Abstract: An improved CMOS sensor integrated circuit is disclosed, along with methods of making the circuit and computer readable descriptions of the circuit.

Abstract: Spray drift during the application of agricultural chemicals is reduced by incorporating a monosaccharide or a mixture of monosaccharides into the liquid to be sprayed and by spraying the resulting liquid through a flat fan or straight stream nozzle without a deflector. Average spray droplet sizes are increased and the percentage of driftable spray droplets (<150 microns) produced are reduced.

Abstract: There is provided a CMOS imager system for providing a viewable image having increased dynamic range including an image sensor including a number of sets of pixels. Each set of pixels is configured to receive one of a number of exposures and to generate image data corresponding to the received exposure in the interleaved mode. The image sensor is configured to operate in either an interleaved mode or a non-interleaved mode and to output the image data generated by each set of pixels as a frame of interleaved image data in the interleaved mode. The imager system further includes an interleaved image pipeline in communication with the image sensor, where the interleaved image pipeline is configured to receive the interleaved image data from the image sensor, combine the image data generated by each set of pixels corresponding to one of the exposures to form the viewable image.

Abstract: An exemplary image sensor comprises a photodetector proximate to a pixel site, and a light meter proximate to the pixel site configured to approximate an initial charge acquired by the photodetector at the end of a first integration period of a frame exposure period. A reset circuit resets the photodetector if the approximated initial charge acquired by the photodetector exceeds a threshold. A readout circuit detects a final charge acquired by the photodetector at the end of a second integration period of the frame exposure period. If the photodetector was reset, the readout circuit adjusts the final exposure to account for exposure prior to the photodetector having been reset.

Abstract: An improved CMOS sensor integrated circuit is disclosed, along with methods of making the circuit and computer readable descriptions of the circuit.

Abstract: Machine and related manufacturer controlling multi-jurisdictional investment; a computer system arranged to receive information and locate said information into a memory, the information including investment specifications and pricing data for the financial product, the computer system further including: an input device for receiving the information and converting the information into signals; a program control to compute, from said signals, for calculating respective valuations of parts of investment in respective jurisdictions and a program control to trigger printing documentation, including said valuations, to carry out the implementation of the parts in the respective jurisdictions. In variations thereof, such as optimizing, separating, valuation, and execution are supported.

Abstract: Apparatus (method implemented with a machine, the machine, and the method for making the machine, and products produced thereby). The computer system can, for example, be structured (e.g., including programmed) to carry out the steps of: calculating an insurance reserve requirement from data; segmenting, for the reserve requirement, an insured contingency risk from a corresponding capital requirement to produce components; and carrying out the reinsurance transaction by steps including: allocating the components to different parties, one of the parties from a group including an insurance risk carrier and a source of an asset for said capital requirement; and assigning assets for the reserve requirement to a reinsurance asset trust to receive reinsurance credit for said reserve requirement.

Abstract: An electronic device is provided such as a programmable rise/fall time control circuit, for example, that delivers a continuous and near linear rising/falling slope of a control signal, with programmability that can be implemented in future CMOS image sensor devices. This device includes a programmability block for reset or transfer gate signals. The programmability block includes two inputs: an input bias current and a signal from the control bits. The programmability block further includes two similar internal circuit blocks, one for generating a fall time control signal, and one for generating a rise time control signal. Additionally the programmability block includes two outputs; a fall time control signal, and a rise time control signal. The device further includes a reset or transfer gate buffer configured as an inverter. The reset or transfer gate buffer includes three input signals: The fall time control signal and rise time control signal from the programmability block, and an INT Reset signal.

Abstract: An improved semiconductor device that reduces reverse bias junction leakage in a photodiode by using a junction isolation region to isolate the photodiode from a trench isolation region. The improved semiconductor device improves image quality for different applications such as stand-alone digital cameras and digital cameras embedded in other imaging devices such as cellular phones and personal digital assistants.

Abstract: An improved semiconductor device that reduces reverse bias junction leakage in a photodiode by using a junction isolation region to isolate the photodiode from a trench isolation region. The improved semiconductor device improves image quality for different applications such as stand-alone digital cameras and digital cameras embedded in other imaging devices such as cellular phones and personal digital assistants.

Abstract: An improved CMOS sensor integrated circuit is disclosed, along with methods of making the circuit and computer readable descriptions of the circuit.

Abstract: An improved CMOS sensor integrated circuit is disclosed, along with methods of making the circuit and computer readable descriptions of the circuit.

Abstract: An improved CMOS sensor integrated circuit is disclosed, along with methods of making the circuit and computer readable descriptions of the circuit.

Abstract: An improved CMOS sensor integrated circuit is disclosed, along with methods of making the circuit and computer readable descriptions of the circuit.

Abstract: An exemplary CMOS image sensor comprises a reset transistor, a photodiode, reset drain voltage circuitry, and reset gate voltage circuitry. A cathode of the photodiode is connected to a source of the reset transistor, and an anode of the photodiode is connected to ground. The reset drain voltage circuitry is connected to a drain of the reset transistor, and the reset gate voltage circuitry is connected to a gate of the reset transistor. During an exemplary hard reset operation, the reset drain voltage circuitry supplies a first drain voltage to the drain of the reset transistor in accordance with a determined level of light for exposure, which is determined dynamically. According to another exemplary reset operation, a hard reset phase is immediately followed by a soft reset phase.

Abstract: A sensor may be formed with a transistor comprising a gate that has both n-type and p-type regions to increase the gate work function. In combination with moving the p-type well such that the p-type well only partially dopes the channel of the transistor, the increased gate work function further increases the reset voltage level required to create the reset channel without having to use high doping levels in the critical regions of the sensor structure including the photo-detector and the reset transistor. The source of the reset transistor is partially beneath the n-type region of gate, while the transistor's drain is partially beneath the p-type region of the gate. The channel has a p-type well portion and a substrate portion. This construction of the sensor may eliminate the reset noise associated with the uncertainty of whether the charge left in the transistor's channel will flow back towards the photo-detector after the transistor has been turned off.

Abstract: An image sensor and method is provided to improve the measurement of a dark signal reference while substantially suppressing radiation charges that enter an active area of the image sensor from reaching a shielded dark signal detector. In one implementation, dark signal detector is shielded and separated from the active area to substantially reduce the radiation charges that reach the dark signal detector. In another implementation, the image sensor includes a radiation guard that is disposed between the active area and the shielded detector. When radiation or light is permitted to enter the active area, the guard when adequately biased attracts and collects radiated charges that may otherwise travel beyond the active area to reach the shielded detector and contaminate a measurement for the dark signal reference.

Abstract: An image sensor and method is provided to improve the measurement of a dark signal reference while substantially suppressing radiation charges that enter an active area of the image sensor from reaching a shielded dark signal detector. In one implementation, dark signal detector is shielded and separated from the active area to substantially reduce the radiation charges that reach the dark signal detector. In another implementation, the image sensor includes a radiation guard that is disposed between the active area and the shielded detector. When radiation or light is permitted to enter the active area, the guard when adequately biased attracts and collects radiated charges that may otherwise travel beyond the active area to reach the shielded detector and contaminate a measurement for the dark signal reference.