Special Photocell Patents (Class 250/214.1)
  • Patent number: 12224295
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an image sensor includes forming a first dopant region having a second conductivity type in a semiconductor substrate including first and second surfaces. The semiconductor substrate has a first conductivity type different from the second conductivity type. The method further includes forming a pixel isolation structure defining pixel regions in the semiconductor substrate, forming a vertical trench by patterning the first surface in each of the pixel regions, forming a mask pattern exposing each of the pixel regions on the first surface, in which the mask pattern includes a residual mask pattern filling at least a portion of the vertical trench, forming a second dopant region having the second conductivity type in the semiconductor substrate by using the mask pattern as an ion-implantation mask, in which the second dopant region is adjacent to the vertical trench, and forming a transfer gate electrode in the vertical trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hakyu Choi, Yongsuk Choi, Keo-Sung Park, Dongwook Won
  • Patent number: 12170855
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a pulse shaping circuit that shapes an output from a diode of avalanche amplification type into a pulse, and a pulse conversion circuit that converts a pulse signal output from the pulse shaping circuit. The pulse conversion circuit converts a pulse signal having a first amplitude and output from the pulse shaping circuit into a pulse signal having a second amplitude smaller than the first amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kuroda
  • Patent number: 12153065
    Abstract: Sensing devices are described. A sensing device includes an inertial sensor, a read-out circuit configured to determine first data indicative of an acceleration of the structure using an output of the inertial sensor, an energy harvester configured to capture energy, and a power management unit. The power management unit comprises a plurality of energy storage components coupled to the energy harvester and a plurality of switches coupled to respective energy storage components of the plurality of energy storage components. The power management unit monitors energy levels stored in the energy storage components, selectively charges the plurality of energy storage components by selectively activating the plurality of switches, and provides power to one or more of the inertial sensor and the read-out circuit based on the monitored energy levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Xin Zhang, Jianglong Zhang, Alan O'Donnell
  • Patent number: 12149847
    Abstract: Correlated double sampling column-level readout of an image sensor pixel (e.g., a CMOS image sensor) may be provided by a charge transfer amplifier that is configured and operated to itself provide for both correlated-double-sampling and amplification of floating diffusion potentials read out from the pixel onto a column bus after reset of the floating diffusion (i) but before transferring photocharge to the floating diffusion (the reset potential) and (ii) after transferring photocharge to the floating diffusion (the transfer potential). A common capacitor of the charge transfer amplifier may sample both the reset potential and the transfer potential such that a change in potential (and corresponding charge change) on the capacitor represents the difference between the transfer potential and reset potential, and the magnitude of this change is amplified by the charge change being transferred between the common capacitor and a second capacitor selectively coupled to the common capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: Gigajot Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jiaju Ma, Saleh Masoodian
  • Patent number: 12140416
    Abstract: An optical sensor system comprises an array of optical sensors arranged on an integrated circuit and a plurality of filters with the bottom surface of the plurality of filters located above the top surface of the array of optical sensors. The optical sensor system further comprises an angle-of-incidence layer that includes a top surface, a bottom surface, and a thickness Y, where the bottom surface of the angle-of-incidence layer is located a predetermined distance X from the top surface of the plurality of filters and the angle-of-incidence layer includes a plurality of collimating elements, with each collimating element of the angle-of-incidence layer having an aperture width Z.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: Spectricity
    Inventors: Jonathan Borremans, Maarten De Bock, Ruben Lieten
  • Patent number: 12123777
    Abstract: A method of determining the contributions of multiple incident photons to an output of a sensor, including providing a photonic sensor having a sensor input and capable of generating an electrical signal proportional to a number of photons interacting with the photonic sensor input as a function of time, calibrating the photonic sensor such that a response of the photonic sensor to a single photon detected is in a waveform having an amplitude and a time, wherein the product of the amplitude and the time is statistically bounded, determining a probabilistic boundary between one or more of electrical, optical, and thermal sources of noise of the sensor, acquiring a response wave form from the photonic sensor through analog-to-digital conversion with a resolution in amplitude and time corresponding to accuracy required in quantifying the response wave form, storing each acquired response wave form, individually, in a format selected from the group consisting of real-time and buffered packets in digital form, and
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: Joseph Sinfield, Yu-Chung Lin
  • Patent number: 12123952
    Abstract: A time-of-flight (TOF) sensing system may include an illumination module and a sensor module. The illumination module may emit light having a reduced illumination duty cycle such as a high peak power and low width illumination pulse. The emitted light may reflect off of one or more objects as reflected light. The sensor module may include pixels operable based on a sensor modulation signal to generated image charge portions in response to the reflected light. The sensor modulation signal may be selectively suppressed after a period of time corresponding to a distance of interest. Processing circuitry in the TOF sensing system may obtain TOF information based on a phase difference between the emitted light and the image charge portions determined by cross-correlation data. By using the illumination pulse and the selective sensor modulation suppression, TOF sensing may exhibit reduced aliasing issues and improved ambient light rejection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Erez Tadmor
  • Patent number: 12120794
    Abstract: A lighting arrangement has a lighting module with a sensor element in parallel with a light source arrangement between module terminals. A measuring system is provided for measuring, at the module terminals, a signal which is dependent on the sensor element when the light source arrangement is turned off. Thus, sensing is integrated into or connected to a lighting module, such as LED module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: SIGNIFY HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Theodorus Johannes Petrus Van Den Biggelaar, Anteneh Alemu Abbo, Marco Haverlag, Bernardus Johannes Pronk, Matthias Wendt
  • Patent number: 12119955
    Abstract: In a method for operating a household appliance, a communications connection is established between an external operating facility and the household appliance. An application is executed on the external operating facility and configured so as to receive data from and/or to transmit data to the household appliance via the communications connection. An interaction of a user with the application of the external operating facility is detected and the communications connection between the external operating facility and the household appliance is terminated in dependence upon an expiration of a predetermined time interval since a last detected interaction of the user with the application of the external operating facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: BSH Hausgeräte GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus-Martin Forst, Sebastian Wagner
  • Patent number: 12117338
    Abstract: A terminal device with an ambient light detection function and an ambient light detection method are provided. The terminal device includes at least two photosensitive units arranged at a short distance, and the at least two photosensitive units are located in a slit area formed by a middle frame and a side wall of a display screen. Transparent black ink and opaque ink are respectively deployed in vertical projection areas of photosensitive areas of the at least two photosensitive units on cover glass, resulting in asymmetry in external ambient light energy sensed by the at least two photosensitive units. A processor performs differential calculation based on light energy sensed by the two photosensitive units by using a particular method, removes the impact of the light leakage generated by the display screen, and obtains brightness of peripheral real ambient light, to adjust brightness of the display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: HONOR DEVICE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chenlong Li
  • Patent number: 12107178
    Abstract: A sensor device provided in the disclosure includes a sensor substrate, a first transparent layer, a collimator layer, and a lens. The first transparent layer is disposed on the sensor substrate, wherein the first transparent layer defines an alignment structure. The collimator layer is disposed on the first transparent layer. The lens is disposed on the collimator layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: HIMAX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Yu-Jui Hsieh, Po-Nan Chen, Ya-Jing Yang
  • Patent number: 12088940
    Abstract: An image sensor includes a photosensitive sensor, a floating diffusion node, a reset transistor, and a source follower transistor. The reset transistor comprises a first source/drain coupled to the floating diffusion node and a second source/drain coupled to a first voltage source. The source follower transistor comprises a gate coupled to the floating diffusion node and a first source/drain coupled to the second source/drain of the reset transistor. A first elongated contact contacts the second source/drain of the reset transistor and the first source/drain of the source follower transistor. The first elongated contact has a first dimension in a horizontal cross-section and a second dimension in the horizontal cross-section. The second dimension is perpendicular to the first dimension, and the second dimension is less than the first dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventors: Yun-Wei Cheng, Chia Chun-Wei, Chun-Hao Chou, Kuo-Cheng Lee
  • Patent number: 12080747
    Abstract: The solid-state imaging apparatus (1) according to the present disclosure includes a semiconductor layer (51), a light shield wall (60b), and an insulation layer. The semiconductor layer (51) is provided with a plurality of photoelectric conversion units and a plurality of charge retention units that retain charge generated by the photoelectric conversion units (26). The light shield wall (60b) is provided inside a trench (51a) formed in a depth direction from a light-incident side between the photoelectric conversion units and the charge retention units (26) adjacent to each other in the semiconductor layer (51). The insulation layer is provided on a side of the semiconductor layer (51) opposite from the light-incident side, and having an opening (53a) that surrounds the trench (51a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirohisa Uchida, Shinichiro Noudo, Tooru Idekoba
  • Patent number: 12034005
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes forming an interfacial layer surrounding at least one channel stack, forming a high-k dielectric layer surrounding the interfacial layer, and forming a metal gate layer surrounding the high-k dielectric layer. The method also includes forming a silicon layer over the metal gate layer and forming at least one additional metal layer over the silicon layer. The method further includes performing silicidation to transform at least a portion of the at least one additional metal layer and at least a portion of the silicon layer into a silicide layer. The metal gate layer, the silicon layer and the silicide layer form at least one gate electrode for a vertical transport field-effect transistor (VTFET).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brent A. Anderson, Ruqiang Bao, Dechao Guo, Vijay Narayanan
  • Patent number: 12002836
    Abstract: An imager having a pixel cell having an associated strained silicon layer. The strained silicon layer increases charge transfer efficiency, decreases image lag, and improves blue response in imaging devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Chandra Mouli
  • Patent number: 11988554
    Abstract: A method of resolving a number of photons received by a photon detector includes optically coupling a waveguide to a superconducting wire having alternating narrow and wide portions; electrically coupling the superconducting wire to a current source; and electrically coupling an electrical contact in parallel with the superconducting wire. The electrical contact has a resistance less than a resistance of the superconducting wire while at least one narrow portion of the superconducting wire is in a non-superconducting state. The method includes providing to the superconducting wire, from the current source, a current configured to maintain the superconducting wire in a superconducting state in the absence of incident photons; receiving one or more photons via the waveguide; measuring an electrical property of the superconducting wire, proportional to a number of photons incident on the superconducting wire; and determining the number of received photons based on the electrical property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: PSIQUANTUM CORP.
    Inventors: Faraz Najafi, Eric Dudley, Mark Thompson
  • Patent number: 11948911
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor packaging method and a semiconductor package device. The semiconductor packaging method includes providing a chip, where the chip includes a chip substrate having a front surface and a back surface, where the front surface includes a photosensitive region; soldering pads disposed at the front surface of the chip substrate surrounding the photosensitive region; a metal part formed on a side of each soldering pad facing away from the chip substrate; and a transparent protective layer formed on the front surface of the chip substrate, where a first end of the metal part is exposed by protruding over a surface of the transparent protective layer. The method further includes electrically connecting the first end of the metal part to a circuit board using a conductive connection part, such that the chip is electrically connected to the circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: TONGFU MICROELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Guoqing Yu
  • Patent number: 11933639
    Abstract: A sensor and a sensing system includes a chain of sensors, wherein each sensor comprises an input control port, an output control port, a power interface and an output interface, and is configured such that, when the sensor is powered over the power interface, an enable signal at the input control port triggers the sensor for executing a sequence which comprises measuring a physical property, and subsequently transmitting an enable signal over the output control port. The output control port of an earlier sensor is connected with the input control port of a next sensor. A first sensor is configured for repeating the sequence with a predefined period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: MELEXIS BULGARIA EOOD
    Inventors: Tsvetan Marinov, Rumen Peev
  • Patent number: 11937004
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a photodiode, a generation circuit, a first control circuit, and a second control circuit. The photodiode is configured to perform avalanche multiplication. The generation circuit is configured to generate a control signal. The first control circuit is configured to be controlled by the control signal to be in a standby state where the avalanche multiplication by the photodiode is possible and in a recharging state for returning the photodiode having performed the avalanche multiplication to the standby state. The second control circuit is configured to count a number of periods in which the avalanche multiplication has occurred among a plurality of periods of the standby state by using the control signal and a signal corresponding to an output of the photodiode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Morimoto
  • Patent number: 11930285
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image sensing device including a plurality of selectors suitable for generating a plurality of selected pixel signals corresponding to one of a plurality of pixel signals; a plurality of signal converters suitable for: setting a plurality of initial voltages which are different from one another, on the basis of a plurality of initialization signals during an initialization period, and generating a plurality of converted pixel signals to which the plurality of initial voltages are respectively reflected, on the basis of the plurality of selected pixel signals and a ramp signal during a readout period; and a calculation circuit suitable for averaging the plurality of converted pixel signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Hajime Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11921943
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a display device includes a substrate including a display area and a non-display area, an organic light emitting diode disposed on the substrate, an encapsulation layer disposed on the organic light emitting diode, a touch sensing unit disposed on the encapsulation layer in the display area, a plurality of touch pads disposed in the non-display area, a plurality of touch link lines disposed in the non-display area and each electrically connecting the touch sensing unit and any one of the plurality of touch pads, and an electrostatic discharge circuit disposed in the non-display area and connected to the plurality of touch link lines. In this case, since the electrostatic discharge circuit is connected to the plurality of touch link lines, static electricity accumulated in the touch sensing unit is easily discharged to the outside, thereby suppressing electrostatic defects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: LG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: HyunSeok Hong, DongHun Jung
  • Patent number: 11881492
    Abstract: Transistor structures for a transistor may include a first source-drain region, a second source-drain region, and a channel region between the first and second source-drain regions overlapped by a gate structure. Transistor structures may be formed in a well of a first doping type. Isolation structures having the first doping type may be formed within the well. A lightly doped implant region of a second doping type for each of the source-drain regions may be formed within the well and separated from the isolation structures. A heavily doped surface implant region of the first doping type may extend across the surface of the well and cover the lightly doped implant region of each source-drain region. The surface implant region may be formed by patterning or by a blanket implantation process across the transistor structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Michael Guidash, Muhammad Maksudur Rahman
  • Patent number: 11861099
    Abstract: A light emitting display apparatus can include a substrate including a display area, and a non-display area outside of the display area; a power supply wiring part disposed in the non-display area; a first power supply wiring disposed in the power supply wiring part; a second power supply wiring disposed on the first power supply wiring; and a third power supply wiring electrically connected to the second power supply wiring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: LG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: HyoYoung Jun
  • Patent number: 11856306
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a pulse shaping circuit that shapes an output from a diode of avalanche amplification type into a pulse, and a pulse conversion circuit that converts a pulse signal output from the pulse shaping circuit. The pulse conversion circuit converts a pulse signal having a first amplitude and output from the pulse shaping circuit into a pulse signal having a second amplitude smaller than the first amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kuroda
  • Patent number: 11854297
    Abstract: Sensing pixels each store a sensing voltage level. A method for driving the plurality of sensing pixels includes providing a plurality of readout scan signals to the plurality of sensing pixels, and providing a plurality of reset scan signals to the plurality of sensing pixels. One of the plurality of readout scan signals enables one of the plurality of sensing pixels to output the sensing voltage level stored in the one of the plurality of sensing pixels. One of plurality of reset scan signals resets the sensing voltage level stored in one of the plurality of sensing pixels. An nth reset scan signal of the plurality of reset scan signals is started behind an nth readout scan signal of the plurality of readout scan signals in time domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: InnoLux Corporation
    Inventors: Chien-Chih Liao, Hsing-Yuan Hsu, Po-Yang Chen, I-An Yao
  • Patent number: 11812178
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a pixel, an amplifier circuit, a voltage output circuit, and a setting circuit. The setting circuit sets the signal level of a predetermined signal used to acquire a correction value in accordance with an amplification factor set by an amplifier circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Fukuhara, Takanori Yamashita
  • Patent number: 11802981
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a radiation detector includes: forming a substrate in which a flexible base material is provided via a peeling layer on a support body and plural pixels that accumulate electric charges generated in response to light converted from radiation are provided in a pixel region of the base material; forming a conversion layer for converting the radiation into light on a surface of the base material; providing a first reinforcing substrate on a surface of the conversion layer opposite to a surface on the substrate side; peeling the substrate provided with the conversion layer and the first reinforcing substrate from the support body; providing a second reinforcing substrate on a surface of the substrate peeled from the support body; and peeling the first reinforcing substrate from the substrate provided with the conversion layer after providing the second reinforcing substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinichi Ushikura, Munetaka Kato, Keiichi Akamatsu, Haruyasu Nakatsugawa
  • Patent number: 11757054
    Abstract: An integrated optical sensor is formed by a pinned photodiode. A semiconductor substrate includes a first semiconductor region having a first type of conductivity located between a second semiconductor region having a second type of conductivity opposite to the first type one and a third semiconductor region having the second type of conductivity. The third semiconductor region is thicker, less doped and located deeper in the substrate than the second semiconductor region. The third semiconductor region includes both silicon and germanium. In one implementation, the germanium within the third semiconductor region has at least one concentration gradient. In another implementation, the germanium concentration within the third semiconductor region is substantially constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS
    Inventor: Didier Dutartre
  • Patent number: 11716151
    Abstract: A method for routing in a quantum network is provided. The method may include receiving parameters including a fidelity with coherence decay time and an entanglement generation rate for each quantum node in a mesh quantum network by a controller, the controller being configured to communicate with each quantum node of a plurality of quantum nodes in the mesh quantum network. Each quantum node includes a quantum memory and a processor. The method may also include analyzing the fidelity with coherence decay time and the entanglement generation rate to yield a determination of a path fidelity with a path coherence decay time and a path entanglement generation rate between at least one pair of quantum nodes. The method may further include, based on the determination, selecting a quantum communication path from a source node to a destination node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Luca Della Chiesa, Louis Gwyn Samuel, Paul Polakos, Scott Fluhrer, Santanu Ganguly
  • Patent number: 11699712
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: a first lens layer; and a second lens layer, wherein the second lens layer is formed at least at a periphery of each first microlens formed based on the first lens layer, and the second lens layer present at a central portion of each of the first microlenses is thinner than the second lens layer present at the periphery of the first microlens or no second lens layer is present at the central portion of each of the first microlenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Ootsuka, Tomoyuki Yamashita, Kiyotaka Tabuchi, Yoshinori Toumiya, Akiko Ogino
  • Patent number: 11696382
    Abstract: A visible light sensor may be configured to sense environmental characteristics of a space using an image of the space. The visible light sensor may be controlled in one or more modes, including a daylight glare sensor mode, a daylighting sensor mode, a color sensor mode, and/or an occupancy/vacancy sensor mode. In the daylight glare sensor mode, the visible light sensor may be configured to decrease or eliminate glare within a space. In the daylighting sensor mode and the color sensor mode, the visible light sensor may be configured to provide a preferred amount of light and color temperature, respectively, within the space. In the occupancy/vacancy sensor mode, the visible light sensor may be configured to detect an occupancy/vacancy condition within the space and adjust one or more control devices according to the occupation or vacancy of the space. The visible light sensor may be configured to protect the privacy of users within the space via software, a removable module, and/or a special sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Craig Alan Casey, Brent Protzman, James P. Steiner
  • Patent number: 11690159
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system for generating EUV radiation in which current flowing through target material in the orifice 320 of a nozzle in a droplet generator is controlled by providing alternate lower impedance paths for the current and/or by limiting a high frequency component of a drive signal applied to the droplet generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Bob Rollinger, Georgiy Olegovich Vaschenko, Chirag Rajyaguru, Alexander Igorevich Ershov, Joshua Mark Lukens, Mathew Cheeran Abraham
  • Patent number: 11676552
    Abstract: A display panel and an electronic device are disclosed. The display panel includes a display area and a functional area. The functional area includes a first switch transistor, a second switch transistor, a sensing transistor, and a sensing capacitor. Specifically, an upper plate of the sensing capacitor is a transparent plate. The functional area can also serve a displaying function while performing color temperature sensing, gas sensing, or laser sensing, which increases an aperture ratio and transmittance of the display panel, so that an overall visual effect of the display panel is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS SEMICONDUCTOR DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Haijun Wang
  • Patent number: 11662328
    Abstract: A capacitive sensor includes a sensing electrode, a first electrode pad, a substrate, and a second electrode pad. The sensing electrode outputs a signal corresponding to a capacitance between the sensing electrode and a detection target. The first electrode pad is coupled to the sensing electrode. The substrate includes a substrate surface portion and a step portion. On the substrate surface portion are the sensing electrode and the first electrode pad mounted. The step portion is provided at a position in the substrate lower than the substrate surface portion. The second electrode pad is mounted on the step portion and coupled to an external line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignees: OHT Inc., TOHOKU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Toshiro Yasuda, Kazutoshi Kamibayashi, Shigetoshi Sugawa, Rihito Kuroda, Tetsuya Goto
  • Patent number: 11658257
    Abstract: A light source assembly includes a plurality of cells and a driving circuit. Each of the cells includes a transistor and a light source. The transistor includes a drain region that serves as a cathode of the light source. The driving circuit is configured to drive the cell. An optical sensor cell and a method for manufacturing thereof are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: HARVATEK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mam-Tsung Wang, Shyi-Ming Pan, Ping-Lung Wang
  • Patent number: 11644539
    Abstract: Light signals are converted into first electric signals by a first group of light-receiving elements, and the light signals are additionally converted into second electrical signals by a second group of light-receiving elements. The second group has a lower degree of sensitivity for converting the photons into an electric current than the first group. The first electric signals are used to ascertain the distance to an object by means of a time-correlated photon counting process depending on a starting time for the emission of the light signals. Furthermore, the second electric signals are used to determine the distance depending on the starting time but using a second signal processing different from the process used for the first electric signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Microvision, Inc.
    Inventors: Ralf Beuschel, Michael Kiehn, Michael Köhler
  • Patent number: 11621289
    Abstract: An image sensor has a photocathode window assembly, an anode assembly, and a malleable metal seal. The photocathode window assembly has a photocathode layer. The anode assembly includes a silicon substrate that has an electron sensitive surface. The malleable metal seal bonds the photocathode window assembly and the silicon substrate to each other. A vacuum gap separates the photocathode layer from the electron sensitive surface. A first electrical connection and a second electrical connection are for a voltage bias of the photocathode layer relative to the electron sensitive surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: EOTech, LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth Costello, Kevin Roderick, Verle Aebi
  • Patent number: 11609366
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a flexible substrate, a method of manufacturing the same, and a display device. The flexible substrate includes a plurality of substrate structure layers that are superimposed, and at least one of the plurality of substrate structure layers includes an organic layer, an inorganic layer and a photonic crystal layer that are superimposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignees: CHENGDU BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Zhuolin Jiang
  • Patent number: 11587962
    Abstract: An imaging system includes a light sensor, a pulse detection imaging (PDI) circuit, and an image processing unit. The light sensor generates one or both of an image signal and a pulse signal. The pulse PDI circuit includes a first terminal in signal communication with the light sensor to receive one or both of the image signal and the pulse signal and a second terminal in signal communication with a voltage source. The image processing unit is in signal communication with the PDI circuit to receive one or both of the image signal and the pulse signal and to simultaneously perform imagery and pulse detection based on the image signal and the pulse signal, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: RAYTHEON COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael J. Batinica, Christian M. Boemler, Paul Bryant
  • Patent number: 11576250
    Abstract: Some implementations described herein provide techniques and apparatuses for an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation source that includes a backsplash-prevention system to reduce, minimize, and/or prevent the formation of tin (Sn) build-up in a tunnel structure of a collector flow ring that might otherwise be caused by the accumulation of Sn satellites. This reduces backsplash of Sn onto a collector of the EUV radiation source, increases the operational life of the collector (e.g., by increasing the time duration between cleaning and/or replacement of the collector), reduces downtime of the EUV radiation source, and/or enables the performance of the EUV radiation source to be sustained for longer time durations (e.g., by reducing, minimizing, and/or preventing the rate of Sn contamination of the collector), among other examples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Cheng-Hao Lai, Ming-Hsun Tsai, Hsin-Feng Chen, Wei-Shin Cheng, Yu-Kuang Sun, Cheng-Hsuan Wu, Shang-Chieh Chien, Li-Jui Chen, Heng-Hsin Liu
  • Patent number: 11569406
    Abstract: A PIN device includes: a first doped layer, a second doped layer, and an intrinsic layer between the first doped layer and the second doped layer, where the second doped layer includes a body portion and an electric field isolating portion at least partially enclosing the body portion; and the electric field isolating portion is doped differently from the body portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Guoqiang Wang, Jiushi Wang, Qingzhao Liu
  • Patent number: 11564297
    Abstract: System and method for current control. As an example, the system for current control includes: a transistor including a drain terminal, a gate terminal, and a source terminal, the drain terminal being coupled to one or more light emitting diodes; a resistor coupled to the source terminal of the transistor and configured to generate a resistor voltage related to a current flowing through the one or more emitting diodes; a voltage detector configured to receiver a first input voltage related to a second input voltage received by the one or more light emitting diodes; and a voltage controller coupled to the voltage detector, the resistor, and the gate terminal of the transistor; wherein the voltage detector is further configured to: detect the first input voltage; and generate a control signal based at least in part on the first input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: On-Bright Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Liqiang Zhu, Zhuoyan Li, Jiqing Yang
  • Patent number: 11522542
    Abstract: A high-voltage switch is adapted for use as a medium-voltage direct current circuit breaker, which provides a low-cost, small-footprint device to mitigate system faults. In one example, a method for operating a wideband optical device includes illuminating the wide bandgap optical device with a light within a first range of wavelengths and a first average intensity, allowing a current to propagate therethrough without substantial absorption of the current, illuminating the wide bandgap optical device with light within the first range of wavelengths and a second average intensity that is lower than the first average intensity to allow a sustained current flow though the wide bandgap optical device, and illuminating the wide bandgap optical device with light within a second range of wavelengths to stop or substantially restrict propagation of the current through the wide gap material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC
    Inventors: Lars F. Voss, Adam M. Conway
  • Patent number: 11493382
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing invisible sensor aperture for electronic devices. In one embodiment, an example device may have a display that includes a cover layer, a first layer disposed on the cover layer, the first layer having a substantially white ink that is translucent, a second layer disposed on the first layer, the second layer having the substantially white ink, a third layer disposed on the second layer, the third layer having the substantially white ink, and a fourth layer comprising a dark-colored ink, wherein the fourth layer includes a first aperture aligned with a sensor of the device located beneath the fourth layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Angeles Marcia Almanza-Workman, Ruomeng Yu, Ever Edgardo Lopez, Seokchan Hong
  • Patent number: 11482556
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards an image sensor. The image sensor includes a first semiconductor substrate having a photodetector and a floating diffusion node. A transfer gate is disposed over the first semiconductor substrate, where the transfer gate is at least partially disposed between opposite sides of the photodetector. A second semiconductor substrate is vertically spaced from the first semiconductor substrate, where the second semiconductor substrate comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. A readout transistor is disposed on the second semiconductor substrate, where the second surface is disposed between the transfer gate and a gate of the readout transistor. A first conductive contact is electrically coupled to the transfer gate and extending vertically from the transfer gate through both the first surface and the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji Takahashi, Jhy-Jyi Sze
  • Patent number: 11430400
    Abstract: The present application discloses a display panel, a driving method and a display device. The display panel includes: a substrate, where the substrate is provided thereon with a plurality of data lines, a plurality of gate lines, and a plurality of pixels; each row of pixels includes a plurality of pixel groups, and each pixel group includes a first column of pixels and a second column of pixels; and a timing control chip configured to control the turn-on time of gate activating signals of the first column of pixels and the second column of pixels. The turn-on time of the gate activating signal of the first column of pixels is greater than the turn-on time of the gate activating signal of the corresponding second column of pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: HKC CORPORATION LIMITED
    Inventor: Chuan Wu
  • Patent number: 11418743
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a pulse shaping circuit that shapes an output from a diode of avalanche amplification type into a pulse, and a pulse conversion circuit that converts a pulse signal output from the pulse shaping circuit. The pulse conversion circuit converts a pulse signal having a first amplitude and output from the pulse shaping circuit into a pulse signal having a second amplitude smaller than the first amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kuroda
  • Patent number: 11418686
    Abstract: An imaging module includes: a substrate on which an imaging element is mounted and in which a through-hole is formed; a holding section that has a support pin inserted into the through-hole in such a manner that the support pin penetrates the through-hole and that holds an optical system forming a subject image on the imaging element; and an adhesive that is provided in the through-hole and that fixes the substrate to the support pin, and at least a tip end portion of the support pin has a tapered shape from a root side of the support pin toward a tip end of the support pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Masayuki Okamura, Akihiro Yamaguchi, Chiemi Kubota, Hidenori Shinohara, Kenichi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 11412590
    Abstract: A single photon avalanche diode based range detecting apparatus includes a reference array of single photon avalanche diodes configured to receive light from an illumination source via an internally coupled path. A return array of single photon avalanche diodes is configured to receive light from the illumination source via an external free space path. A calibration pulse generator is configured to generate a calibration signal pulse. Readout circuitry is configured to receive an output of the reference array via a reference signal path, an output of the return array via a return signal path, and an output of the calibration pulse generator via a calibration signal path. The readout circuitry is configured to determine a delay difference value between the reference signal path and the return signal path based on the output of the calibration pulse generator via the calibration signal path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITED
    Inventors: John Kevin Moore, Caixin Zhuang
  • Patent number: 11411036
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a first substrate including a first semiconductor substrate and a first multi-layered wiring layer stacked on the first semiconductor substrate, a second substrate including a second semiconductor substrate and a second multi-layered wiring layer stacked on the second semiconductor substrate, a third substrate including a third semiconductor substrate and a third multi-layered wiring layer stacked on the third semiconductor substrate, and a first coupling structure for electrically coupling the first substrate and the second substrate. The first substrate, the second substrate, and the third substrate are stacked in this order. The first substrate and the second substrate are bonded together such that the first multi-layered wiring layer and the second multi-layered wiring layer are opposed to each other. The first substrate excludes a coupling structure formed from the first substrate as a base over bonding surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takatoshi Kameshima, Hideto Hashiguchi, Ikue Mitsuhashi, Hiroshi Horikoshi, Reijiroh Shohji, Minoru Ishida, Tadashi Iijima, Masaki Haneda