Abstract: A pixel for an image sensor includes a photon sensor, a memory, and an accumulator. The photon sensor element portion outputs a signal to an accumulator, which then may add value stored in memory together and may transfer the result to the memory of another pixel. The pixel may be analog or digital and may be used in a pixel array for compressed sensing imaging. During imaging, a pseudo-random mask may also be used. The data collected during imaging may be used in compressed sensing and may be sent to an offline storage to be processed.

Abstract: A camera system. In some embodiments, the camera system includes a first laser, a camera, and a processing circuit connected to the first laser and to the camera. The first laser may be steerable, and the camera may include a pixel including a photodetector and a pixel circuit, the pixel circuit including a first time-measuring circuit.

Abstract: An imaging unit includes a light source and a pixel array. The light source projects a line of light that is scanned in a first direction across a field of view of the light source. The line of light oriented in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The pixel array is arranged in at least one row of pixels that extends in a direction that is substantially parallel to the second direction. At least one pixel in a row is capable of generating two-dimensional color information of an object in the field of view based on a first light reflected from the object and is capable of generating three-dimensional (3D) depth information of the object based on the line of light reflecting from the object. The 3D-depth information includes time-of-flight information.

Abstract: Provided is a 3D depth sensing system and method of providing an image based on a hybrid sensing array. The 3D sensing system including a light source configured to emit light, a hybrid sensing array comprising a 2D sensing region configured to detect ambient light reflected from an object and a 3D depth sensing region configured to detect the light emitted by the light source and reflected from the object, a metalens on the hybrid sensing array, the metalens being configured to direct the ambient light reflected from the object towards the 2D sensing region, and to direct the light emitted by the light source and reflected from the object towards the 3D depth sensing region, and a processing circuit configured to combine 2D image information provided by the 2D sensing region and 3D information provided by the 3D depth sensing region to generate a combined 3D image.

Abstract: A camera system includes two or more sensor arrays and an optical path. The sensor arrays are on the same sensor chip. Each sensor array includes the same field of view (FOV) as each other sensor array. The optical path includes a main lens and a metalens that are shared by each sensor array, and a microlens associated with each sensor array. The metalens splits incident light into different spectrums of light and directs each respective spectrum to a corresponding sensor array. The different spectrums of light include at least two of visible light, near infrared light, shortwave infrared and longwave infrared, and at least one sensor array includes single-photon avalanche diodes. The image processor that provides image processing, object recognition and object tracking and/or image fusion functionality may be on the same sensor chip as the sensor arrays.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of bonding silicon parts using silicon powder and high-frequency heating device, the method comprising the steps of forming concave and convex coupling surfaces on the bonding surfaces of a lower ring and an upper ring; mounting the lower ring and the upper ring on a silicon part fusion bonding apparatus; injecting single crystal silicon powder into the concave and convex coupling surfaces on the bonding surfaces of the lower ring and the upper ring; and heating and fusing the bonding surfaces of the lower ring and the upper ring.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing polycrystalline silicon ingot using a crucible in which an oxygen exhaust passage is formed by single crystal or polycrystalline rods, the method including the steps of: manufacturing the single crystal or polycrystalline silicon rods each having the shape of a quadrilateral pillar; putting the single crystal or polycrystalline quadrilateral pillar-shaped silicon rods into the crucible in such a manner as to be arranged close to one another along the inner peripheral surface of the crucible to thus form a space portion inside the single crystal or polycrystalline silicon rods, into which silicon chunks are put, and the oxygen exhaust passages between the inner peripheral surface of the crucible and the respective surfaces of the single crystal or polycrystalline silicon rods oriented toward the inner peripheral surface of the crucible; putting the silicon chunks into the space portion of the crucible; and melting and crystallizing the silicon chunks.

Abstract: A LiDAR system is disclosed that includes a SPAD unit array and J read group (RG) channels. The SPAD unit array is arranged in M rows and N columns of pixel read groups. Each row includes K pixel read groups. Each pixel read group outputs a detection signal in response to a light pulse that is incident on the pixel read group. Each RG channel corresponds to at least one row of pixel read groups and includes L time-to-digital converters that respectively generate timestamp information corresponding to detection event signals of each of L pixel read groups in the at least one row of pixel read groups in which J<M and L?K. Each RG channel stores the timestamp information in an accumulator bin of a histogram circuit corresponding to a value of the timestamp information using hardwired addressing based on the value of the timestamp information.

Abstract: A pixel for an image sensor includes a microbolometer sensor portion, a visible image sensor portion and an output path. The microbolometer sensor portion outputs a signal corresponding to an infrared (IR) image sensed by the microbolometer sensor portion. The visible image sensor portion outputs a signal corresponding to a visible image sensed by the visible image sensor portion. The output path is shared by the microbolometer and the visible image sensor portions, and is controlled to selectively output the signal corresponding to the IR image or the signal corresponding to the visible image. The output path may be further shared with a visible image sensor portion of an additional pixel, in which case the output path may be controlled to selectively to also output the signal corresponding to a visible image of the additional pixel.

Abstract: A camera system. In some embodiments, the camera system includes a first laser, a camera, and a processing circuit connected to the first laser and to the camera. The first laser may be steerable, and the camera may include a pixel including a photodetector and a pixel circuit, the pixel circuit including a first time-measuring circuit.

Abstract: A pixel for an image sensor includes a microbolometer sensor portion, a visible image sensor portion and an output path. The microbolometer sensor portion outputs a signal corresponding to an infrared (IR) image sensed by the microbolometer sensor portion. The visible image sensor portion outputs a signal corresponding to a visible image sensed by the visible image sensor portion. The output path is shared by the microbolometer and the visible image sensor portions, and is controlled to selectively output the signal corresponding to the IR image or the signal corresponding to the visible image. The output path may be further shared with a visible image sensor portion of an additional pixel, in which case the output path may be controlled to selectively to also output the signal corresponding to a visible image of the additional pixel.

Abstract: An elastic microcell surface structure for an elastomer body with an outer film adhered and to a method for manufacturing the same, wherein the elastomer body includes a solid uneven structure formed of protruding portions and recess portions formed in its surface, and the outer film includes a zigzag uneven structure in a manner of being tightly wrapped around the protruding portions and recess portions of the solid uneven structure of the elastomer body.

Abstract: A direct time-of-flight (DTOF) LiDAR system includes a sensor array, a first gated time-to digital converter (TDC) circuit and second TDC circuit. The sensor array includes pixels arranged to detect a first disparity location on the sensor array of a reflection signal received from a first object at a first range with respect to a second disparity location on the sensor array of a reflection signal received from a second object at a second range that is greater than the first range. The first TDC circuit generates first timestamp information relating to detection of the first reflection signal in which the first gated TDC circuit is gated based on the first disparity location. The second gated TDC circuit generates second timestamp information relating to detection of the second reflection signal in which the second gated TDC circuit is gated based on the second disparity location.

Abstract: A pixel for an image sensor includes a resistive microbolometer sensor portion, a visible image sensor portion, and an output path. The resistive microbolometer sensor portion outputs a signal corresponding to an infrared (IR) image sensed by the resistive microbolometer sensor portion. The resistive microbolometer sensor portion uses no bias current. The visible image sensor portion outputs a signal corresponding to a visible image sensed by the visible image sensor portion. The output path is shared by the resistive microbolometer sensor portion and the visible image sensor portion, and may be controlled to selectively output the signal corresponding to the IR image, the signal corresponding to the visible image, or a fused image based on the IR image and the visible image. The resistive microbolometer sensor portion may sense a near infrared image or a longwave infrared image.

Abstract: A camera system. In some embodiments, the camera system includes a first laser, a camera, and a processing circuit connected to the first laser and to the camera. The first laser may be steerable, and the camera may include a pixel including a photodetector and a pixel circuit, the pixel circuit including a first time-measuring circuit.

Abstract: A pixel for an image sensor includes a photon sensor, a memory, and an accumulator. The photon sensor element portion outputs a signal to an accumulator, which then may add value stored in memory together and may transfer the result to the memory of another pixel. The pixel may be analog or digital and may be used in a pixel array for compressed sensing imaging. During imaging, a pseudo-random mask may also be used. The data collected during imaging may be used in compressed sensing and may be sent to an offline storage to be processed.

Abstract: A pixel of an image sensor includes a pinned photodiode (PPD), a switching device and an output circuit. A first terminal of the switching device is coupled to the PPD. A second terminal of the switching device is coupled to a floating diffusion (FD). A third terminal of the switching device is coupled to a first enable signal and a second enable signal. The switching device is responsive to the first enable signal to transfer a first charge on the PPD to the FD, and responsive to the second enable signal to transfer a second charge on the PPD to the FD. The output circuit outputs a first voltage based on the first charge and outputs a second voltage based on the second charge in which the first voltage corresponds to a time of flight of one or more detected photons and the second voltage corresponds to a greyscale image.

Abstract: A computing device includes a system that authenticates a user of the computing device. A first sensor obtains a first representation of a physical characteristic of the user that is compared to a registered representation of the physical characteristic of the user. A first level of access to the computing device is enabled based on the first representation of the physical characteristic matching the second representation of the physical characteristic. A second sensor obtains a first representation of a liveness characteristic of the user that indicates that the user is alive. The first representation of the liveness characteristic is compared to a registered representation of the liveness characteristic of the user. A second level of access to the computing device is enabled based on the first representation of the liveness characteristic of the user matching the second representation of the liveness characteristic of the user.

Abstract: Provided is a 3D depth sensing system and method of providing an image based on a hybrid sensing array. The 3D sensing system including a light source configured to emit light, a hybrid sensing array comprising a 2D sensing region configured to detect ambient light reflected from an object and a 3D depth sensing region configured to detect the light emitted by the light source and reflected from the object, a metalens on the hybrid sensing array, the metalens being configured to direct the ambient light reflected from the object towards the 2D sensing region, and to direct the light emitted by the light source and reflected from the object towards the 3D depth sensing region, and a processing circuit configured to combine 2D image information provided by the 2D sensing region and 3D information provided by the 3D depth sensing region to generate a combined 3D image.

Abstract: A computing device includes a system that authenticates a user of the computing device. A first sensor obtains a first representation of a physical characteristic of the user that is compared to a registered representation of the physical characteristic of the user. A first level of access to the computing device is enabled based on the first representation of the physical characteristic matching the second representation of the physical characteristic. A second sensor obtains a first representation of a liveness characteristic of the user that indicates that the user is alive. The first representation of the liveness characteristic is compared to a registered representation of the liveness characteristic of the user. A second level of access to the computing device is enabled based on the first representation of the liveness characteristic of the user matching the second representation of the liveness characteristic of the user.