drain regions in the well and a first conductive type gate region in the well between the source and the drain regions.

Abstract: A frame shutter apparatus comprising a controller for controlling multiple groups of pixels and for reading out values corresponding to the charge collected by different groups of pixels at different times. A method of reading out multiple groups of pixels is provided wherein values corresponding to the charge collected by one group of pixels is readout at a different time than the values corresponding to the charge collected by another group of pixels.

Abstract: A snapshot pixel device with an active reset that operates in charge mode.

Abstract: An imager has first and second photosensitive sites and an interpolator located in a semiconductor substrate. The first photosensitive site is configured to receive light having a spectral component, and the second photosensitive site is configured to measure the level of the spectral component in light received by the second photosensitive site. The interpolator is configured to estimate the level of the spectral component in the light received by the first photosensitive site based on the measurement by the second photosensitive site.

Abstract: An image sensor device may include a dual-gated charge storage region within a substrate. The dual-gated charge storage region includes first and second diodes within a common charge generating region. This charge generating region is configured to receive light incident on a surface of the image sensor device. The first and second diodes include respective first conductivity type regions responsive to first and second gate signals, respectively. These first and second gate signals are active during non-overlapping time intervals.

Abstract: Automatic exposure adjusting device considers the image on a pixel-by-pixel basis. Each pixel is characterized according to its most significant bits. After the pixels are characterized, the number of pixels in any particular group is counted. That counting is compared with thresholds which set whether the image is over exposed, under exposed, and can optionally also determine if the image is seriously over exposed or seriously under exposed. Adjustment of the exposure is carried out to bring the image to a more desired state.

Abstract: Automatic exposure adjusting device considers the image on a pixel-by-pixel basis. Each pixel is characterized according to its most significant bits. After the pixels are characterized, the number of pixels in any particular group is counted. That counting is compared with thresholds which set whether the image is over exposed, under exposed, and can optionally also determine if the image is seriously over exposed or seriously under exposed. Adjustment of the exposure is carried out to bring the image to a more desired state.

Abstract: A new kind of pixel is formed of two floating diffusions of different sizes and different conductivity type. The two floating diffusions have different image characteristics, and hence form a knee-shaped slope.

Abstract: A frame shutter type device provides a separated well in which the storage node is located. The storage node is also shielded by a light shield to prevent photoelectric conversion.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) image sensor includes a plurality of color pixels, and a plurality of distance measuring pixels. Where the plurality of color pixels and the plurality of distance measuring pixels are arranged in an array, and a group of distance measuring pixels, from among the plurality of distance measuring pixels, are disposed so that a corner of each distance measuring pixel in the group of distance-measuring pixels is adjacent to a corner of an adjacent distance-measuring pixel in the group of distance-measuring pixels. The group of distance measuring pixels is capable of jointly outputting one distance measurement signal.

Abstract: An improved lens barrel and related methods are provided. For example, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a lens barrel includes a housing comprising a first section having a first diameter and a second section having a second diameter. A first lens element having a diameter approximately equal to the first diameter of the first section is enclosed by the first section of the housing. A second lens element is provided having a diameter approximately equal to the second diameter of the second section.

Abstract: An image sensor is formed with shifts among the optical parts of the sensor and the photosensitive parts of the sensor. The optical parts of the sensor may include a color filter array and/or microlenses. The photosensitive part may include any photoreceptors such as a CMOS image sensor. The shifts allow images to be formed even when the light received at a given pixel location varies in angle of incidence as a function of pixel location within the array. The relative shifts among the pixel components may be, for example, plus or minus some fraction of the pixel pitch. The shift may be variable across the array or may be constant across the array and may be deterministically determined.

Abstract: Signals from an imager pixel photodetector are received by an amplifier having capacitive feedback, such as a capacitive transimpedance amplifier (CTIA). The amplifier can be operated at a low or no power level during an integration period of a photodetector to reduce power dissipation. The amplifier can be distributed, with an amplifier element within each pixel of an array and with amplifier output circuitry outside the pixel array. The amplifier can be a single ended cascode amplifier, a folded cascode amplifier, a differential input telescopic cascode amplifier, or other configuration. The amplifier can be used in pixel configurations where the amplifier is directly connected to the photodetector, or in configurations which use a transfer transistor to couple signal charges to a floating diffusion node with the amplifier being coupled to the floating diffusion node.

Abstract: Automatic exposure adjusting device considers the image on a pixel-by-pixel basis. Each pixel is characterized according to its most significant bits. After the pixels are characterized, the number of pixels in any particular group is counted. That counting is compared with thresholds which set whether the image is over exposed, under exposed, and can optionally also determine if the image is seriously over exposed or seriously under exposed. Adjustment of the exposure is carried out to bring the image to a more desired state.

Abstract: Signals from an imager pixel photodetector are received by an amplifier having capacitive feedback, such as a capacitive transimpedance amplifier (CTIA). The amplifier can be operated at a low or no power level during an integration period of a photodetector to reduce power dissipation. The amplifier can be distributed, with an amplifier element within each pixel of an array and with amplifier output circuitry outside the pixel array. The amplifier can be a single ended cascode amplifier, a folded cascode amplifier, a differential input telescopic cascode amplifier, or other configuration. The amplifier can be used in pixel configurations where the amplifier is directly connected to the photodetector, or in configurations which use a transfer transistor to couple signal charges to a floating diffusion node with the amplifier being coupled to the floating diffusion node.

Abstract: A vehicle viewing system including a camera system for generating a signal corresponding to a scene by integrating light from the scene incident on pixel cells having a variable integration time, a display system for presenting a visual representation of the scene, and a processor system operable to determine the camera system integration time based on brightness levels in the scene. The camera system preferably includes and an input attenuating filter to limit light striking the optical array. The processor system includes an image brightness detector to determine overall image brightness and a display control to determine luminance settings for the display system. The processor system may determine the intensity of the display system based on the brightness of the scene, ambient light levels, and glare on the display. The display system includes a display and a display attenuation filter for limiting the intensity as viewed by the operator.

Abstract: A lock in pinned photodiode photodetector includes a plurality of output ports which are sequentially enabled. Each time when the output port is enabled is considered to be a different bin of time. A specified pattern is sent, and the output bins are investigated to look for that pattern. The time when the pattern is received indicates the time of flight. A CMOS active pixel image sensor includes a plurality of pinned photodiode photodetectors that share buffer transistors. In one configuration, the charge from two or more pinned photodiodes may be binned together and applied to the gate of a shared buffer transistor.

Abstract: An image sensor system using offset analog to digital converters. The analog to digital converters require a plurality of clock cycles to carry out the actual conversion. These conversions are offset in time from one another, so that at each clock cycle, new data is available. A system includes a CMOS active pixel image sensor having an array for photoreceptors to convert an image into an analog signal. The CMOS image sensor converts the analog signal into a digital signal using a pipelined analog to digital converter.

Abstract: An image sensor system using offset analog to digital converters. The analog to digital converters require a plurality of clock cycles to carry out the actual conversion. These conversions are offset in time from one another, so that at each clock cycle, new data is available.

Abstract: An image sensor system using offset analog to digital converters. The analog to digital converters require a plurality of clock cycles to carry out the actual conversion. These conversions are offset in time from one another, so that at each clock cycle, new data is available. Systems are disclosed in which an image sensor converts an analog signal into a digital signal using a pipelined analog to digital converter.