Patents by Inventor Lester Kozlowski
Lester Kozlowski 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).
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Patent number: 9263489Abstract: An image sensor architecture provides an SNR in excess of 100 dB, without requiring the use of a mechanical shutter. The circuit components for an active pixel sensor array are separated and arranged vertically in at least two different layers in a hybrid chip structure. The top layer is preferably manufactured using a low-noise PMOS manufacturing process, and includes the photodiode and amplifier circuitry for each pixel. A bottom layer is preferably manufactured using a standard CMOS process, and includes the NMOS pixel circuit components and any digital circuitry required for signal processing. By forming the top layer in a PMOS process optimized for forming low-noise pixels, the pixel performance can be greatly improved, compared to using CMOS. In addition, since the digital circuitry is now separated from the imaging circuitry, it can be formed using a standard CMOS process, which has been optimized for circuit speed and manufacturing cost.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2015Date of Patent: February 16, 2016Assignee: AltaSens, Inc.Inventor: Lester Kozlowski
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Patent number: 9064769Abstract: An image sensor architecture for an active pixel sensor array are separated and arranged vertically in at least two different layers in a hybrid chip structure. The top layer includes the photodiode and amplifier circuitry for each pixel. A bottom includes the pixel circuit components and any digital circuitry required for signal processing. By forming the top layer in a process optimized for forming low-noise pixels, the pixel performance can be greatly improved. In addition, since the digital circuitry is now separated from the imaging circuitry, it can be formed using a process which has been optimized for circuit speed and manufacturing cost. By combining the two layers into a stacked structure, the top layer (and any intermediate layer(s)) acts to optically shield the lower layer, thereby allowing charge to be stored and shielded without the need for a mechanical shutter.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2013Date of Patent: June 23, 2015Assignee: AltaSens, Inc.Inventor: Lester Kozlowski
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Patent number: 8637800Abstract: An image sensor architecture provides an SNR in excess of 100 dB, without requiring the use of a mechanical shutter. The circuit components for an active pixel sensor array are separated and arranged vertically in at least two different layers in a hybrid chip structure. The top layer is preferably manufactured using a low-noise PMOS manufacturing process, and includes the photodiode and amplifier circuitry for each pixel. A bottom layer is preferably manufactured using a standard CMOS process, and includes the NMOS pixel circuit components and any digital circuitry required for signal processing. By forming the top layer in a PMOS process to optimized for forming low-noise pixels, the pixel performance can be greatly improved, compared to using CMOS. In addition, since the digital circuitry is now separated from the imaging circuitry, it can be formed using a standard CMOS process, which has been optimized for circuit speed and manufacturing cost.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2011Date of Patent: January 28, 2014Assignee: AltaSens, Inc.Inventor: Lester Kozlowski
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Publication number: 20130334403Abstract: An image sensor architecture for an active pixel sensor array are separated and arranged vertically in at least two different layers in a hybrid chip structure. The top layer includes the photodiode and amplifier circuitry for each pixel. A bottom includes the pixel circuit components and any digital circuitry required for signal processing. By forming the top layer in a process optimized for forming low-noise pixels, the pixel performance can be greatly improved. In addition, since the digital circuitry is now separated from the imaging circuitry, it can be formed using a process which has been optimized for circuit speed and manufacturing cost. By combining the two layers into a stacked structure, the top layer (and any intermediate layer(s)) acts to optically shield the lower layer, thereby allowing charge to be stored and shielded without the need for a mechanical shutter.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2013Publication date: December 19, 2013Inventor: Lester Kozlowski
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Publication number: 20120267511Abstract: An image sensor architecture provides an SNR in excess of 100 dB, without requiring the use of a mechanical shutter. The circuit components for an active pixel sensor array are separated and arranged vertically in at least two different layers in a hybrid chip structure. The top layer is preferably manufactured using a low-noise PMOS manufacturing process, and includes the photodiode and amplifier circuitry for each pixel. A bottom layer is preferably manufactured using a standard CMOS process, and includes the NMOS pixel circuit components and any digital circuitry required for signal processing. By forming the top layer in a PMOS process to optimized for forming low-noise pixels, the pixel performance can be greatly improved, compared to using CMOS. In addition, since the digital circuitry is now separated from the imaging circuitry, it can be formed using a standard CMOS process, which has been optimized for circuit speed and manufacturing cost.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 19, 2011Publication date: October 25, 2012Inventor: Lester Kozlowski
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Patent number: 7999340Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming optical black pixels having uniformly low dark current. Optical Black opacity is increased without having to increase Ti/TiN layer thickness. A hybrid approach is utilized combining a Ti/TiN OB layer in conjunction with in-pixel metal stubs that further occlude the focal radius of each pixel's incoming light beam. Additional metal layers can be used to increase the opacity into the infrared region.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2007Date of Patent: August 16, 2011Assignee: AltaSens, Inc.Inventors: Giuseppe Rossi, Lester Kozlowski, Henry Lin, John Richardson, Gregory Chow, Gaurang Patel
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Patent number: 7755679Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming dummy pixels exhibiting electrical characteristics virtually identical to the clear pixels of the imaging array. Arrays of such dummy pixels are used to form regions that isolate the main imaging array and sub-arrays of optical black pixels while preventing edge effects. The dummy pixels are preferably clear but can also be covered with optical black. By setting quiescent operation in soft reset, the dummy pixels exhibit the diode ideality and RoA product that are typical of any of the pixels in the entire array.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2007Date of Patent: July 13, 2010Assignee: AltaSens, Inc.Inventors: Giuseppe Rossi, Lester Kozlowski
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Publication number: 20080218608Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming dummy pixels exhibiting electrical characteristics virtually identical to the clear pixels of the imaging array. Arrays of such dummy pixels are used to form regions that isolate the main imaging array and sub-arrays of optical black pixels while preventing edge effects. The dummy pixels are preferably clear but can also be covered with optical black. By setting quiescent operation in soft reset, the dummy pixels exhibit the diode ideality and RoA product that are typical of any of the pixels in the entire array.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2007Publication date: September 11, 2008Inventors: Giuseppe Rossi, Lester Kozlowski
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Publication number: 20080217712Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming optical black pixels having uniformly low dark current. Optical Black opacity is increased without having to increase Ti/TiN layer thickness. A hybrid approach is utilized combining a Ti/TiN OB layer in conjunction with in-pixel metal stubs that further occlude the focal radius of each pixel's incoming light beam. Additional metal layers can be used to increase the opacity into the infrared region.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2007Publication date: September 11, 2008Inventors: Giuseppe Rossi, Lester Kozlowski, Henry Lin, John Richardson, Gregory Chow, Gaurang Patel
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Publication number: 20050068439Abstract: A CMOS imager system comprising an active pixel sensor having an access supply which provides distributed feedback, a column buffer (having gain and FPN suppression), and an A/D converter co-located with the sensor such that the effective transmission path between the column buffer (or optional analog PGA) and the A/D converter acts as a resistor, rather than a reactance. The system may further include both an analog gain amplifier stage and a digital programmable amplifier stage.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 11, 2004Publication date: March 31, 2005Inventors: Lester Kozlowski, Markus Loose
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Publication number: 20050068438Abstract: A CMOS pixel amplifier circuit includes four transistors having the same polarity, and a photodetector. An access supply connects to the pixel circuit via a bus and is configured as a current source that acts as a distributed feedback amplifier, when it is connected to the pixel transistors. The access supply connects to an access MOSFET that isolates a common node from an output node. In this configuration, the feedback amplifier is a cascoded inverter, which provides gains 100-1000 times greater than prior circuits.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2003Publication date: March 31, 2005Inventor: Lester Kozlowski
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Patent number: 6750912Abstract: A shared output visible imager pixel array combines a high optical fill factor with low read noise. A relatively small group of pixels are connected to a relatively short common bus line. An amplifier located in close proximity with the pixels is connected to the common bus line and shared among the pixels. By reducing the amount of amplifier circuitry associated with each pixel, the optical fill factor is increased. Also, since the bus line is relatively short, the bus capacitance is much lower relative to the traditional passive-pixel designs. On average, the transistor count per pixel can be less than two, for large arrays.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 1999Date of Patent: June 15, 2004Assignee: ESS Technology, Inc.Inventors: William E. Tennant, Lester Kozlowski, Alfredo Tomasini