Patents by Inventor Min-Seok SHIN

Min-Seok SHIN 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).

  • Publication number: 20220256107
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a pixel of a first tab; a pixel of a second tab; an operation amplifier suitable for comparing, in a comparison operation, a pixel signal of the first tab and a pixel signal of the second tab with each other to produce a comparison result, receiving, in an auto-zeroing operation, a ramp voltage and a selected pixel signal which is selected based on the comparison result between the pixel signal of the first tab and the pixel signal of the second tab, and receiving, in an analog-to-digital conversion operation, the ramp voltage and an unselected pixel signal which is not selected from the pixel signal of the first tab and the second pixel signal of the second tab; and a counter circuit suitable for generating a digital code based on an output of the operation amplifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Inventors: Hoo Chan LEE, Min Seok SHIN, Sung Uk SEO, Jeong Eun SONG
  • Publication number: 20220232185
    Abstract: An image sensing device includes a pixel array including a unit pixel suitable to transfer and store charges in response to a transfer signal and read out a pixel signal corresponding to the stored charges in response to a selection signal provided to the unit pixel; a signal converter suitable for comparing the pixel signal with a ramp signal based on a switch signal to generate a distance information signal; and a signal controller suitable for generating the switch signal for initializing the signal converter in a temporal section where the pixel signal is read out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Inventors: Jeong Eun SONG, Yu Jin PARK, Sung Uk SEO, Min Seok SHIN, Hoo Chan LEE
  • Publication number: 20220179073
    Abstract: An image sensing device includes an optical emitter outputting a modulated signal to a target object; an optical receiver generating, according to a phase control signal, pixel signals corresponding to a reflected signal from the target object; an image processor calculating a depth phase based on the pixel signals and compensating for the depth phase according to a phase offset signal to output a depth information signal; a driving control circuit generating the phase control signal corresponding to a phase of the modulated signal and setting an initial phase difference between the modulated signal and the phase control signal according to the phase offset signal; and an offset calculating circuit setting a plurality of reference phases, selecting a reference phase closest to the depth phase among the set reference phases and generating the phase offset signal representing a phase difference between the selected reference phase and the depth phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Hak Soon KIM, Han Sang KIM, Jeong Eun SONG, Min Seok SHIN
  • Publication number: 20220124276
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image sensing device including a first clock distributor suitable for receiving a first input dock signal through a first input terminal, and outputting a plurality of first output clock signals through a plurality of first output terminals, and a first conductive line coupled in common to the plurality of first output terminals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Inventors: Jeong Eun SONG, Min Seok SHIN, Yu Jin PARK, Sung Uk SEO, Sun Young LEE
  • Publication number: 20220116563
    Abstract: An image sensor including a pixel of a first tap. a pixel of a second tap. an operational amplifier configured to perform an auto zeroing operation with a pixel signal of the pixel of the second tap applied, and perform an operation for comparison between a ramp voltage and a signal output from the pixel of the first tap, with a pixel signal of the pixel of the first tap applied, and a counter circuit configured to generate a digital code in response to an output of the operational amplifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Inventors: Jeong Eun SONG, Yu Jin PARK, Sung Uk SEO, Min Seok SHIN
  • Publication number: 20220077870
    Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter circuit includes: a first operation amplifier suitable for comparing a ramp voltage and a voltage to be converted so as to produce an amplification result and outputting the amplification result; a second operation amplifier suitable for comparing the amplification result transferred to a first input terminal with a reference voltage transferred to a second input terminal so as to produce a comparison result and outputting the comparison result; a leakage current measurer suitable for measuring a leakage current to the first input terminal; and a leakage current generator suitable for causing a current of the same amount as that of the leakage current measured by the leakage current measurer to flow to the second input terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Sung Uk SEO, Han Sang KIM, Yu Jin PARK, Jeong Eun SONG, Min Seok SHIN
  • Patent number: 11258969
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: first lines transferring a first clock having the same phase as that of modulated light in a first phase and a third clock having a phase difference of a ½ cycle from the phase of the modulated light in a second phase; second lines transferring the third clock in the first phase and the first clock in the second phase; third lines transferring a second clock having a phase difference of a ¼ cycle from the phase of the modulated light in the first phase and a fourth clock having a phase difference of a ¾ cycle from the phase of the modulated light in the second phase; fourth lines transferring the fourth clock in the first phase and the second clock in the second phase; and a pixel array including first pixels and second pixels that are alternately arranged in row and column directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Min Seok Shin, Hak Soon Kim, Han Sang Kim, Kang Bong Seo
  • Patent number: 11190716
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a pixel array including plural first pixels and a second pixel, and a row decoder configured to supply a second row selection signal to the second pixel and a first pixel that is coupled to the same column line as the second pixel and is accessed simultaneously with the second pixel in a binning mode, and supply a first row selection signal to a remaining first pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Jin Seon Kim, Min Seok Shin
  • Publication number: 20210358077
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image sensing device including a plurality of current cells whose total number to be used is adjusted based on a plurality of enable signals, and which are sequentially controlled based on a reset signal and a plurality of selection signals; a current-voltage conversion circuit suitable for converting a plurality of unit currents, which are supplied from current cells used among the plurality of current cells, into a ramp signal; and a first control circuit suitable for generating the plurality of enable signals based on a maximum conversion code value corresponding to a slope of the ramp signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Jeong Eun SONG, Yu Jin PARK, Min Seok SHIN
  • Publication number: 20210289152
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image sensing device and an operating method thereof, and the image sensing device may include a light detection circuit coupled between a low voltage terminal and a first node, a first transmission circuit coupled between the first node and a second node, a storage circuit coupled between the second node and a third node, a first coupling circuit coupled between the third node and a high voltage terminal, a second transmission circuit coupled between the third node and the first node, and a second coupling circuit coupled between the second node and the high voltage terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Inventors: Yu Jin PARK, Han Sang KIM, Kang Bong SEO, Jeong Eun SONG, Min Seok SHIN, Jung Soon SHIN
  • Publication number: 20210281785
    Abstract: An image sensing device includes at least one unit pixel including a plurality of pixels for generating a plurality of pixel signals based on a plurality of control signals having different phases, and an equalizing circuit suitable for equalizing noise that occurs in the plurality of pixels during a reset operation on the unit pixel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Inventors: Yu Jin PARK, Jeong Eun SONG, Kang Bong SEO, Min Seok SHIN, Jae Hyung JANG
  • Patent number: 11070759
    Abstract: An image sensing device includes a pixel suitable for outputting a pixel signal through a read-out line during a read-out section and a precharge block suitable for precharging the read-out line to a voltage level corresponding to an initial voltage level of the pixel signal during a row non-selection section adjacent to the read-out section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Min-Seok Shin
  • Patent number: 10958858
    Abstract: Disclosed are devices, systems and methods for allowing a ramp signal generator to reduce noise. A ramp signal generator may include a reference voltage generator configured to generate a reference voltage, a gain controller configured to control a gain of the reference voltage, a ramp signal controller configured to generate a ramp signal in response to an output signal of the gain controller, and an offset controller coupled to an output terminal of the gain controller in the form of a current mirror, and control an offset of the ramp signal in response to a control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Jin Seon Kim, Min Seok Shin
  • Patent number: 10896701
    Abstract: A data readout apparatus may include a counter array including an address decoder and a counter circuit, the address decoder being configured to receive an address, the counter circuit being coupled to the address decoder and perform a counting operation based on a column address, a sense amplifier array coupled to the counter array to read out the data from the counter array, a clock driver arranged adjacent to the center of the counter array to distribute clock pulses, a first precharge circuit arranged at one side of the counter array and structured to receive the clock pulses from the clock driver and perform a precharge operation, and a second precharge circuit arranged at the other side of the counter array and structured to receive the clock pulses from the clock driver and perform the precharge operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Min-Seok Shin
  • Publication number: 20200314361
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a pixel array including plural first pixels and a second pixel, and a row decoder configured to supply a second row selection signal to the second pixel and a first pixel that is coupled to the same column line as the second pixel and is accessed simultaneously with the second pixel in a binning mode, and supply a first row selection signal to a remaining first pixel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Inventors: Jin Seon KIM, Min Seok SHIN
  • Publication number: 20200213547
    Abstract: Disclosed are devices, systems and methods for allowing a ramp signal generator to reduce noise. A ramp signal generator may include a reference voltage generator configured to generate a reference voltage, a gain controller configured to control a gain of the reference voltage, a ramp signal controller configured to generate a ramp signal in response to an output signal of the gain controller, and an offset controller coupled to an output terminal of the gain controller in the form of a current mirror, and control an offset of the ramp signal in response to a control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Jin Seon Kim, Min Seok Shin
  • Patent number: 10638074
    Abstract: A data readout apparatus may include a comparison circuit structured to compare a pixel signal with the ramp signal to generate a comparison result, a counter array structured to receive the comparison results to count up with each clock pulse from a first timing until a second timing to convert a counted number of clock pulses into differential data and output the differential data through differential data lines, and a sense amplifier array structured to receive the differential data to sense and amplify the differential data based on a judge clock. The sense amplifier array can include a replica delay structured to delay the judge clock and the precharge pulse signal based on a read out timing and read out the data from the counter array at the read out timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Min-Seok Shin, Hoe-Sam Jeong
  • Publication number: 20200111515
    Abstract: A data readout apparatus may include a comparison circuit structured to compare a pixel signal with the ramp signal to generate a comparison result, a counter array structured to receive the comparison results to count up with each clock pulse from a first timing until a second timing to convert a counted number of clock pulses into differential data and output the differential data through differential data lines, and a sense amplifier array structured to receive the differential data to sense and amplify the differential data based on a judge clock. The sense amplifier array can include a replica delay structured to delay the judge clock and the precharge pulse signal based on a read out timing and read out the data from the counter array at the read out timing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Inventors: Min-Seok Shin, Hoe-Sam Jeong
  • Publication number: 20200082853
    Abstract: A data readout apparatus may include a counter array including an address decoder and a counter circuit, the address decoder being configured to receive an address, the counter circuit being coupled to the address decoder and perform a counting operation based on a column address, a sense amplifier array coupled to the counter array to read out the data from the counter array, a clock driver arranged adjacent to the center of the counter array to distribute clock pulses, a first precharge circuit arranged at one side of the counter array and structured to receive the clock pulses from the clock driver and perform a precharge operation, and a second precharge circuit arranged at the other side of the counter array and structured to receive the clock pulses from the clock driver and perform the precharge operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Inventor: Min-Seok Shin
  • Patent number: 10356352
    Abstract: A differential circuit includes a differential selection block suitable for generating differential selection signals corresponding to differential input signals in response to an enable signal and a differential loading block suitable for loading differential output signals corresponding to the differential input signals on differential lines in response to the differential selection signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Min-Seok Shin