Patents by Inventor Pierre Malinge
Pierre Malinge 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: 20230051181Abstract: A photosensitive sensor is capable of operating in a global shutter mode and in a rolling shutter mode. The sensor includes at least one pixel with a photosensitive region configured to photogenerate charges. A first transfer gate is configured to transfer photogenerated charges from the photosensitive region to a transfer node. A source-follower transistor is configured to transmit a reading signal to a read node, in the global shutter mode, in a manner controlled by a potential of the photogenerated charges on the transfer node. A second transfer gate is configured to transfer the photogenerated charges from the photosensitive region to the read node in the rolling shutter mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2022Publication date: February 16, 2023Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SASInventors: Frederic LALANNE, Pierre MALINGE
-
Publication number: 20220308190Abstract: An indirect time-of-flight (iTOF) includes a pixel with a photoconversion area, a readout circuit and at least two circuit sets. Each circuit set includes: a capacitive element connected to a first node of the circuit set; a controllable charge transfer device connected between a first electrode of the photoconversion area and the first node; and a first transistor having a gate connected to the first node, a source connected to the readout circuit and a drain configured to receive a bias potential. The capacitive element is configured to store a voltage in response to charges generated by the photoconversion area.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2022Publication date: September 29, 2022Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SASInventors: Matteo Maria VIGNETTI, Pierre MALINGE
-
Patent number: 11451730Abstract: An image sensor includes pixels each including: a first transistor and a first switch that are connected in series between a first node configured to receive a first potential and an internal node of the pixel, a gate of the first transistor being coupled with a floating diffusion node of the pixel; a capacitive element, a first terminal of which is connected to the floating diffusion node of the pixel; and several assemblies each including a capacitance connected in series with a second switch coupling the capacitance to the internal node. The sensor also includes a control circuit configured to control, each time a voltage is stored in one of the assemblies of a pixel, an increase of a determined value of a difference in potential between the floating diffusion node and the internal node of the pixel.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2020Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignees: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS, STMicroelectronics (Crolles2) SASInventors: Pierre Malinge, Frederic Lalanne, Laurent Simony
-
Publication number: 20220276356Abstract: The present description concerns a sensor and method. Each pixel of the sensor comprises assemblies each including a memory area and a transfer device coupling the memory area to a photoconversion area, and a device for resetting the memory areas. The sensor includes a first circuit controlling the transfer devices and a second circuit controlling the reset devices. During each integration phase, the second circuit orders the end of a phase of reset of the memory areas of first pixels at the beginning of the integration phase and the end of a phase of reset of the memory areas of second pixels at a time subsequent to the beginning of the integration phase.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2022Publication date: September 1, 2022Inventors: Cedric Tubert, Pierre Malinge, Matteo Maria Vignetti
-
Publication number: 20220155144Abstract: In an embodiment a method for measuring ambient light includes successively synchronizing optical signal acquisition phases with extinction phases of a disruptive light source, wherein the disruptive light source periodically provides illumination phases and the extinction phases, accumulating, in each acquisition phase, photo-generated charges by at least one photosensitive pixel comprising a pinned photodiode, wherein an area of the pinned photodiode is less than or equal to 1/10 of an area of the at least one photosensitive pixel, transferring, for each pixel, the accumulated photo-generated charges to a sensing node, converting, for each pixel, the transferred charges to a voltage at a voltage node and converting, for each pixel, the transferred charges to a digital numberType: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2022Publication date: May 19, 2022Inventors: Pierre MALINGE, Frédéric LALANNE, Jeffrey M. RAYNOR, Nicolas MOENECLAEY
-
Patent number: 11212475Abstract: A sensor includes pixels each including: a first transistor and a first switch in series between a first node and an internal node of the pixel, a gate of the first transistor being coupled to a second node; a capacitive element, a first terminal of which is connected to the second node; and a plurality of assemblies each including a capacitance in series with a second switch coupled to the internal node. The sensor includes a circuit configured to control, each time a voltage is stored in one of the assemblies, the interruption of a current between the first node and the internal node: by switching a first potential applied to a second terminal of the capacitive element; or by opening the first switch.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2020Date of Patent: December 28, 2021Assignees: STMICROELECTRONICS (GRENOBLE 2) SAS, STMICROELECTRONICS (CROLLES 2) SASInventors: Laurent Simony, Pierre Malinge
-
Publication number: 20210344866Abstract: A pixel includes a photosensitive circuit, a sense node, a first transistor and a first capacitor. A first electrode of the first capacitor is connected to a control terminal of the first transistor. A second electrode of the first capacitor is to a node of application of a first control signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2021Publication date: November 4, 2021Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SASInventors: Frederic LALANNE, Pierre MALINGE
-
Patent number: 11102429Abstract: In one embodiment, an integrated image sensor includes an array of pixels in which each pixel includes a photosensitive area configured to integrate a luminous signal by generating electron-hole pairs so as to form a first signal representative of the number of electrons in the generated electron-hole pairs and a second signal representative of the number of holes in the generated electron-hole pairs. A first circuit portion is configured to store the first signal sheltered from light. A second circuit portion is configured to store the second signal sheltered from light. A third circuit portion is configured to read the first signal and the second signal and able to perform combination operations between the first signal and the second signal so as to generate a combined signal representative of an image, where the integrated image sensor is tailored to operate in a global shutter control mode.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2019Date of Patent: August 24, 2021Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (CROLLES 2) SASInventors: Pierre Malinge, Frédéric Lalanne
-
Patent number: 11089252Abstract: A pixel includes a photosensitive circuit, a sense node, a first transistor and a first capacitor. A first electrode of the first capacitor is connected to a control terminal of the first transistor. A second electrode of the first capacitor is to a node of application of a first control signal.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2019Date of Patent: August 10, 2021Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Grolles 2) SASInventors: Frederic Lalanne, Pierre Malinge
-
Patent number: 10924700Abstract: A pixel of an imager device includes a photosensitive area configured to integrate a light signal. A first capacitive storage node is configured to receive a signal representative of the number of charges generated by the photosensitive area. A second capacitive storage node is configured to receive a reference signal. A first transfer transistor is coupled between the first capacitive storage node and the photosensitive area. A second transfer transistor is coupled between the second capacitive storage node and a terminal which supplied the reference signal. The first and second two transfer transistors have a common conduction electrode and a common substrate, wherein the common substrate is coupled to the first capacitive storage node.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 2019Date of Patent: February 16, 2021Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SASInventor: Pierre Malinge
-
Publication number: 20200382731Abstract: A sensor includes pixels each including: a first transistor and a first switch in series between a first node and an internal node of the pixel, a gate of the first transistor being coupled to a second node; a capacitive element, a first terminal of which is connected to the second node; and a plurality of assemblies each including a capacitance in series with a second switch coupled to the internal node. The sensor includes a circuit configured to control, each time a voltage is stored in one of the assemblies, the interruption of a current between the first node and the internal node: by switching a first potential applied to a second terminal of the capacitive element; or by opening the first switch.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2020Publication date: December 3, 2020Inventors: Laurent SIMONY, Pierre MALINGE
-
Publication number: 20200382738Abstract: An image sensor includes pixels each including: a first transistor and a first switch that are connected in series between a first node configured to receive a first potential and an internal node of the pixel, a gate of the first transistor being coupled with a floating diffusion node of the pixel; a capacitive element, a first terminal of which is connected to the floating diffusion node of the pixel; and several assemblies each including a capacitance connected in series with a second switch coupling the capacitance to the internal node. The sensor also includes a control circuit configured to control, each time a voltage is stored in one of the assemblies of a pixel, an increase of a determined value of a difference in potential between the floating diffusion node and the internal node of the pixel.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2020Publication date: December 3, 2020Inventors: Pierre MALINGE, Frederic LALANNE, Laurent SIMONY
-
Publication number: 20200350355Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an image sensor that includes first and second pixels. One or more transistors of the first pixel share an active region with one or more transistors of the second pixel.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2020Publication date: November 5, 2020Applicants: STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITED, STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SASInventors: Jeff M. RAYNOR, Frederic LALANNE, Pierre MALINGE
-
Publication number: 20200236320Abstract: A pixel includes a photosensitive circuit, a sense node, a first transistor and a first capacitor. A first electrode of the first capacitor is connected to a control terminal of the first transistor. A second electrode of the first capacitor is to a node of application of a first control signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2019Publication date: July 23, 2020Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SASInventors: Frederic LALANNE, Pierre MALINGE
-
Publication number: 20200128204Abstract: A pixel of an imager device includes a photosensitive area configured to integrate a light signal. A first capacitive storage node is configured to receive a signal representative of the number of charges generated by the photosensitive area. A second capacitive storage node is configured to receive a reference signal. A first transfer transistor is coupled between the first capacitive storage node and the photosensitive area. A second transfer transistor is coupled between the second capacitive storage node and a terminal which supplied the reference signal. The first and second two transfer transistors have a common conduction electrode and a common substrate, wherein the common substrate is coupled to the first capacitive storage node.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 11, 2019Publication date: April 23, 2020Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SASInventor: Pierre MALINGE
-
Publication number: 20200068148Abstract: In one embodiment, an integrated image sensor includes an array of pixels in which each pixel includes a photosensitive area configured to integrate a luminous signal by generating electron-hole pairs so as to form a first signal representative of the number of electrons in the generated electron-hole pairs and a second signal representative of the number of holes in the generated electron-hole pairs. A first circuit portion is configured to store the first signal sheltered from light. A second circuit portion is configured to store the second signal sheltered from light. A third circuit portion is configured to read the first signal and the second signal and able to perform combination operations between the first signal and the second signal so as to generate a combined signal representative of an image, where the integrated image sensor is tailored to operate in a global shutter control mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2019Publication date: February 27, 2020Inventors: Pierre Malinge, Frédéric Lalanne
-
Patent number: 10284798Abstract: An image sensor includes a plurality of pixels each including a first photodiode linked to a capacitive readout node by a first transistor, and a second photodiode linked to a first capacitive storage node by a second transistor, the first capacitive node being linked to the readout node by a third transistor, and the readout node being linked to a node for applying a reset potential by a fourth transistor.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 2017Date of Patent: May 7, 2019Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (CROLLES 2) SASInventors: Didier Herault, Pierre Malinge
-
Publication number: 20180220090Abstract: An image sensor includes a plurality of pixels each including a first photodiode linked to a capacitive readout node by a first transistor, and a second photodiode linked to a first capacitive storage node by a second transistor, the first capacitive node being linked to the readout node by a third transistor, and the readout node being linked to a node for applying a reset potential by a fourth transistor.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 11, 2017Publication date: August 2, 2018Inventors: Didier Herault, Pierre Malinge
-
Patent number: 9006841Abstract: A dual port SRAM has two data storage nodes, a true data and complementary data. A first pull down transistor has an active area that forms the drain region of the first transistor and the true data storage node that is physically isolated from all other transistor active areas of the memory cell. A second pull down transistor has an active area that forms the drain region of a second transistor that is the complementary data node that is physically isolated from all other transistor active areas of the memory cell.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2012Date of Patent: April 14, 2015Assignee: STMicroelectronics International N.V.Inventors: Shishir Kumar, Dibya Dipti, Pierre Malinge
-
Patent number: 8921179Abstract: Methodology enabling a reduction of edge and strap cell size, and the resulting device are disclosed. Embodiments include: providing first and second NW regions on a substrate; providing first and second RX regions on the first and second NW regions, respectively; providing a contact on the substrate connecting the first and second RX regions; and providing a dummy PC on the substrate connecting the first and second RX regions. Other embodiments include: determining an RX region of an IC design; determining a PPLUS mask region extending along a horizontal direction and being on an entire upper surface of the RX region; determining a NW region extending along a vertical direction and separated from the RX region; and comparing an area of an overlap of the NW region and PPLUS mask region to a threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2013Date of Patent: December 30, 2014Assignee: GlobalFoundries Inc.Inventors: Bipul C. Paul, Anurag Mittal, Pierre Malinge