Abstract: Disclosed herein are a depth-sensing device and a related electronic device and method for operating the depth-sensing device. The depth-sensing device includes: an image sensor, which includes a pixel array, configured to sense a reflected light signal reflected from a target to the pixel array, wherein reflected light signal forms a plurality of light speckles on the pixel array, and the pixel array includes a plurality of first-type pixels and a plurality of second-type pixels, wherein the first-type pixel are distributed in a first set of pixel rows of the pixel array, the second-type pixels are distributed in a second set of pixel rows of the pixel array, and the pixel rows extend toward a first predetermined direction.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a three-dimensional (3D) image sensor and a related 3D image sensing module and hand-held device. The 3D image sensor includes, a photosensitive pixel array, including: a first photosensitive pixel; a second photosensitive pixel; and a pixel control signal transmission line, so that the first photosensitive pixel and the second photosensitive pixel respectively output a first photosensitive value and a second photosensitive value according to a pixel control signal; wherein the pixel control signal reaches a first node at a first time point and reaches a second node at a second time point; a delay detection module, including: a first delay detection circuit, for determining a time difference between the first time point and the second time point; and a processing unit, for generating the first depth information and the second depth information based on the first photosensitive value, the second photosensitive value, and the time difference.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image sensing system (10), including a first pixel circuit (120), wherein the first pixel circuit includes a photosensitive device (PD); a first transmission gate (TG1), under the control of a first transmission signal and conducted during a first conduction time interval; and a collection gate (CG), coupled between the photosensitive device and the transmission gate and configured to receive a collecting signal (CX); and a control unit (14), configured to generate the collecting signal to the collection gate, wherein the collecting signal has a non-fixed voltage value.

Abstract: An image sensor including a pixel array which includes pixels for sensing a reflected signal, incident on the pixel array to form reflected light spots separated from each other. Each pixel includes a photodetector and a readout circuit. The photodetector is configured to detect the reflected signal and output a photo response signal. The readout circuit is configured to generate a pixel output according to the photo response signal. The pixels include a first pixel and a second pixel adjacent to the first pixel along a first predetermined direction. The readout circuit of the first pixel is adjacent to the photodetector of the second pixel along the first predetermined direction, and adjacent to the photodetector of the first pixel along a second predetermined direction perpendicular to the first predetermined direction. The pixel array has a small pixel pitch and a high fill factor.

Abstract: The present application discloses a time-of-flight (TOF) sensor and a related chip, electronic device, and distance measuring system. The TOF sensor includes: a clock signal generation circuit to generate a first clock signal and a second clock signal; a transmission circuit to generate a third clock signal based on the first clock signal, wherein the third clock signal is outputted to the light-emitting module; a replicated transmission circuit to simulate the transmission circuit, and generate a fourth clock signal based on the second clock signal; a delay locked loop to generate a fifth clock signal based on one of sixth clock signals and the fourth clock signal; a clock tree to generate the plurality of sixth clock signals based on the fifth clock signal; a pixel array, having pixel columns respectively sampling the reflected light pulse based on the plurality of sixth clock signals to generate a sampling result.

Abstract: A time-of-flight distance measuring method and TOF distance measuring system. The distance measuring method includes: intermittently transmitting a plurality of pulses from a pulse generation unit; controlling a TOF sensor to allow each pixel of a plurality of pixels in the TOF sensor to continuously perform a first signal sampling first proportion for a first predetermined time on a first proportion of a plurality of reflected signals and performs a second signal sampling second proportion for a second predetermined time on a second proportion of a plurality of reflected signals, so as to generate a plurality of sampling results corresponding to the plurality of pixels; obtaining a plurality of depth information and a plurality of luminance information corresponding to the plurality of pixels according to the plurality of sampling results; and adjusting the first proportion and the second proportion according to the plurality of depth information and the plurality of luminance information.

Abstract: A time-of-flight distance measuring system includes: intermittently transmitting a plurality of first pulses, wherein the plurality of first pulses are reflected by a target to generate a plurality of first reflected signals; using a TOF sensor to selectively perform a first signal sampling or a second signal sampling upon the plurality of first reflected signals respectively to generate a first sampling result, wherein there is a first time difference between a starting time point of the first signal sampling and a transmitting time point of the corresponding first pulse, and the first signal sampling lasts for a first predetermined time, and there is a second time difference between a starting time point of the second signal sampling and a transmitting time point of the corresponding first pulse, and the second signal sampling lasts for second predetermined time, and the first time difference is smaller than the second time difference.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a time-of-flight (TOF) distance measuring method and a TOF distance measuring system, configured to measure a distance to a target. The TOF distance measuring method includes the following steps: sensing, by an optical sensor, a reflected light signal reflected by the target and obtaining a phase shift between the reflected light signal and an incident light signal, wherein the phase shift is smaller than 2?; obtaining a plurality pieces of first depth information according to the phase shift, wherein the plurality pieces of first depth information are a plurality pieces of depth information with phase mixing; obtaining, by a processing unit, a disparity of the reflected light signal corresponding to the incident light signal using epipolar geometry; obtaining a second depth information according to the disparity; and obtaining the distance from the plurality pieces of first depth information according to the second depth information.

Abstract: A time-of-flight based distance measuring method and system are provided. The distance measuring method includes: sending a pulse from a transmitter side intermittently, the pulse being reflected by a target object, a reflected signal being reflected from the target object accordingly; utilizing a receiver side to perform a signal sampling operation multiple times according to a sampling period for a predetermined period of time and accordingly generate a sampling result of the reflected signal, the predetermined period of time being longer than or equal to two times a pulse period of the pulse; detecting time of flight of the pulse traveling from the transmitter side to the receiver side according to the sampling results and measuring distance between the target object and a reference position according to the time of flight. The distance measuring method achieves low power consumption, measures the distance rapidly and maintains good measurement quality.

Abstract: A time-of-flight based distance measuring method and distance measuring system. The distance measuring method includes: intermittently transmitting a plurality of pulses from a pulse generation unit, wherein the plurality of pulses have a fixed pulse length but a non-fixed transmission period, and the plurality of pulses are reflected from a target to generate a plurality of reflected signals; controlling a TOF sensor to correspondingly perform a signal sampling for a predetermined time on the plurality of reflected signals respectively, based on a transmitting time of the plurality of pulses, to generate a sampling result according to a sampling time interval; detecting TOFs of the plurality of pulses from the pulse generation unit to the TOF sensor according to the sampling result; and determining a distance between the target and a reference position according to the TOFs.

Abstract: This application discloses a light sensor and a related time-of-flight distance measuring system. The light sensor includes a semiconductor substrate, having a first surface and a second surface; a photodiode, disposed in the semiconductor substrate and adjacent to the first surface, wherein the photodiode is configured to sense light to generate charges; a first floating diffusion region, disposed in the semiconductor substrate and adjacent to the first surface, and configured to collect charges during a sampling operation; a gate, disposed on the semiconductor substrate, and configured to selectively control the charges to enter the first floating diffusion region; and PIN diode, disposed on the photodiode, wherein the PIN diode at least partially overlaps with the photodiode, when viewed from a top view.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a depth-sensing device and a related electronic device and method for operating the depth-sensing device. The depth-sensing device includes: an image sensor, which includes a pixel array, configured to sense a reflected light signal reflected from a target to the pixel array, wherein reflected light signal forms a plurality of light speckles on the pixel array, and the pixel array includes a plurality of first-type pixels and a plurality of second-type pixels, wherein the first-type pixel are distributed in a first set of pixel rows of the pixel array, the second-type pixels are distributed in a second set of pixel rows of the pixel array, and the pixel rows extend toward a first predetermined direction.

Abstract: Present disclosure provides a pixel for receiving an incident light, the pixel including a semiconductor substrate, a photo diode in the semiconductor substrate, and a metasurface structure over the semiconductor substrate. The metasurface structure has a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, the first side of the metasurface structure facing the semiconductor substrate, the second side of the metasurface structure facing the incident light. The metasurface structure includes a plurality of trenches at the second side, wherein the plurality of trenches have a same profile from a cross-sectional view.

Abstract: The present application provides a square wave generating method, applied in a square wave generating circuit, configured to generate a mimetic square wave signal, wherein the square wave generating circuit has a breakdown voltage. The square wave generating method comprises the square wave generating circuit generating the mimetic square wave signal as a first voltage during a first time interval; the square wave generating circuit generating the mimetic square wave signal as a second voltage during a second time interval; and the square wave generating circuit generating the mimetic square wave signal as a transient voltage during a transient interval between the first time interval and the second time interval, wherein the transient voltage is between the first voltage and the second voltage; wherein a first voltage difference between the first voltage and the second voltage is greater than the breakdown voltage.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a three-dimensional (3D) image sensor and a related 3D image sensing module and hand-held device. The 3D image sensor includes, a photosensitive pixel array, including: a first photosensitive pixel; a second photosensitive pixel; and a pixel control signal transmission line, so that the first photosensitive pixel and the second photosensitive pixel respectively output a first photosensitive value and a second photosensitive value according to a pixel control signal; wherein the pixel control signal reaches a first node at a first time point and reaches a second node at a second time point; a delay detection module, including: a first delay detection circuit, for determining a time difference between the first time point and the second time point; and a processing unit, for generating the first depth information and the second depth information based on the first photosensitive value, the second photosensitive value, and the time difference.

Abstract: The present application provides a pixel circuit, applied in an image sensing system. The pixel circuit is coupled to a first collection node and a second collection node. The pixel circuit includes a first capacitor; a second capacitor; a first shutter switch coupled between the first capacitor and the first collection node; a second shutter switch coupled between the second capacitor and the second collection node; a third shutter switch coupled between the second capacitor and the first collection node; a fourth shutter switch coupled between the first capacitor and the second collection node; and a common mode reset module coupled to the first capacitor and the second capacitor.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses an image sensor, method of manufacturing the same, a chip and a hand-held device adopting the chip. The image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate and a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel of the plurality of pixels includes: a photosensitive sensor, disposed on the semiconductor substrate; a polarizing layer, disposed over the semiconductor substrate; and a microlens, disposed over the polarizing layer, so that the polarizing layer is disposed between the microlens and the semiconductor substrate The present disclosure further discloses a chip, a hand-held device, and a method of manufacturing the image sensor.

Abstract: A time-of-flight based distance measuring method and a time-of-flight based distance measuring system are provided. The distance measuring method includes: sending N consecutive pulses from a transmitter side intermittently, N being a positive integer greater than one, wherein the N consecutive pulses are reflected by a target object, and a reflection signal is generated accordingly, during arrival of the reflected signal at a receiver side, sampling the reflected signal multiple times according to a predetermined sampling interval within a predetermined sampling duration and accordingly generating a sampling result; detecting time of flight of a single pulse of the N consecutive pulses traveling from the transmitter side to the receiver side according to the sampling result; and measuring a distance between the target object and a reference position according to the time of flight. The distance measuring method maintains good measurement quality, measures the distance rapidly, and consumes low power.

Abstract: An image sensor including a pixel array which includes pixels for sensing a reflected signal, incident on the pixel array to form reflected light spots separated from each other. Each pixel includes a photodetector and a readout circuit. The photodetector is configured to detect the reflected signal and output a photo response signal. The readout circuit is configured to generate a pixel output according to the photo response signal. The pixels include a first pixel and a second pixel adjacent to the first pixel along a first predetermined direction. The readout circuit of the first pixel is adjacent to the photodetector of the second pixel along the first predetermined direction, and adjacent to the photodetector of the first pixel along a second predetermined direction perpendicular to the first predetermined direction. The pixel array has a small pixel pitch and a high fill factor.

Abstract: A capacitive sensing system is provided, which includes: a pixel matrix for sensing a plurality of voltage variations generated by pressing of a fingerprint; and a calibration unit coupled to the pixel matrix and used for calibrating the plurality of voltage variation of the pixel matrix according to a control signal generated based on the plurality of voltage variations. The capacitive sensing system according to the present disclosure has advantages of improving the consistency of the voltage variations detected by the pixel units and reducing the occurrence of distortion.