Abstract: A circuit, e.g., a CMOS sensor, with individually addressable transfer transistors and individually addressable reset transistors is described. Through the individually addressable transistors, pixels within different regions of interest, of the same or different size and/or the same or different exposure times, can be efficiently processed. Different regions of interest may be exposed concurrently and read out independently.

Abstract: An analogue to digital converter is provided for digital imaging devices, in which a pixel column is sampled by a respective capacitor. In a reset phase of operation, each pixel in the row under consideration is reset, and an operational amplifier operating in a voltage follower mode is coupled to all the sampling capacitors in parallel to obtain the reset values of the pixels sensors of that row, and the in an imaging phase of operation, the inverting input of the operational amplifier operating in a comparator mode is coupled to each capacitor in turn after activating the respective pixel sensor, while exposing the non inverting signal to an analog ramp reference voltage so that the timing of the toggling of the operational amplifier reflects the value of the pixel under consideration, corrected for the reset value.

Abstract: A CMOS optical sensor comprises spare readout channels to replace readout channels found defective at the end of the manufacturing process. These spare readout channels are dispatched over the width of the optical sensor (corresponding to the row direction) in the form of spare groups Gm1, Gm2, Gm3 of m spare readout channels each, m integer at least equal to 1. Each spare group is inserted between two successive default groups Gn1 and Gn2 of n default readout channels each and coupling means SW1 are configured to replace a defective default readout channel in a default group as well as any default readout channels of the group between the defective one and the spare group next to the default group of concern.

Abstract: An analogue to digital converter for converting the analogue output of a dual conversion gain pixel of an image sensor. The dual conversion gain pixel is operable to sequentially output a reset pixel value and a signal pixel value sequentially with both a first gain and a second gain different to the first gain. An image sensor comprising the analogue to digital converter, a system comprising the image sensor and a method are also described herein.

Abstract: A CMOS optical sensor comprises spare readout channels to replace readout channels found defective at the end of the manufacturing process. These spare readout channels are dispatched over the width of the optical sensor (corresponding to the row direction) in the form of spare groups Gm1, Gm2, Gm3 of m spare readout channels each, m integer at least equal to 1. Each spare group is inserted between two successive default groups Gn1 and Gn2 of n default readout channels each and coupling means SW1 are configured to replace a defective default readout channel in a default group as well as any default readout channels of the group between the defective one and the spare group next to the default group of concern.

Abstract: A direct TOF optic sensor is based on CMOS pixels, wherein a pixel structure comprises a photodetector PhD, a non linear resistance R and a transfer MOS transistor in series, and delivers an output signal at a sensing node SN between the resistor and the transfer transistors. The photogenerated current is continuously drained into the nonlinear resistance and converted to a voltage signal by the RC circuit formed by the nonlinear resistance and a capacitance at the sense node SN. The voltage signal is continuously transmitted to a readout circuitry 300 having a fast analog to digital converter. The RC circuit within the pixel structure has a low pass filtering function and a high frequency integrating function, so that noise, in particular thermal noise due to the nonlinear resistance is mainly shifted in a low frequency range, separate from a high frequency range of the main signal component corresponding to a pulse light signal received at the photodetector.

Abstract: An optical safety scanner system comprises a first illumination source for detecting presence and distances of people or other objects within a hazardous industrial area based on triangulation, and a second illumination source that verifies accurate and reliable detection by the first illumination source. The first illumination source can project LED or laser light for triangulation of objects, and the second illumination source can project a wide beam of light for detection of other intrusive objects that may be blocking the scanner system's camera and preventing accurate triangulation of people or vehicles. If the image frame generated based on the second light identifies presence of an object that is not detected by the triangulation analysis of the laser light, the safety scanner system assumes that an object is obstructing the safety scanner system's camera, and performs a suitable safety action.

Abstract: A circuit, e.g., a CMOS sensor, with individually addressable transfer transistors and individually addressable reset transistors is described. Through the individually addressable transistors, pixels within different regions of interest, of the same or different size and/or the same or different exposure times, can be efficiently processed. Different regions of interest may be exposed concurrently and read out independently.

Abstract: An optical safety scanner system comprises a first illumination source for detecting presence and distances of people or other objects within a hazardous industrial area based on triangulation, and a second illumination source that verifies accurate and reliable detection by the first illumination source. The first illumination source can project LED or laser light for triangulation of objects, and the second illumination source can project a wide beam of light for detection of other intrusive objects that may be blocking the scanner system's camera and preventing accurate triangulation of people or vehicles. If the image frame generated based on the second light identifies presence of an object that is not detected by the triangulation analysis of the laser light, the safety scanner system assumes that an object is obstructing the safety scanner system's camera, and performs a suitable safety action.

Abstract: The present invention relates to reading-out sensor array pixels. In particular, the present invention provides an approach according to which only a region of interest is may be read out from the sensor array, thus leading to substantial time savings. In order to achieve this, a circuitry for configuring a region of interest for the sensor array is provided as well as a reading-out circuitry for reading-out pixels belonging to the region of interest. In addition, the corresponding methods for programming the region of interest and for reading-out the region of interest are provided. The circuitry for programming and/or reading-out the region of interest includes per pixel provided storage elements for storing an indication of whether a pixel belongs to a region of interest (ROI). These are configured by the programming circuitry and using when reading-out the ROI for only reading out the pixels of the ROI.

Abstract: A time-of-flight (TOF) sensor device is provided that is capable of accurately recovering waveforms of reflected light pulses incident on the sensor's photo-receiver array using a low sampling rate. A number of samples for a received light pulse incident on a given photo-receiver are obtained by emitting a light pulse to the viewing field, integrating the electrical output generated by the photo receiver over an integration period, and adding the integral values for respective integration cycles to yield an accumulation value. This process is repeated for multiple accumulation cycles; however, for each consecutive accumulation cycle the start of the integration period is delayed relative the start time of the integration period for the previous cycle by a delay period. Sampled values for the waveform are obtained by determining the difference values between consecutive accumulation values for the respective accumulation cycles.

Abstract: The present invention relates to reading-out sensor array pixels. In particular, the present invention provides an approach according to which only a region of interest with arbitrary geometry may be read out from the sensor array, thus leading to substantial time savings. In order to achieve this, a circuitry is provided for automatic determining of a ROI and reading out the ROI from the sensor array. The circuitry includes a fast reading-out circuitry which is less precise but faster than the accurate reading-out circuitry for reading-out the pixels of the sensor array. The fast reading-out circuitry reads out the pixels with low-level precision and determines by the processing of the fast read-out pixels the ROI which is then provided to an in-pixel ROI programming circuit for storing the ROI identification and by means thereof to the accurate reading-out circuit which then reads out only the pixels determined to belong to the ROI. The accurate read-out circuit is slower than the fast read-out circuit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a two- or multiple-stage analog to digital converter. The converter preferably includes an incremental ADC in the first stage. The incremental ADC comprises an integrator and a comparator. After the predefined number of comparisons performed by the comparator, the output of the integrator appropriately scaled is provided to the second stage where it is further sampled. In particular, the scaling gain is inversely proportional to the integrator gain. The second ADC performs the conversion of the remaining least significant bits and then the output of both stages is combined. Moreover, a calibration and correction approaches are provided for the multi-stage ADC.

Abstract: The present invention relates to reading-out sensor array pixels. In particular, the present invention provides an approach according to which only a region of interest with arbitrary geometry may be read out from the sensor array, thus leading to substantial time savings. In order to achieve this, a circuitry is provided for automatic determining of a ROI and reading out the ROI from the sensor array. The circuitry includes a fast reading-out circuitry which is less precise but faster than the accurate reading-out circuitry for reading-out the pixels of the sensor array. The fast reading-out circuitry reads out the pixels with low-level precision and determines by the processing of the fast read-out pixels the ROI which is then provided to an in-pixel ROI programming circuit for storing the ROI identification and by means thereof to the accurate reading-out circuit which then reads out only the pixels determined to belong to the ROI. The accurate read-out circuit is slower than the fast read-out circuit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to reading-out sensor array pixels. In particular, the present invention provides an approach according to which only a region of interest is may be read out from the sensor array, thus leading to substantial time savings. In order to achieve this, a circuitry for configuring a region of interest for the sensor array is provided as well as a reading-out circuitry for reading-out pixels belonging to the region of interest. In addition, the corresponding methods for programming the region of interest and for reading-out the region of interest are provided. The circuitry for programming and/or reading-out the region of interest includes per pixel provided storage elements for storing an indication of whether a pixel belongs to a region of interest (ROI). These are configured by the programming circuitry and using when reading-out the ROI for only reading out the pixels of the ROI.

Abstract: A time-of-flight (TOF) sensor device is provided that is capable of accurately recovering waveforms of reflected light pulses incident on the sensor's photo-receiver array using a low sampling rate. A number of samples for a received light pulse incident on a given photo-receiver are obtained by emitting a light pulse to the viewing field, integrating the electrical output generated by the photo receiver over an integration period, and adding the integral values for respective integration cycles to yield an accumulation value. This process is repeated for multiple accumulation cycles; however, for each consecutive accumulation cycle the start of the integration period is delayed relative the start time of the integration period for the previous cycle by a delay period. Sampled values for the waveform are obtained by determining the difference values between consecutive accumulation values for the respective accumulation cycles.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a two- or multiple-stage analog to digital converter. The converter preferably includes an incremental ADC in the first stage. The incremental ADC comprises an integrator and a comparator. After the predefined number of comparisons performed by the comparator, the output of the integrator appropriately scaled is provided to the second stage where it is further sampled. In particular, the scaling gain is inversely proportional to the integrator gain. The second ADC performs the conversion of the remaining least significant bits and then the output of both stages is combined. Moreover, a calibration and correction approaches are provided for the multi-stage ADC.

Abstract: The objective of this invention is to provide a solid-state image pickup device and its driving method that has a minimum circuit area and a wide dynamic range. The invention includes: a sensor array SA; a memory M; and a signal determination circuit DC. The sensor array has plural pixels in an array integrated on a semiconductor substrate. Each pixel sequentially outputs a first signal and a second signal. The memory M is connected to each column of pixels array and stores the first signal or the second signal. The signal determination circuit DC outputs signal (SS) such that it works as follows: when the first signal is input to memory M from the pixel, the signal determination circuit DC determines whether the first signal can be used. If so, the first signal is selected and the second signal is discarded and is not output to memory M. When the second signal is selected, the second signal is uploaded to memory M.

Abstract: This invention is an amplification circuit which limits increased power consumption and circuit surface area use and an imaging device including this amplification circuit. After initially discharging a capacitor, a signal charge corresponding to the difference between pixel signals is transferred repeatedly to the capacitor during an integration phase storing a signal charge proportional to the number of repetitions. The output of amplification is the signal charge accumulated in the capacitor. The gain is independent of the capacitor capacitance ratio. Thus the capacitor size can be smaller than conventional amplification circuits.

Abstract: This invention is an image pickup device that realizes a wide dynamic range while minimizing circuit area using a pixel array that can pick up a low-sensitivity image and a high-sensitivity image. This invention obtains information (S1/S2) needed for generating a correction coefficient using one more than the number of pixels readout circuits (RC1 to RCn+1). This significantly reduces the circuit area compared with the case of using twice as many readout circuits as pixels for generating the correction coefficient.