Abstract: An image sensing device and an image sensing method are provided. The image sensing device includes a pixel array and a readout circuit. The pixel array includes multiple sensing sub-pixels arranged in an array. During a first exposure period of a frame period, the sensing sub-pixels are simultaneously exposed to respectively store multiple first sensing signals in multiple storage units of the sensing sub-pixels. During multiple first readout periods of the frame period, the readout circuit sequentially reads out the first sensing signals stored in the storage units during different periods. During each of multiple dynamic sensing periods of the frame period, all or part of the sensing sub-pixels are reset and then simultaneously exposed again, and the readout circuit then simultaneously reads out multiple second sensing signals of the sensing sub-pixels.

Abstract: Provided is a data transmission system including analog image frame buffer, line analog-to-digital converter, line buffer memory, and an interface. First, the analog image frame buffer stores the image data lines generated from the image sensor as analog signals, and then the line analog digital converter which is electrically connected to the analog image frame buffer converts the image data lines from analog signals to digital signals. Then, the image data lines converted into digital signals are stored in one of the line buffer memories. Then, according to the user's needs, the image data line of the digital signal is temporarily stored in another line buffer memory. Finally, according to the instructions of the master device, the interface outputs the image data lines of digital signals according to the conversion order of the line analog to digital converter.

Abstract: The invention relates to a biometric sensing system, comprising: a light emitter, a polarization sensor, and a signal processing module, wherein the polarization sensor includes a first polarizer and a second polarizer. First, the light emitter emits a plurality of emitted light from the object under sensing, and reflected by the object. Then, a first reflected light in a first polarization direction and a second reflected light in a second polarization direction in the reflected light are sensed by the polarization sensor. Finally, the signal processing module calculates a first reflectance and a second reflectance according to the first reflected light and the second reflected light, and generate a reflectance ratio based on the first reflectance and the second reflectance. As such, the user determines whether the surface of the object under sensing is 3D by the reflectance ratio, so as to achieve improving safety and saving costs.

Abstract: A light sensor and a sensing method thereof are provided. The light sensor includes a plurality of sensing sub-pixels and a control circuit. The sensing sub-pixels are arranged in an array to form a sensing array. The control circuit is coupled to the sensing sub-pixels. The control circuit operates a plurality of diodes of the sensing sub-pixels in a photodiode mode to sense intensity of ambient light. The control circuit operates the diodes in a Geiger mode or in an avalanche linear mode according to the intensity of the ambient light.

Abstract: A light sensor and a ranging method are provided. The light sensor includes a light source, a sensing sub-pixel, and a control circuit. The sensing sub-pixel includes a diode. The control circuit operates the diode in a Geiger mode or an avalanche linear mode. The control circuit includes a time-to-digital converter, and the time-to-digital converter includes a counting circuit. The counting circuit includes a plurality of counting units. When the time-to-digital converter receives a sensing signal provided by the sensing sub-pixel, the control circuit generates a plurality of count values according to the sensing signal through the counting units of the counting circuit, where the count values are histogram data corresponding to a distance sensing result.

Abstract: A light sensor and its calibration method are provided. The light sensor includes a light source, a sensing sub-pixel, and a control circuit. The light source emits a sensing light beam. The sensing sub-pixel includes a diode, a quenching resistor, and a time-to-digital converter. The diode has a first terminal coupled to an operation voltage. The quenching resistor is coupled between a second terminal of the diode and a ground voltage. The time-to-digital converter is coupled to the second terminal of the diode. The control circuit is coupled to the sensing sub-pixel and calibrates a sensing sensitivity of the sensing sub-pixel according to at least one of a photon detection probability, an internal gain value, and a resistance value of the quenching resistor corresponding to the diode of the sensing sub-pixel, so that the sensing sub-pixel generates a single-photon avalanche diode sensing signal only when receiving the sensing light beam.

Abstract: A light sensor and a ranging method are provided. The light sensor includes a light source, a sensing sub-pixel, and a control circuit. The sensing sub-pixel includes a diode. The control circuit operates the diode in a Geiger mode or an avalanche linear mode. The control circuit includes a time-to-digital converter. The control circuit sequentially delays multiple light emission times of the light source in consecutive multiple sensing periods according to delay times during the consecutive multiple sensing periods. The control circuit sequentially monitors whether multiple digital values sequentially outputted by the time-to-digital converter corresponding to the consecutive multiple sensing periods have changed. The control circuit calculates a distance value according to the multiple digital values and a corresponding delay sequence when the control circuit determined that the multiple digital values have changed for a first time.

Abstract: A dynamic vision sensor, including a first sensing pixel, another first sensing pixel, a storage capacitor, and another storage capacitor, is provided. The first sensing pixel includes a plurality of color light sensing sub-pixels, a first pixel circuit, an infrared light sensing sub-pixel, a second pixel circuit, and a ramp capacitor. The ramp capacitor is coupled to a ramp up signal. The second pixel circuit outputs a sensing result of the infrared light sensing sub-pixel to the storage capacitor. The another first sensing pixel includes another plurality of color light sensing sub-pixels, another first pixel circuit, another infrared light sensing sub-pixel, another second pixel circuit, and another ramp capacitor. The another ramp capacitor is coupled to a ramp down signal. The another second pixel circuit outputs a sensing result of the another infrared light sensing sub-pixel to the another storage capacitor.

Abstract: An image sensor for serial peripheral interface (SPI) slave circuit and a pixel array circuit therein are provided. The pixel array includes a plurality of pixel units disposed in an image sensor with the SPI slave circuit. Each pixel unit includes a photo sensor, N storages and at least one transmission circuit, wherein N is a positive integer greater than or equal to two. At least one of the N storages is coupled to the photo sensor, which are connected with each other in serial or parallel, and configured to store charges accumulated by the photo sensor at different exposures. Each transmission circuit is coupled to a corresponding storage, and is controlled by a corresponding transmission control signal to transmit the stored charge of the corresponding storage during a certain time period.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fingerprint recognition system. The fingerprint recognition system includes a light emitter, an optical receiver, and a comparison module. First, the light emitter emits at least one patterned emitted light to an object to be measured, and the patterned reflected light reflected by the object is received by the light receiver. Then, the patterned emitted light and the patterned reflected light are compared with each other and the comparison information is generated by the comparison module. Finally, when the comparison information is in the three-dimensional comparison interval, the surface of the object to be measured is determined to be three-dimensional; otherwise, the surface of the object to be measured is determined to be flat. Therefore, the fingerprint recognition system of the present invention can achieve the purposes of real-time differentiation and wide applicability.

Abstract: An image sensor with a distance sensing function and an operating method thereof are provided. The image sensor includes a pixel array, a cluster analog to digital converter readout circuit, and a column readout circuit. The pixel array includes a plurality of sub-pixel groups arranged in an array. The plurality of sub-pixel groups are spaced apart from each other by a circuit layout area. The cluster analog to digital converter readout circuit is disposed in the circuit layout area of the pixel array. A distance sensing pixel of each of the plurality of sub-pixel groups is configured to perform time-of-flight ranging. The column readout circuit is disposed adjacent to the pixel array. A plurality of image sensing pixels of each of plurality of the sub-pixel groups are configured to perform image sensing.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fingerprint recognition system. The fingerprint recognition system includes a light emitter, an optical receiver, and a comparison module. First, the light emitter emits at least one patterned emitted light to an object to be measured, and the patterned reflected light reflected by the object is received by the light receiver. Then, the patterned emitted light and the patterned reflected light are compared with each other and the comparison information is generated by the comparison module. Finally, when the comparison information is in the three-dimensional comparison interval, the surface of the object to be measured is determined to be three-dimensional; otherwise, the surface of the object to be measured is determined to be flat. Therefore, the fingerprint recognition system of the present invention can achieve the purposes of real-time differentiation and wide applicability.

Abstract: The invention relates to a biometric sensing system, comprising: a light emitter, a polarization sensor, and a signal processing module, wherein the polarization sensor includes a first polarizer and a second polarizer. First, the light emitter emits a plurality of emitted light from the object under sensing, and reflected by the object. Then, a first reflected light in a first polarization direction and a second reflected light in a second polarization direction in the reflected light are sensed by the polarization sensor. Finally, the signal processing module calculates a first reflectance and a second reflectance according to the first reflected light and the second reflected light, and generate a reflectance ratio based on the first reflectance and the second reflectance. As such, the user determines whether the surface of the object under sensing is 3D by the reflectance ratio, so as to achieve improving safety and saving costs.

Abstract: Provided is a data transmission system including analog image frame buffer, line analog-to-digital converter, line buffer memory, and an interface. First, the analog image frame buffer stores the image data lines generated from the image sensor as analog signals, and then the line analog digital converter which is electrically connected to the analog image frame buffer converts the image data lines from analog signals to digital signals. Then, the image data lines converted into digital signals are stored in one of the line buffer memories. Then, according to the user's needs, the image data line of the digital signal is temporarily stored in another line buffer memory. Finally, according to the instructions of the master device, the interface outputs the image data lines of digital signals according to the conversion order of the line analog to digital converter.

Abstract: An image sensor for serial peripheral interface (SPI) slave circuit and a pixel array circuit therein are provided. The pixel array includes a plurality of pixel units disposed in an image sensor with the SPI slave circuit. Each pixel unit includes a photo sensor, N storages and at least one transmission circuit, wherein N is a positive integer greater than or equal to two. At least one of the N storages is coupled to the photo sensor, which are connected with each other in serial or parallel, and configured to store charges accumulated by the photo sensor at different exposures. Each transmission circuit is coupled to a corresponding storage, and is controlled by a corresponding transmission control signal to transmit the stored charge of the corresponding storage during a certain time period.

Abstract: A fingerprint sensing device and a fingerprint sensing method are provided. The fingerprint sensing device includes a transparent panel, an illumination source, a fingerprint sensor, and a processor. The illumination source is configured to sequentially provide a plurality of illuminating patterns during one exposure period to sequentially illuminate a finger object placed on the transparent panel. The fingerprint sensor includes a plurality of image sensing units. The image sensing units sense the finger object illuminated by the illuminating patterns provided by the illumination source during the one exposure period to output a plurality of pixel data. The processor is configured to receive the pixel data to generate a fingerprint image according to the pixel data. Each of the illuminating patterns includes a plurality of bright regions and a plurality of dark regions arranged in sequence, and the bright regions and the dark regions are dynamically displaced in the illuminating patterns.

Abstract: An image sensing system and a multi-function image sensor thereof are provided. The multi-function image sensor includes a pixel array circuit and a readout circuit. The pixel array circuit includes a plurality of pixel units. Each of the pixel units is controlled by a first control signal group in a first mode to perform a time-of-flight sensing operation and sequentially generates a plurality of first output voltages. Each of the pixel units is controlled by a second control signal group in a second mode to perform a structured light sensing operation and sequentially generates a plurality of second output voltages. The readout circuit respectively obtains a plurality of first digital information corresponding to the time-of-flight sensing operation according to the first output voltages in the first mode. The readout circuit respectively obtains a plurality of second digital information corresponding to the structured light sensing operation according to the second output voltages in the second mode.

Abstract: An electronic device and a fingerprint sensing method are provided. The electronic device includes a display panel, a fingerprint sensor, and an integrated driver chip. The display panel includes a plurality of pixel units arranged in an array. The integrated driver chip integrates a display driver circuit and a fingerprint sensing circuit. When the pixel units of the display panel are in an undriven state and a finger object is in contact with a sensing area of the display panel to perform a fingerprint unlock operation, the display driver circuit drives at least a portion of the pixel units corresponding to the sensing area, so that at least a portion of the pixel units provide illumination light to the sensing area. The fingerprint sensing circuit drives the fingerprint sensor to capture a fingerprint feature image of the finger object.

Abstract: A time of flight device and a time of flight method are provided. The time of flight device includes a first time-to-digital converter, a second time-to-digital converter, a driving circuit, a sensing light source, a sensing pixel and a processing circuit. The driving circuit provides a pulse signal and a reference pulse signal simultaneously. The first time-to-digital converter determines first depth data based on the reference pulse signal. The sensing light source emits a light pulse to a sensing object based on the pulse signal. The sensing pixel receives a reflected light pulse reflected by the sensing object and outputs a reflected pulse signal to the second time-to-digital converter so that the second time-to-digital converter determines second depth data based on the reflected pulse signal. The processing circuit subtracts the first depth data from the second depth data to obtain real depth data.

Abstract: A time-of-flight ranging device suitable for indirect time-of-flight ranging is provided. The time-of-flight ranging device includes a light emitting module, a first sensing pixel, a second sensing pixel, a differential readout circuit, and a processing circuit. The light emitting module emits a light pulse to a sensing target, so that the sensing target reflects a reflected light pulse. The first sensing pixel generates a first sensing signal and a second sensing signal. The second sensing pixel generates a third sensing signal and a fourth sensing signal. The differential readout circuit generates first digital data according to the first sensing signal and the third sensing signal and generates second digital data according to the second sensing signal and the fourth sensing signal. The processing circuit calculates a distance between the time-of-flight ranging device and the sensing target according to the first digital data and the second digital data.