Abstract: The invention relates to a fingerprint recognition system. The fingerprint recognition system includes a light emitter, an optical receiver, and a comparison module. First, the light emitter emits at least one patterned emitted light to an object to be measured, and the patterned reflected light reflected by the object is received by the light receiver. Then, the patterned emitted light and the patterned reflected light are compared with each other and the comparison information is generated by the comparison module. Finally, when the comparison information is in the three-dimensional comparison interval, the surface of the object to be measured is determined to be three-dimensional; otherwise, the surface of the object to be measured is determined to be flat. Therefore, the fingerprint recognition system of the present invention can achieve the purposes of real-time differentiation and wide applicability.

Abstract: The invention relates to a biometric sensing system, comprising: a light emitter, a polarization sensor, and a signal processing module, wherein the polarization sensor includes a first polarizer and a second polarizer. First, the light emitter emits a plurality of emitted light from the object under sensing, and reflected by the object. Then, a first reflected light in a first polarization direction and a second reflected light in a second polarization direction in the reflected light are sensed by the polarization sensor. Finally, the signal processing module calculates a first reflectance and a second reflectance according to the first reflected light and the second reflected light, and generate a reflectance ratio based on the first reflectance and the second reflectance. As such, the user determines whether the surface of the object under sensing is 3D by the reflectance ratio, so as to achieve improving safety and saving costs.

Abstract: Provided is a data transmission system including analog image frame buffer, line analog-to-digital converter, line buffer memory, and an interface. First, the analog image frame buffer stores the image data lines generated from the image sensor as analog signals, and then the line analog digital converter which is electrically connected to the analog image frame buffer converts the image data lines from analog signals to digital signals. Then, the image data lines converted into digital signals are stored in one of the line buffer memories. Then, according to the user's needs, the image data line of the digital signal is temporarily stored in another line buffer memory. Finally, according to the instructions of the master device, the interface outputs the image data lines of digital signals according to the conversion order of the line analog to digital converter.

Abstract: An image sensor for serial peripheral interface (SPI) slave circuit and a pixel array circuit therein are provided. The pixel array includes a plurality of pixel units disposed in an image sensor with the SPI slave circuit. Each pixel unit includes a photo sensor, N storages and at least one transmission circuit, wherein N is a positive integer greater than or equal to two. At least one of the N storages is coupled to the photo sensor, which are connected with each other in serial or parallel, and configured to store charges accumulated by the photo sensor at different exposures. Each transmission circuit is coupled to a corresponding storage, and is controlled by a corresponding transmission control signal to transmit the stored charge of the corresponding storage during a certain time period.

Abstract: A fingerprint sensing device and a fingerprint sensing method are provided. The fingerprint sensing device includes a transparent panel, an illumination source, a fingerprint sensor, and a processor. The illumination source is configured to sequentially provide a plurality of illuminating patterns during one exposure period to sequentially illuminate a finger object placed on the transparent panel. The fingerprint sensor includes a plurality of image sensing units. The image sensing units sense the finger object illuminated by the illuminating patterns provided by the illumination source during the one exposure period to output a plurality of pixel data. The processor is configured to receive the pixel data to generate a fingerprint image according to the pixel data. Each of the illuminating patterns includes a plurality of bright regions and a plurality of dark regions arranged in sequence, and the bright regions and the dark regions are dynamically displaced in the illuminating patterns.

Abstract: An image sensing system and a multi-function image sensor thereof are provided. The multi-function image sensor includes a pixel array circuit and a readout circuit. The pixel array circuit includes a plurality of pixel units. Each of the pixel units is controlled by a first control signal group in a first mode to perform a time-of-flight sensing operation and sequentially generates a plurality of first output voltages. Each of the pixel units is controlled by a second control signal group in a second mode to perform a structured light sensing operation and sequentially generates a plurality of second output voltages. The readout circuit respectively obtains a plurality of first digital information corresponding to the time-of-flight sensing operation according to the first output voltages in the first mode. The readout circuit respectively obtains a plurality of second digital information corresponding to the structured light sensing operation according to the second output voltages in the second mode.

Abstract: An electronic device and a fingerprint sensing method are provided. The electronic device includes a display panel, a fingerprint sensor, and an integrated driver chip. The display panel includes a plurality of pixel units arranged in an array. The integrated driver chip integrates a display driver circuit and a fingerprint sensing circuit. When the pixel units of the display panel are in an undriven state and a finger object is in contact with a sensing area of the display panel to perform a fingerprint unlock operation, the display driver circuit drives at least a portion of the pixel units corresponding to the sensing area, so that at least a portion of the pixel units provide illumination light to the sensing area. The fingerprint sensing circuit drives the fingerprint sensor to capture a fingerprint feature image of the finger object.

Abstract: A time of flight device and a time of flight method are provided. The time of flight device includes a first time-to-digital converter, a second time-to-digital converter, a driving circuit, a sensing light source, a sensing pixel and a processing circuit. The driving circuit provides a pulse signal and a reference pulse signal simultaneously. The first time-to-digital converter determines first depth data based on the reference pulse signal. The sensing light source emits a light pulse to a sensing object based on the pulse signal. The sensing pixel receives a reflected light pulse reflected by the sensing object and outputs a reflected pulse signal to the second time-to-digital converter so that the second time-to-digital converter determines second depth data based on the reflected pulse signal. The processing circuit subtracts the first depth data from the second depth data to obtain real depth data.

Abstract: Time of flight device and method are provided. A light-emitting module emits a first light pulse to a sensing target, and a sensing unit receives and integrates a first reflected light pulse of the sensing target. A processing circuit reads an image parameter of the sensing target through a readout circuit. The light-emitting module emits a second light pulse to the sensing target, and the sensing unit receives a second reflected light pulse of the sensing target. The processing circuit obtains a distance parameter between the sensing target and the time of flight device according to a time when the readout circuit reads the second reflected light pulse of the sensing unit. The processing circuit obtains a reflectivity of the sensing target according to the image parameter and a look-up table, and obtains a corrected distance parameter of the sensing target by correcting the distance parameter according to the reflectivity.

Abstract: A time-of-flight ranging device suitable for indirect time-of-flight ranging is provided. The time-of-flight ranging device includes a light emitting module, a first sensing pixel, a second sensing pixel, a differential readout circuit, and a processing circuit. The light emitting module emits a light pulse to a sensing target, so that the sensing target reflects a reflected light pulse. The first sensing pixel generates a first sensing signal and a second sensing signal. The second sensing pixel generates a third sensing signal and a fourth sensing signal. The differential readout circuit generates first digital data according to the first sensing signal and the third sensing signal and generates second digital data according to the second sensing signal and the fourth sensing signal. The processing circuit calculates a distance between the time-of-flight ranging device and the sensing target according to the first digital data and the second digital data.

Abstract: A visible light communication sensor and visible light communication method are provided. The visible light communication sensor includes a comparator, a sensing unit, and a first ramp signal generator. The comparator includes a first input terminal, a second input terminal, and an output terminal. The sensing unit is coupled to the first input terminal of the comparator. The sensing unit is configured to sense a visible light communication signal to output a sensing signal to the first input terminal of the comparator. The first ramp signal generator is coupled to the second input terminal of the comparator and is configured to output the first ramp signal to the second input terminal of the comparator. The comparator outputs a comparison result signal via the output terminal according to the voltage values of the first input terminal and the second input terminal.

Abstract: A multimedia system applying ToF ranging and its operating method are provided. The multimedia system includes a plurality of electronic devices. Each of the electronic devices includes a processing module, a ToF module, and a communication module. The ToF module is configured to perform a ToF operation. The communication module is configured to perform wireless communication. The electronic devices communicate via respective communication modules to formulate an operation protocol and respective UIDs and to perform a time slot synchronization between different electronic devices. The electronic devices sequentially perform the ToF ranging operation according to the operation protocol and the respective UIDs.

Abstract: An image sensor with a distance sensing function and an operating method thereof are provided. The image sensor includes a pixel array, a cluster analog to digital converter readout circuit, and a column readout circuit. The pixel array includes a plurality of sub-pixel groups arranged in an array. The plurality of sub-pixel groups are spaced apart from each other by a circuit layout area. The cluster analog to digital converter readout circuit is disposed in the circuit layout area of the pixel array. A distance sensing pixel of each of the plurality of sub-pixel groups is configured to perform time-of-flight ranging. The column readout circuit is disposed adjacent to the pixel array. A plurality of image sensing pixels of each of plurality of the sub-pixel groups are configured to perform image sensing.

Abstract: A ToF ranging module, its operating method, and a multimedia system are provided. The ToF ranging module has an optical communication function and is adapted to be disposed on an electronic device communicating with another electronic device through a wireless communication module to synchronize ToF ranging periods and optical communication periods of the two electronic devices and determine a communication order of the two electronic devices. The ToF ranging module includes a processing unit, a light sensing unit, and a light emitting unit. During the ToF ranging period, the processing unit drives the light emitting unit and the light sensing unit to perform ToF ranging to obtain distance data between the two electronic devices. During the optical communication period, the processing unit outputs the distance data and drives the light sensing unit or the light emitting unit to optically communicate with another ToF ranging module of the another electronic device.

Abstract: An under-screen fingerprint identification system includes an image sensing element, a display element, a translucent cover, and a Bragg polarization grating. The display element is disposed on the image sensing element. The translucent cover is disposed on the display element, and the display element is located between the translucent cover and the image sensing element. The translucent cover has a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other, and the first surface is farther away from the display element than the second surface. The Bragg polarization grating is disposed on the second surface of the translucent cover.

Abstract: An integrated circuit having an optical structure is provided. The integrated circuit includes a semiconductor substrate and a plurality of light guiding pattern layers. The light guiding pattern layers are located above the semiconductor substrate, and each of the light guiding pattern layers has a plurality of openings and a plurality of side wall portions corresponding to the openings. Each of the side wall portions surrounds the corresponding opening. A projection of one of the openings of one of the light guiding pattern layers on the semiconductor substrate at least partially overlaps a projection of one of the openings of the adjacent light guiding pattern layer on the semiconductor substrate, so as to form at least one light via hole and allow external light to be transferred to the semiconductor substrate through the light guiding pattern layers.

Abstract: An electronic device and an image capture method are provided. The electronic device includes an image sensor, a ramp analog to digital converter, and a memory. The image sensor includes a plurality of pixel units arranged in an array, and the pixel units output a plurality of first image capturing signals and a plurality of second image capturing signals in an image capturing operation. The ramp analog to digital converter generates a plurality of most significant bit data corresponding to a plurality of pixels according to a first nonlinear ramp signal and the first image capturing signals, and generates a plurality of least significant bit data corresponding to the plurality of pixels according to a second nonlinear ramp signal and the second image capturing signals. The memory stores the most significant bit data of these pixels and the least significant bit data of these pixels together to generate frame data.

Abstract: A visible light communication sensor is provided. The visible light communication sensor includes a sensing module, an image data readout circuit, and a visible light communication data readout circuit. The sensing module includes a plurality of pixel units arranged in an array. When the sensing module performs an image sensing operation, a first portion of the pixel units performs an image sensing operation, and the image data readout circuit is idle. When the sensing module performs a visible light communication operation, a second portion of the plurality of pixel units receives a visible light communication signal, so that the visible light communication data readout circuit outputs the visible light communication data, and the image data readout circuit performs an analog-to-digital conversion on a plurality of image sensing signals outputted by the first portion of the plurality of pixel units performed in the image sensing operation to output image sensing data.

Abstract: An image sensor including a signal processor and a pixel array is provided. The pixel array includes a plurality of active pixel units and a plurality of reference pixel units. The active pixel units are coupled to the signal processor. The active pixel units are configured to receive an image light signal during an image sensing period to output a plurality of sensing signals. The reference pixel units are coupled to the signal processor. The reference pixel units are masked and do not receive the image light signal during the image sensing period, so as to output a plurality of reference signals. The signal processor is configured to receive the sensing signals and the reference signals. The signal processor performs signal subtraction on the sensing signals and the reference signals to correspondingly generate a plurality of pixel data.

Abstract: An electronic device and an automatic exposure convergence method are provided. The electronic device includes an image sensor and a processor. The image sensor is configured to obtain a first frame. The first frame includes a plurality of sub-frame regions, and each of the sub-frame regions includes a plurality of pixel data. The plurality of pixel data are obtained based on different exposure times. The processor is coupled to the image sensor. The processor is configured to analyze the first frame to combine the pixel data having the same exposure times in the sub-frame regions into a plurality of second frames. The processor analyzes the plurality of second frame to obtain a plurality of exposure values. The processor performs an exposure convergence operation based on the plurality of exposure values.