Abstract: A pixel apparatus may include a pixel circuit and a voltage attenuator. The pixel circuit includes multiple pixels, each pixel including photoelectric conversion element. The pixel circuit is structured to receive incident light and output an output signal having pixel voltages in response to the received incident light. The pixel circuit operates in at least one of a quad mode outputting the output signal based on photocharges from a single photoelectric conversion element only and a multi-sum mode outputting the output signal based on photocharges from multiple photoelectric conversion elements. The voltage attenuator is coupled to the pixel circuit. The voltage attenuator can be enabled, when the pixel circuit operates in the multi-sum mode, to receive the output signal and adjust the pixel voltages of the output signal by a predetermined ratio determined by the multi-sum mode.

Abstract: A method of measuring the distance to an object by radiating a periodic amplitude-modulated optical signal to the object and detecting the phase difference between the radiated optical signal and a reflected optical signal from the object includes: generating a first photo-detection control signal to control the periodic amplitude-modulation of the radiated optical signal; generating a mask signal activated at least during a shuttering duration for resetting the voltage level at a sensing node; and generating a second photo-detection control signal based on Boolean combination of the first photo-detection signal and the mask signal such that the second photo-detection signal is deactivated or masked at least during the shuttering duration.

Abstract: An image sensing device includes an image sensor including a first sub-pixel array and a second sub-pixel array. The first sub-pixel array includes a plurality of first pixels having a first color filter, and the second sub-pixel array includes a plurality of second pixels having a second color filter and a plurality of third pixels for phase detection. The image sensor may generate first pixel values from the first pixels, second pixel values from the second pixels and third pixel values from the third pixels. The image sensing device also includes an image processor suitable for generating a first image value corresponding to the first sub-pixel array based on the first pixel values and generating a second image value corresponding to the second sub-pixel array based on the first to third pixel values.

Abstract: A pixel apparatus may include a pixel circuit and a voltage attenuator. The pixel circuit includes multiple pixels, each pixel including photoelectric conversion element. The pixel circuit is structured to receive incident light and output an output signal having pixel voltages in response to the received incident light. The pixel circuit operates in at least one of a quad mode outputting the output signal based on photocharges from a single photoelectric conversion element only and a multi-sum mode outputting the output signal based on photocharges from multiple photoelectric conversion elements. The voltage attenuator is coupled to the pixel circuit. The voltage attenuator can be enabled, when the pixel circuit operates in the multi-sum mode, to receive the output signal and adjust the pixel voltages of the output signal by a predetermined ratio determined by the multi-sum mode.

Abstract: An image sensing device includes an image sensor including a first sub-pixel array and a second sub-pixel array. The first sub-pixel array includes a plurality of first pixels having a first color filter, and the second sub-pixel array includes a plurality of second pixels having a second color filter and a plurality of third pixels for phase detection. The image sensor may generate first pixel values from the first pixels, second pixel values from the second pixels and third pixel values from the third pixels. The image sensing device also includes an image processor suitable for generating a first image value corresponding to the first sub-pixel array based on the first pixel values and generating a second image value corresponding to the second sub-pixel array based on the first to third pixel values.

Abstract: A unit pixel of an image sensor includes a photoelectric conversion unit, a mode control unit, a first signal generation unit and a second signal generation unit. The photoelectric conversion unit generates photo-charges in response to incident light and provides the photo-charges to a first node. The mode control unit prevents the photo-charges from being discharged from the first node in a first operation mode, and generates a sensing current by discharging the photo-charges and generates a sensing voltage proportional to the sensing current in a second operation mode. The first signal generation unit generates an analog signal based on an amount of the photo-charges accumulated in the first node in the first operation mode. The second signal generation unit generates an on signal and an off signal based on a change of the sensing voltage in the second operation mode. The unit pixel provides various sensing outputs effectively.

Abstract: A lens distortion correction device and an application processor having the same include a distortion correction unit configured to correct a distorted image into an undistorted image and an image enhancement unit configured to improve the undistorted image using a high-frequency component of the distorted image.

Abstract: Provided are an imaging device implementing pseudo correlated double sampling (CDS), and an imaging method and a control method of the image device. The imaging device includes: a pixel array comprising a pixel configured to generate a current in response to incident light; a readout circuit configured to read out a plurality of output signals of the pixel, the plurality of output signals corresponding to a plurality of consecutive integration periods of the pixel within an aggregating period; and an aggregator configured to aggregate the plurality of output signals read out by the readout circuit to obtain a final aggregated output corresponding to illuminance for the aggregating period, wherein the readout circuit is configured to read out the plurality of output signals by, for each output signal, sampling a signal voltage of the pixel and sampling a subsequent reset voltage of the pixel and obtaining a difference therebetween.

Abstract: A method is provided for analyzing motion of a subject. The method includes receiving multiple events from an event-based sensor, the events corresponding to a luminance change of the subject; calculating velocities of the events and directions of the events; generating a motion analysis table comprising an X axis classified into multiple velocity sections, a Y axis classified into multiple direction sections, and multiple cells representing frequencies of events corresponding to combinations of the velocity sections and the direction sections; and determining a motion of the subject based on the motion analysis table.

Abstract: A time of flight (TOF) camera device and a method of driving the same are provided. The TOF camera device includes a pulse generator configured to generate a pulse signal, and generate a first photo gate signal and a second photo gate signal; a light source configured to irradiate an object with light emitted in synchronization with the pulse signal; and an image sensor configured to receive light reflected from the object in synchronization with the first photo gate signal during a first frame, and receive light reflected from the object in synchronization with the second photo gate signal during a second frame. The pulse generator is further configured to modulate the pulse signal so as to use a frequency of the light as a single frequency.

Abstract: A method of unlocking an electronic device based on motion recognitions generates motion information by detecting a user's motion, calculates optical flows based on the motion information, converts the optical flows into a code by sorting and grouping the optical flows based on predetermined reference directions, generates a comparison result indicating whether the code is consistent with a predetermined password by comparing the code with the predetermined password, and determines whether to unlock the electronic device based on the comparison result.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a pixel output level includes a column signal line connected to an output node of at least one pixel sensor. The apparatus includes a load circuit is connected between the column signal line and a ground terminal. The apparatus also includes a level adjusting circuit configured to adjust a voltage level of a pixel signal output from the at least one pixel sensor to the column signal line based on a correction target value.

Abstract: A pixel array of an image sensor includes a substrate, a chromatic pixel including a first photodiode formed in the substrate and a color filter formed over the first photodiode, and an achromatic pixel including a second photodiode formed in the substrate, the second photodiode having a nano pillar pattern at a surface region of the substrate.

Abstract: A lens distortion correction device and an application processor having the same include a distortion correction unit configured to correct a distorted image into an undistorted image and an image enhancement unit configured to improve the undistorted image using a high-frequency component of the distorted image.

Abstract: A white balancing device and a method of driving the same are provided. The white balancing device includes a map generator and an automatic white balancing (AWB) block. The map generator is configured to generate an indoor-outdoor map comparing a first image and a second image generated by performing a wide dynamic range (WDR) algorithm on the first image. The AWB block is configured to generate a first white point with respect to an outdoor region and a second white point with respect to an indoor region using the indoor-outdoor map.

Abstract: A lens distortion correction device and an application processor having the same include a distortion correction unit configured to correct a distorted image into an undistorted image and an image enhancement unit configured to improve the undistorted image using a high-frequency component of the distorted image.

Abstract: An image sensor operates in a base mode according to a first sampling rate and a first pixel exposure time and includes a light condition detector that extracts illuminance information from a pixel signal received from pixels in a pixel array, and generates a low-illuminance information signal upon detecting that a value of the illuminance information falls within a first range, a sampling controller that changes the first sampling rate to a second sampling rate in response to the low-illuminance information signal, and an exposure time controller that changes the first pixel exposure time to a second pixel exposure time in response to the low-illuminance information signal.

Abstract: To measure the distance to points on an object by radiating a periodic amplitude-modulated optical signal to the object and detecting the phase difference between the radiated optical signal and a reflected optical signal from the object, a first photo-detection control signal is generated to control the radiation of the optical signal. A mask signal is generated such that the mask signal is activated at least during a shuttering duration for resetting the voltage level at a sensing node (associated with an operation of a previous frame). A second photo-detection control signal is generated based on the first photo-detection signal and the mask signal such that the second photo-detection signal is deactivated or masked at least during the shuttering duration.

Abstract: A sampling period control circuit according to an example embodiment of the inventive concepts is configured to derive a ramp voltage range of a row signal when analyzing a previous row signal in order to control a ramp voltage range of a next row signal.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a photo gate controller configured to generate a plurality of demodulated signals respectively corresponding to a plurality of rows of a pixel array and a photo gate driver configured to adjust a phase of the demodulated signals using a source clock signal to remove power, voltage and temperature (PVT) noise and to apply the phase-adjusted demodulated signals to the pixel array. The image sensor matches the phases of the respective demodulated signals using the source clock signal generated based on a reference clock signal, thereby increasing the quality of depth images.