Patents by Inventor Numa COUNIOT

Numa COUNIOT 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).

  • Patent number: 9807326
    Abstract: In an image sensor, a front-end circuit provides an output signal indicative of the amount of light in response to at least one input signal. The front-end circuit includes a transistor having a threshold voltage that affects a relationship between the output signal and the level of the detection quantity. This transistor has a biasing node via which a biasing voltage can be applied to a semiconductor region that affects the threshold voltage of the transistor. A replica of the front-end circuit receives at least one defined input signal, among which is a substitute of the detection quantity having a defined level. The replica is arranged in a control loop that controls the biasing voltage that is applied to the biasing node in the replica, so that the replica provides a defined output signal. This biasing voltage is then also applied to the biasing node in the front-end circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: UNIVERSITE CATHOLIQUE DE LOUVAIN
    Inventors: David Bol, Numa Couniot
  • Patent number: 9743023
    Abstract: In an image sensor, a photo detector circuit applies a photo current to a capacitive node during a photo detection time interval. A front-end circuit comprises an input transistor having a control node that is coupled to the capacitive node. A switchable biasing arrangement puts the input transistor in a disabled state during the photo detection time interval. The input transistor is put in an enabled state after the photo detection time interval. This then causes the front-end circuit to provide an output signal that is representative of a voltage on the capacitive node after the photo detection time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: UNIVERSITE CATHOLIQUE DE LOUVAIN
    Inventors: David Bol, Numa Couniot
  • Publication number: 20170013216
    Abstract: In an image sensor, a photo detector circuit applies a photo current to a capacitive node during a photo detection time interval. A front-end circuit comprises an input transistor having a control node that is coupled to the capacitive node. A switchable biasing arrangement puts the input transistor in a disabled state during the photo detection time interval. The input transistor is put in an enabled state after the photo detection time interval. This then causes the front-end circuit to provide an output signal that is representative of a voltage on the capacitive node after the photo detection time interval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Inventors: David BOL, Numa COUNIOT
  • Publication number: 20170006244
    Abstract: In an image sensor, a front-end circuit provides an output signal indicative of the amount of light in response to at least one input signal. The front-end circuit includes a transistor having a threshold voltage that affects a relationship between the output signal and the level of the detection quantity. This transistor has a biasing node via which a biasing voltage can be applied to a semiconductor region that affects the threshold voltage of the transistor. A replica of the front-end circuit receives at least one defined input signal, among which is a substitute of the detection quantity having a defined level. The replica is arranged in a control loop that controls the biasing voltage that is applied to the biasing node in the replica, so that the replica provides a defined output signal. This biasing voltage is then also applied to the biasing node in the front- end circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: David BOL, Numa COUNIOT