Patents by Inventor Ren-Chieh Liu

Ren-Chieh Liu 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: 20240089620
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a time delay integration (TDI) sensor using a rolling shutter. The TDI sensor includes two pixel arrays each having multiple pixel columns. Each pixel column includes multiple pixels arranged in an along-track direction, wherein two adjacent pixels or two adjacent pixel groups in every pixel column have a separation space therebetween. The separation space is equal to a pixel height multiplied by a time ratio of a line time difference of the rolling shutter and a frame period, or equal to a summation of at least one pixel height and a multiplication of the pixel height by a time ratio of the line time difference and the frame period. The TDI sensor doubles a number of times of integrating pixel data corresponding to the same position of a scene by arranging two separately operated pixel arrays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: REN-CHIEH LIU, CHAO-CHI LEE
  • Publication number: 20240073563
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a time delay integration (TDI) sensor using a rolling shutter. The TDI sensor includes multiple pixel columns. Each pixel column includes multiple pixels arranged in an along-track direction, wherein two adjacent pixels or two adjacent pixel groups in every pixel column have a separation space therebetween. The separation space is equal to a pixel height multiplied by a time ratio of a line time difference of the rolling shutter and a frame period, or equal to a summation of at least one pixel height and a multiplication of the pixel height by the time ratio of the line time difference and the frame period. The TDI sensor further records defect pixels of a pixel array such that in integrating pixel data to integrators, the pixel data associated with the defect pixels is not integrated into corresponding integrators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Ren-Chieh LIU, Chao-Chi LEE, Yi-Yuan CHEN, En-Feng HSU
  • Patent number: 11863885
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a time delay integration (TDI) sensor using a rolling shutter. The TDI sensor includes two pixel arrays each having multiple pixel columns. Each pixel column includes multiple pixels arranged in an along-track direction, wherein two adjacent pixels or two adjacent pixel groups in every pixel column have a separation space therebetween. The separation space is equal to a pixel height multiplied by a time ratio of a line time difference of the rolling shutter and a frame period, or equal to a summation of at least one pixel height and a multiplication of the pixel height by a time ratio of the line time difference and the frame period. The TDI sensor doubles a number of times of integrating pixel data corresponding to the same position of a scene by arranging two separately operated pixel arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: PIXART IMAGING INC.
    Inventors: Ren-Chieh Liu, Chao-Chi Lee
  • Publication number: 20230421924
    Abstract: There is provided a pixel circuit for performing analog operation including a photodiode, a first temporal circuit, a second temporal circuit and an operation circuit. Within a first interval, the photodiode detects first light energy to be stored in the first temporal circuit. Within a second interval, the photodiode detects second light energy to be stored in the second temporal circuit. Within an operation interval, the first temporal circuit outputs a first detection signal having a first pulse width according to the first light energy and outputs a second detection signal having a second pulse width according to the second light energy for being calculated by the operation circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: REN-CHIEH LIU, CHIH-HUAN WU, YI-HSIEN KO, HAN-CHI LIU
  • Patent number: 11849236
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a time delay integration (TDI) sensor using a rolling shutter. The TDI sensor includes multiple pixel columns. Each pixel column includes multiple pixels arranged in an along-track direction, wherein two adjacent pixels or two adjacent pixel groups in every pixel column have a separation space therebetween. The separation space is equal to a pixel height multiplied by a time ratio of a line time difference of the rolling shutter and a frame period, or equal to a summation of at least one pixel height and a multiplication of the pixel height by the time ratio of the line time difference and the frame period. The TDI sensor further records defect pixels of a pixel array such that in integrating pixel data to integrators, the pixel data associated with the defect pixels is not integrated into corresponding integrators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignees: PIXART IMAGING INC., TAIWAN SPACE AGENCY
    Inventors: Ren-Chieh Liu, Chao-Chi Lee, Yi-Yuan Chen, En-Feng Hsu
  • Publication number: 20230396896
    Abstract: There is provided a pixel circuit capable of outputting time difference data or image data, and including a first temporal circuit and a second temporal circuit. The first temporal circuit is used to store detected light energy of a first interval and a second interval as the time difference data. The second temporal circuit is used to store detected light energy of the second interval as the image data. The pixel circuit is used to output a pulse width signal corresponding to the time difference data or the image data in different operating modes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2023
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Inventors: REN-CHIEH LIU, YI-CHENG CHIU
  • Publication number: 20230386258
    Abstract: There is provided an optical sensor including a pixel matrix and a readout circuit. The pixel matrix includes multiple pixels arranged in a matrix, and each of the multiple pixels outputs temporal difference pixel data. The readout circuit sequentially reads the pixel matrix using a readout block, and performs the hybrid difference calculation on the temporal difference pixel data of pixels within the readout block. Accordingly, the output of the readout circuit is the data accomplishing temporal difference and spatial difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventors: Ren-Chieh LIU, Yi-Hsien KO, Han-Chi LIU
  • Patent number: 11812176
    Abstract: There is provided a pixel circuit capable of outputting time difference data or image data, and including a first temporal circuit and a second temporal circuit. The first temporal circuit is used to store detected light energy of a first interval and a second interval as the time difference data. The second temporal circuit is used to store detected light energy of the second interval as the image data. The pixel circuit is used to output a pulse width signal corresponding to the time difference data or the image data in different operating modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: PIXART IMAGING INC.
    Inventors: Ren-Chieh Liu, Yi-Cheng Chiu
  • Publication number: 20230353902
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a time delay integration (TDI) sensor using a rolling shutter. The TDI sensor includes multiple pixel columns. Each pixel column includes multiple pixels arranged in an along-track direction, wherein two adjacent pixels or two adjacent pixel groups in every pixel column have a separation space therebetween. The separation space is equal to a pixel height multiplied by a time ratio of a line time difference of the rolling shutter and a frame period, or equal to a summation of at least one pixel height and a multiplication of the pixel height by the time ratio of the line time difference and the frame period. The TDI sensor generates image frames using pixels having different sensing ability for a processor to perform image combination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventor: Ren-Chieh LIU
  • Patent number: 11792550
    Abstract: There is provided a pixel circuit for performing analog operation including a photodiode, a first temporal circuit, a second temporal circuit and an operation circuit. Within a first interval, the photodiode detects first light energy to be stored in the first temporal circuit. Within a second interval, the photodiode detects second light energy to be stored in the second temporal circuit. Within an operation interval, the first temporal circuit outputs a first detection signal having a first pulse width according to the first light energy and outputs a second detection signal having a second pulse width according to the second light energy for being calculated by the operation circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: PixArt Imaging Inc.
    Inventors: Ren-Chieh Liu, Chih-Huan Wu, Yi-Hsien Ko, Han-Chi Liu
  • Patent number: 11783633
    Abstract: There is provided an optical sensor including a pixel matrix and a readout circuit. The pixel matrix includes multiple pixels arranged in a matrix, and each of the multiple pixels outputs temporal difference pixel data. The readout circuit sequentially reads the pixel matrix using a readout block, and performs the hybrid difference calculation on the temporal difference pixel data of pixels within the readout block. Accordingly, the output of the readout circuit is the data accomplishing temporal difference and spatial difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: PIXART IMAGING INC.
    Inventors: Ren-Chieh Liu, Yi-Hsien Ko, Han-Chi Liu
  • Publication number: 20230300490
    Abstract: There is provided a pixel circuit capable of outputting time difference data and image data, and including an image circuit and a difference circuit. The image circuit is used to record and output detected light energy of a first interval as the image data. The difference circuit is used to record and output a variation of detected light energy between the first interval and a second interval as the time difference data. The pixel circuit selects to output at least one of the time difference data and the image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Ren-Chieh LIU, Yi-Cheng CHIU
  • Patent number: 11706542
    Abstract: There is provided a pixel circuit capable of outputting time difference data and image data, and including an image circuit and a difference circuit. The image circuit is used to record and output detected light energy of a first interval as the image data. The difference circuit is used to record and output a variation of detected light energy between the first interval and a second interval as the time difference data. The pixel circuit selects to output at least one of the time difference data and the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: PIXART IMAGING INC.
    Inventors: Ren-Chieh Liu, Yi-Cheng Chiu
  • Publication number: 20230123405
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a time delay integration (TDI) sensor using a rolling shutter. The TDI sensor includes multiple pixel columns. Each pixel column includes multiple pixels arranged in an along-track direction, wherein two adjacent pixels or two adjacent pixel groups in every pixel column have a separation space therebetween. The separation space is equal to a pixel height multiplied by a time ratio of a line time difference of the rolling shutter and a frame period, or equal to a summation of at least one pixel height and a multiplication of the pixel height by the time ratio of the line time difference and the frame period. The TDI sensor further records defect pixels of a pixel array such that in integrating pixel data to integrators, the pixel data associated with the defect pixels is not integrated into corresponding integrators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2022
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Inventors: Ren-Chieh LIU, Chao-Chi LEE, Yi-Yuan CHEN, En-Feng HSU
  • Publication number: 20230106895
    Abstract: There is provided a pixel circuit for performing analog operation including a photodiode, a first temporal circuit, a second temporal circuit and an operation circuit. Within a first interval, the photodiode detects first light energy to be stored in the first temporal circuit. Within a second interval, the photodiode detects second light energy to be stored in the second temporal circuit. Within an operation interval, the first temporal circuit outputs a first detection signal having a first pulse width according to the first light energy and outputs a second detection signal having a second pulse width according to the second light energy for being calculated by the operation circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2022
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Inventors: REN-CHIEH LIU, CHIH-HUAN WU, YI-HSIEN KO, HAN-CHI LIU
  • Patent number: 11546540
    Abstract: There is provided a pixel circuit for performing analog operation including a photodiode, a first temporal circuit, a second temporal circuit and an operation circuit. Within a first interval, the photodiode detects first light energy to be stored in the first temporal circuit. Within a second interval, the photodiode detects second light energy to be stored in the second temporal circuit. Within an operation interval, the first temporal circuit outputs a first detection signal having a first pulse width according to the first light energy and outputs a second detection signal having a second pulse width according to the second light energy for being calculated by the operation circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: PIXART IMAGING INC.
    Inventors: Ren-Chieh Liu, Chih-Huan Wu, Yi-Hsien Ko, Han-Chi Liu
  • Publication number: 20220224848
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a time delay integration (TDI) sensor using a rolling shutter. The TDI sensor includes two pixel arrays each having multiple pixel columns. Each pixel column includes multiple pixels arranged in an along-track direction, wherein two adjacent pixels or two adjacent pixel groups in every pixel column have a separation space therebetween. The separation space is equal to a pixel height multiplied by a time ratio of a line time difference of the rolling shutter and a frame period, or equal to a summation of at least one pixel height and a multiplication of the pixel height by a time ratio of the line time difference and the frame period. The TDI sensor doubles a number of times of integrating pixel data corresponding to the same position of a scene by arranging two separately operated pixel arrays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: REN-CHIEH LIU, CHAO-CHI LEE
  • Publication number: 20220174236
    Abstract: There is provided a pixel circuit for performing analog operation including a photodiode, a first temporal circuit, a second temporal circuit and an operation circuit. Within a first interval, the photodiode detects first light energy to be stored in the first temporal circuit. Within a second interval, the photodiode detects second light energy to be stored in the second temporal circuit. Within an operation interval, the first temporal circuit outputs a first detection signal having a first pulse width according to the first light energy and outputs a second detection signal having a second pulse width according to the second light energy for being calculated by the operation circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2022
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Inventors: REN-CHIEH LIU, CHIH-HUAN WU, YI-HSIEN KO, HAN-CHI LIU
  • Patent number: 11343448
    Abstract: A method of operating an HDR pixel circuit includes: establishing a calibration full-well capacity of a photodiode according to a first predetermined voltage level; over-charging both the photodiode and a floating diffusion node; dissipating the charges of the floating diffusion node and the charges on the photodiode so that the charges on the photodiode are substantially equal to the calibration full-well capacity; transferring the charges on the photodiode to the floating diffusion node; and sensing a voltage on the floating diffusion node to generate a calibration signal related to the calibration full-well capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: PIXART IMAGING INCORPORATION
    Inventors: Ren-Chieh Liu, Wen-Cheng Yen, Hsin-Hung Shen
  • Patent number: 11336843
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a time delay integration (TDI) sensor using a rolling shutter. The TDI sensor includes multiple pixel columns. Each pixel column includes multiple pixels arranged in an along-track direction, wherein two adjacent pixels or two adjacent pixel groups in every pixel column have a separation space therebetween. The separation space is equal to a pixel height multiplied by a time ratio of a line time difference of the rolling shutter and a frame period, or equal to a summation of at least one pixel height and a multiplication of the pixel height by a time ratio of the line time difference and the frame period. The line time difference of the TDI sensor is changeable without changing the separation space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: PIXART IMAGING INC.
    Inventors: Ren-Chieh Liu, Chao-Chi Lee, Wen-Cheng Yen