Abstract: A pixel array in a three-dimensional image sensor includes depth pixels and an ambient light cancellation (ALC) circuit. The depth pixels operate in response to photo control signals having different phases, and generate distance information of an object based on light reflected by the object. The ALC circuit removes an ambient light component from the reflected light, and is shared by the depth pixels. Each depth pixel includes a photoelectric conversion region, a floating diffusion region, a photo gate, and a drain gate. The photoelectric conversion region collects photo charges based on the reflected light. The floating diffusion region accumulates the photo charges. The photo gate is activated in response to one of the photo control signals. The photoelectric conversion region accumulates the photo charges when the photo gate is activated, and the photo charges in the photoelectric conversion region are released when the drain gate is activated.

Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a first sensor configured to sense light having a wavelength within a first wavelength range from incident light and generates a first electrical signal based on the sensed light and a second sensor configured to sense light having a wavelength within a second, different wavelength range from the incident light and generates a second electrical signal based on the sensed light. The first and second sensors may be electrically connected to each other via an intermediate connector, and the first sensor and the second sensor may share a pixel circuit that is electrically connected thereto via the intermediate connector. The first and second wavelength ranges may include infra-red and visible wavelength ranges, respectively. The first and second wavelength ranges may include different visible wavelength ranges.

Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a first sensor configured to sense light having a wavelength within a first wavelength range from incident light and generates a first electrical signal based on the sensed light and a second sensor configured to sense light having a wavelength within a second, different wavelength range from the incident light and generates a second electrical signal based on the sensed light. The first and second sensors may be electrically connected to each other via an intermediate connector, and the first sensor and the second sensor may share a pixel circuit that is electrically connected thereto via the intermediate connector. The first and second wavelength ranges may include infra-red and visible wavelength ranges, respectively. The first and second wavelength ranges may include different visible wavelength ranges.

Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a first sensor configured to sense light having a wavelength within a first wavelength range from incident light and generates a first electrical signal based on the sensed light and a second sensor configured to sense light having a wavelength within a second, different wavelength range from the incident light and generates a second electrical signal based on the sensed light. The first and second sensors may be electrically connected to each other via an intermediate connector, and the first sensor and the second sensor may share a pixel circuit that is electrically connected thereto via the intermediate connector. The first and second wavelength ranges may include infra-red and visible wavelength ranges, respectively. The first and second wavelength ranges may include different visible wavelength ranges.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a plurality of pixels, each pixel including a light sensing structure including first, second and third light sensing elements sequentially stacked on a substrate, the light sensing structure having a first surface adjacent to a readout circuit and a second surface including a light receiving portion between first and second circumferential portions, a first through via on the first circumferential portion, extending from the first surface to connect with the first light sensing element, and configured to transfer charges of the first light sensing element to the readout circuit, and a vertical transfer gate on a second circumferential portion and configured to transfer charges of the second light sensing element to the readout circuit, the first through via and the vertical transfer gate of each pixel being arranged in a 1-shaped or L-shaped pattern in the first and second circumferential portions.

Abstract: A method of recognizing motion of an object may include periodically obtaining depth data of a first resolution and two-dimensional data of a second resolution with respect to a scene using an image capturing device, wherein the second resolution is higher than the first resolution; determining a motion tracking region by recognizing a target object in the scene based on the depth data, such that the motion tracking region corresponds to a portion of a frame and the portion includes the target object; periodically obtaining tracking region data of the second resolution corresponding to the motion tracking region; and/or analyzing the motion of the target object based on the tracking region data.

Abstract: An image capture method performed by a depth sensor includes; emitting a first source signal having a first amplitude towards a scene, and thereafter emitting a second source signal having a second amplitude different from the first amplitude towards the scene, capturing a first image in response to the first source signal and capturing a second image in response to the second source signal, and interpolating the first and second images to generate a final image.

Abstract: The image sensor includes: a semiconductor substrate having a first conductivity type and including a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a well region adjacent to the first surface. A first vertical transfer gate and a second vertical transfer gate are spaced apart from each other and extend in a thickness direction of the semiconductor substrate from the first surface to pass through at least a part of the well region. A photoelectric conversion region has a second conductivity type, which is different from the first conductivity type, is located in the semiconductor substrate between the well region and the second surface, and overlaps the first vertical transfer gate and the second vertical transfer gate in the thickness direction of the semiconductor substrate. A wiring structure is located on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A method for controlling a user interface of an apparatus to enable intuitive manipulation for an object included in an image is provided. An object with deeper depth in a rear image of the apparatus may become selectable when the user holds a user input means close to the apparatus, while an object with shallower depth in the rear image may become selectable when the user draws the user input means away from the apparatus, thereby allowing the user to intuitively select an object in the rear image.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a first photoelectric conversion layer that is configured to convert light to a first signal. The image sensor also includes a transfer transistor. The transfer transistor includes a storage node region which stores the first signal. The transfer transistor also includes a transfer gate which transfers the stored first signal, and a floating diffusion region that receives the first signal. The image sensor includes a reset transistor that resets the floating diffusion region, and a drive transistor which receives a pixel voltage. The drive transistor generates an output voltage. The image sensor also includes a selection transistor which outputs the output voltage. A reset drain voltage is applied to a drain electrode of the reset transistor, and is independent of the pixel voltage. The reset drain voltage ranges from about 0.1V to about 1.0V.

Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a first sensor configured to sense light having a wavelength within a first wavelength range from incident light and generates a first electrical signal based on the sensed light and a second sensor configured to sense light having a wavelength within a second, different wavelength range from the incident light and generates a second electrical signal based on the sensed light. The first and second sensors may be electrically connected to each other via an intermediate connector, and the first sensor and the second sensor may share a pixel circuit that is electrically connected thereto via the intermediate connector. The first and second wavelength ranges may include infra-red and visible wavelength ranges, respectively. The first and second wavelength ranges may include different visible wavelength ranges.

Abstract: ACMOS image sensor includes a pixel array having a plurality of pixels. Each of the plurality of pixels includes: a photogate structure configured to be controlled based on a first gate voltage; and a sensing transistor including a charge pocket region formed in a substrate region, the sensing transistor being configured to be controlled based on a second gate voltage. Based on the first gate voltage, the photogate structure is configured to integrate charges generated in response to light incident on the substrate region. The sensing transistor is configured to adjust at least one of a threshold voltage of the sensing transistor and a current flow in the sensing transistor according to charges transferred from the photogate structure to the charge pocket region based on a difference between the first gate voltage and the second gate voltage.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a plurality of pixels, each pixel including a light sensing structure including first, second and third light sensing elements sequentially stacked on a substrate, the light sensing structure having a first surface adjacent to a readout circuit and a second surface including a light receiving portion between first and second circumferential portions, a first through via on the first circumferential portion, extending from the first surface to connect with the first light sensing element, and configured to transfer charges of the first light sensing element to the readout circuit, and a vertical transfer gate on a second circumferential portion and configured to transfer charges of the second light sensing element to the readout circuit, the first through via and the vertical transfer gate of each pixel being arranged in a 1-shaped or L-shaped pattern in the first and second circumferential portions.

Abstract: A method of recognizing motion of an object may include periodically obtaining depth data of a first resolution and two-dimensional data of a second resolution with respect to a scene using an image capturing device, wherein the second resolution is higher than the first resolution; determining a motion tracking region by recognizing a target object in the scene based on the depth data, such that the motion tracking region corresponds to a portion of a frame and the portion includes the target object; periodically obtaining tracking region data of the second resolution corresponding to the motion tracking region; and/or analyzing the motion of the target object based on the tracking region data.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for guiding a subject back within the recognizable visual range of a multimedia system are described. According to one of the described methods, when it is determined that the target has left the recognizable range of the multimedia system, sensor information is acquired from a portable electronic device (or controller) the user has been using to control the multimedia system, and the acquired sensor information is used to determine where the user is, relative to the recognizable range. In one example, the user is asked to make a gesture with the portable electronic device, and the sensor information concerning that gesture is used to determine the user's relative location. In another example, the sensor information recorded at the time the user left the recognizable range is used to determine the user's relative location.

Abstract: A mobile system may comprise a three-dimensional (3D) image sensor on a first surface of the mobile system configured to perform a first sensing to detect proximity of a subject and a second sensing to recognize a gesture of the subject by acquiring distance information for the subject; and/or a display device on the first surface of the mobile system to display results of the first sensing and the second sensing. A mobile system may comprise a light source unit; a plurality of depth pixels; and/or a plurality of color pixels. The light source unit, the plurality of depth pixels, or the plurality of color pixels may be activated based on an operation mode of the mobile system.

Abstract: The image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of unit pixels each including a single transistor and a photodiode connected to a body of the single transistor, a row driver block configured to enable one of a plurality of rows in the pixel array to enter a readout mode, and a readout block configured to sense and amplify a pixel signal output from each of a plurality of unit pixels included in the row that has entered the readout mode.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for recognizing a human body in a hybrid manner are provided. The method includes calculating body information used for recognizing a human body from an input image, detecting a region of the human body in a learning-based human body recognition manner by using the calculated body information, and tracing a movement of the detected region of the human body in a modeling-based human body recognition manner. Thereby, it is possible to quickly perform more accurate and precise recognition of the human body.

Abstract: A method of recognizing motion of an object may include periodically obtaining depth data of a first resolution and two-dimensional data of a second resolution with respect to a scene using an image capturing device, wherein the second resolution is higher than the first resolution; determining a motion tracking region by recognizing a target object in the scene based on the depth data, such that the motion tracking region corresponds to a portion of a frame and the portion includes the target object; periodically obtaining tracking region data of the second resolution corresponding to the motion tracking region; and/or analyzing the motion of the target object based on the tracking region data.

Abstract: Disclosed are a sensing pixel and an image sensor including the same. The sensing pixel includes a determination region, which includes one or more floating body transistors, and an integration region that is adjacent to a floating body region of one of the one or more floating body transistors, absorbs light to generate an electron-hole pair including an electron and a positive hole, and transfers the electron or the positive hole to the floating body region of the one floating body transistor.