Charges Transferred To Opposed Registers Patents (Class 348/316)
  • Patent number: 11196953
    Abstract: A method is described that includes, on an image processor having a two dimensional execution lane array and a two dimensional shift register array, repeatedly shifting first content of multiple rows or columns of the two dimensional shift register array and repeatedly executing at least one instruction between shifts that operates on the shifted first content and/or second content that is resident in respective locations of the two dimensional shift register array that the shifted first content has been shifted into.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Albert Meixner, Daniel Frederic Finchelstein, David Patterson, William R. Mark, Jason Rupert Redgrave, Ofer Shacham
  • Patent number: 11029908
    Abstract: A head mounted display (HMD) apparatus is provided. The HMD apparatus includes a first lens, a second lens, a first micro-display disposed on the first lens, a second micro-display disposed on the second lens, a first light source, a second light source, and an eyeglass frame. A first side of the first micro-display corresponding to a first rubbing alignment processing direction and a first side of the second micro-display corresponding to a second rubbing alignment processing direction are symmetric with respect to a center line of the eyeglass frame between the first lens and the second lens. A first incident light emitted by the first light source is obliquely emitted from the first side of the first micro-display toward the first micro-display and a second incident light emitted by the second light source is obliquely emitted from the first side of the second micro-display toward the second micro-display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Himax Display, Inc.
    Inventors: Chi-Wen Lin, Wen-Hsu Chen, Yuet-Wing Li, Kuan-Hsu Fan Chiang
  • Patent number: 10972690
    Abstract: The disclosure extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for producing an image in light deficient environments having cancelled fixed pattern noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: DePuy Synthes Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Laurent Blanquart, John Richardson
  • Patent number: 10531030
    Abstract: A method is described that includes, on an image processor having a two dimensional execution lane array and a two dimensional shift register array, repeatedly shifting first content of multiple rows or columns of the two dimensional shift register array and repeatedly executing at least one instruction between shifts that operates on the shifted first content and/or second content that is resident in respective locations of the two dimensional shift register array that the shifted first content has been shifted into.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Albert Meixner, Daniel Frederic Finchelstein, David Patterson, William R. Mark, Jason Rupert Redgrave, Ofer Shacham
  • Patent number: 10341593
    Abstract: The disclosure extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for producing an image in light deficient environments having cancelled fixed pattern noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: DePuy Synthes Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Laurent Blanquart, John Richardson
  • Patent number: 10136086
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus, including: a pixel array in which a first row group is to be read in a first mode for reading a signal corresponding to combined electric charges that are obtained by combining electric charges generated by the plurality of photoelectric converters, and a second row group is to be read in a second mode for reading a signal corresponding to electric charges that are generated by any one of the plurality of photoelectric converters; a correction value generating unit configured to generate a first and a second correction value for correcting a signal that is read in the first and the second mode, respectively, a correction unit configured to correct, by using the first correction value, the signal that is read in the first mode, and to correct, by using the second correction value, the signal that is read in the second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideki Ikedo
  • Patent number: 9299860
    Abstract: A solid state imaging device 1 is provided with a photoelectric conversion portion 2 having photosensitive regions 13, and a potential gradient forming portion 3 arranged opposite to the photosensitive regions 13. A planar shape of each photosensitive region 13 is a substantially rectangular shape composed of two long sides and two short sides. The photosensitive regions 13 are juxtaposed in a first direction intersecting with the long sides. The potential gradient forming portion 3 has a first potential gradient forming region to form a potential gradient becoming lower along a second direction from one of the short sides to the other of the short sides, and a second potential gradient forming region to form a potential gradient becoming higher along the second direction. The second potential gradient forming region is arranged next to the first potential gradient forming region in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Ikeya, Yasuhito Yoneta, Hisanori Suzuki, Masaharu Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 9225916
    Abstract: A method is provided in one example and includes receiving image data for a field of view associated with a display. The image data is used to generate a plurality of red green blue (RGB) frames. The method also includes emitting infrared energy onto the field of view in order to generate a plurality of infrared frames, the plurality of RGB frames and the plurality of infrared frames are generated by a single camera. The plurality of RGB frames can be combined with the plurality of infrared frames in order to generate a video data stream. In a more particular embodiment, the emitting of the infrared energy is synchronized with the camera such that the infrared energy is emitted onto the field of view at one half of an existing frame rate of the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph T. Friel, J. William Mauchly, Dihong Tian
  • Patent number: 9160950
    Abstract: Provided is an image capturing apparatus for capturing an image of a target object by optically scanning the target object by moving in a predetermined scanning direction. The apparatus includes light-receiving devices that are arranged on a light-receiving surface of the image capturing apparatus in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction, where each light-receiving device accumulates an electric charge according to an amount of light received from the target object; and an output device that outputs the electric charge accumulated by each light-receiving device regularly at a predetermined output period which is determined in a manner such that the larger the length in the scanning direction of a light-receiving range for the target object by the light-receiving device, the longer the output period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: NEC TOSHIBA SPACE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhide Noguchi, Takashi Sakashita, Jun Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9036068
    Abstract: An image pickup element includes a plurality of read signal lines; a pixel unit in which a plurality of pixel circuits are arranged in a matrix form, the plurality of pixel circuits in the pixel unit being divided into groups of pixel circuits so that each of the groups is provided in a corresponding one of columns, each of the groups of pixel circuits being connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of read signal lines; and a processing unit configured to process read signals that the plurality of pixel circuits, which are divided into groups, output to the plurality of read signal lines, which are connected to the plurality of pixel circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takamasa Wada, Takayuki Toyama, Tomonori Mori
  • Publication number: 20140320721
    Abstract: A detector for determining the location of a pulsed laser spot reflected from a scene, which comprises a CCD sensor for imaging the scene comprising an array of pixels arranged in rows (R1, R2, R3) and columns (C1, C2, C3), a serial read-out register arrangement (not shown), and charge transfer electrodes (Ø1H, Ø1V, Ø2) capable of transferring signal charge in at least two adjacent pixels to read-out register arrangement locations representative of the row location of at least one of the adjacent pixels and the column location of at least one other of the adjacent pixels. The charge transfer electrodes are two phase, but three or more phase arrangements are also possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventors: Raymond Thomas Bell, Kevin Anthony Derek Hadfield
  • Patent number: 8760529
    Abstract: In an embodiment, an image sensor includes pixels arranged in columns and rows, read signal lines connected to pixels arranged in the row direction. Each pixel is read in either a first exposure time or in a second exposure time shorter than the first exposure time. Each of a first type of read signal lines is connected to a group of pixels associated with the first exposure time, and each of a second type of read signal lines is connected to a group of pixels associated with the second exposure time. In two vertically adjacent horizontal pixel lines, the first type of read signal line is shared by two horizontally adjacent pixels associated with the first exposure time, and the second type of read signal line is shared by two horizontally adjacent pixels associated with the second exposure time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Okada, Hiroyoshi Komobuchi, Takeo Azuma, Taro Imagawa, Sanzo Ugawa
  • Patent number: 8730382
    Abstract: Charge generated in a photodiode is properly split for difference processing. An imaging element is constituted by a semiconductor such that a charge accumulation portion is connected to a light receiving portion using a buried photodiode and charge is split from the charge accumulation portion by a plurality of gates and is accumulated. An imaging device includes a control device performing control so as to accumulate charge that is generated by a photoelectric conversion at an exposure cycle synchronous with the light emission of a light source. The exposure cycle includes a first period for receiving reflection light from a subject illuminated by light from the light source and a second period for receiving light from the subject illuminated by an environmental light not including the light from the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Shizuoka University
    Inventors: Chiaki Aoyama, Shoji Kawahito
  • Patent number: 8576319
    Abstract: An image sensor and an image sensing method can obtain image signals with a high S/N ratio in a high-speed image pickup operation. Signal charges are input to input transfer stage 31 of CCD memory 30. Final transfer stage 32 is formed so as to be connected to the input transfer stage 31 and able to transfer signal charges to the input transfer stage 31. In an accumulation mode, read gate 42 and drain gate 40 are not turned on and the next transfer operation of the CCD memory 30 is conducted. The accumulated signal charges are transferred on a stage by stage basis and the signal charges obtained at the first image pickup timing are transferred again straightly to the input transfer stage 31. In this state, the signal charges obtained newly at photoelectric conversion section 20 at the next image pickup timing are injected into the input transfer stage 31 by way of input gate 21.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignees: Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Kinki University
    Inventors: Masatoshi Kureta, Masatoshi Arai, Takeharu Etoh, Konoe Etoh, Toshiaki Akino
  • Patent number: 8564707
    Abstract: A Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) image sensor includes a linear array of photodetectors. The photodetectors in the linear array are arranged into distinct sub-arrays with each sub-array including two or more photodetectors. An output channel is connected to each sub-array of photodetectors. Each output channel includes a horizontal CCD shift register and an output structure connected to an end of the horizontal CCD shift register in a linear arrangement with respect to each other. Each successive output channel is disposed on an alternate side of the linear array. Every other output channel is disposed on an alternate side of the linear array. One or more dark reference pixels can be connected to one or more additional shift register elements in the horizontal CCD shift registers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Truesense Imaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward T. Nelson, Shen Wang
  • Patent number: 8514312
    Abstract: An image sensor includes: a charge generating unit that generates a charge in response to light, and has a potential well that stores the charge; a first charge storage unit the first charge storage unit having a potential well deeper than the potential well of the charge generating unit and storing a charge transferred from the charge generating unit; a first electrode covering an end of the charge generating unit, to which a voltage is applied, to form a gradient of a potential so that a charge stored in the charge generating unit is transferred to the first charge storage unit; and a second electrode covering a part of the charge generating unit, to which a voltage is applied to make a part of the potential well of the charge generating unit shallow, the shallow part corresponding to the part of the charge generating unit covered by the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jiro Matsuda
  • Patent number: 8462242
    Abstract: An image capture device includes a plurality of image capture elements for capturing an object image, a plurality of vertical output lines for reading signals out of the plurality of image capture elements, and a plurality of processing circuits. Each processing circuit includes a first capacitor element having a first electrode connected to one of the plurality of vertical output lines, a differential amplifier having a first input terminal connected to a second electrode of the first capacitor element, a second capacitor element connected between the first input terminal and an output terminal of the differential amplifier, and a first switch configured to control conduction between the first input terminal and the output terminal of the differential amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroki Hiyama, Akira Okita, Hideaki Takada, Katsuhito Sakurai
  • Patent number: 8456551
    Abstract: A photographing apparatus including an imaging device configured to obtain a first image of a subject captured with a long shutter exposure time and a second image of the subject captured by setting a short shutter exposure time, wherein the long exposure time is greater than the short exposure time; and a live-view generation unit configured to generate a smear-corrected third image by subtracting pixel values of the second image from the corresponding pixel values of the first image. A smear correction method of a photographing apparatus, the method including capturing a first image of a subject by setting a long electrical shutter exposure time; capturing a second image of a subject by setting a short electrical shutter exposure time; and generating a smear-corrected third image by subtracting pixel values of the second images from the corresponding pixel values of the first image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Byeong-chan Park, Sang-ryoon Son
  • Patent number: 8446500
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device 1 is provided with a plurality of photoelectric converting portions 3 and first and second shift registers 9, 13. Each photoelectric converting portion 3 has a photosensitive region 15 which generates a charge according to incidence of light and which has a planar shape of a nearly rectangular shape composed of two long sides and two short sides, and a potential gradient forming region 17 which forms a potential gradient increasing along a predetermined direction parallel to the long sides forming the planar shape of the photosensitive region 15, in the photosensitive region, 15. The plurality of photoelectric converting portions 3 are juxtaposed along a direction intersecting with the predetermined direction. The first and second shift registers 9, 13 acquire charges transferred from the respective photoelectric converting portions 3 and transfer them in the direction intersecting with the predetermined direction to output them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
    Inventors: Hisanori Suzuki, Yasuhito Yoneta, Shinya Otsuka, Masaharu Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 8363137
    Abstract: An image sensing apparatus comprising on a single semiconductor substrate: a pixel array; a vertical scanning unit; a horizontal scanning unit; a counter which starts a counting operation to count the number of the clocks before a start of the first period, and stops the counting operation before a start of the second period during the first period; and a generation unit which generates a first control signal for causing the vertical scanning unit to drive a pixel, the generation unit including a signal generation unit which generates a second control signal in accordance with the counted value output from the counter, and a delay unit which delays the second control signal to generate the first control signal and output the first control signal to the vertical scanning unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Sonoda, Shintaro Takenaka, Tomoyuki Noda, Tetsuya Itano
  • Patent number: 8325262
    Abstract: An image sensor and a manufacturing method for an image sensor. An image may include a central pixel array that contains pixels disposed in a center of a pixel area, and a peripheral pixel array that contains pixels disposed in a periphery of the pixel area. A gate oxide layer at a center area of a photodiode may have a smaller thickness than a gate oxide layer of pixels at a center area of the photodiode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Dongbu HiTek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chee-Hong Choi
  • Patent number: 8325647
    Abstract: Each of n signal transition detection sections detects a transition of the signal level of at least one of a first input signal or a second input signal corresponding to the signal transition detection section. A time-division control section outputs a control pulse according to a system clock when a signal transition is detected by at least one of the n signal transition detection sections. Each of n output switching sections outputs either the first or the second input signal corresponding to the output switching section as a multiplexed signal according to the control pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Kawajiri, Norihide Kinugasa, Naohisa Hatani
  • Patent number: 8310568
    Abstract: A clamp control method, a clamp correction device, an image sensor, and an electronic apparatus in which high-quality imaging without unnaturalness as a whole can be performed with low power consumption in an image sensor having a large number of pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Taguchi
  • Patent number: 8253830
    Abstract: A solid-state image device is provided which has a semiconductor substrate, pixels A each containing a photoelectric conversion portion in which at least two PN junction parts are provide in a depth direction of the semiconductor substrate, pixels B each containing a photoelectric conversion portion in which at least one PN junction part is provided, first color filters provided above the pixels A, second color filters provided above the pixels B; and a detection mechanism for detecting a first color signal and a second color signal from the two PN junction parts of each of the pixels A and a third color signal from the PN junction part of each of the pixels B. According to the above solid-state image device, light can be more efficiently used than a color filter separation method, and superior color reproducibility to that of a three-well structure can be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Endo, Hideshi Abe
  • Patent number: 8175408
    Abstract: An image signal processing apparatus for performing signal processing with respect to output from an image pickup device, which includes an image signal correcting unit for receiving an output signal corresponding to each of divided areas of the image pickup device to perform correcting processing. The image signal processing unit includes a calculating unit for calculating a total sum of pixel values of a string of pixels on a boundary between the divided areas, and further calculating a difference between the total sums of pixel values corresponding to the respective divided areas, and a correcting unit for making a comparison between the difference calculated by the calculating unit with a predetermined threshold, and then determining a correction mode of a divided area image based on the result of the comparison, followed by performing pixel value correcting processing with respect to the divided area image according to the determined correction mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Shigeru Hagiwara
  • Publication number: 20120081591
    Abstract: A Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) image sensor includes a linear array of photodetectors. The photodetectors in the linear array are arranged into distinct sub-arrays with each sub-array including two or more photodetectors. An output channel is connected to each sub-array of photodetectors. Each output channel includes a horizontal CCD shift register and an output structure connected to an end of the horizontal CCD shift register in a linear arrangement with respect to each other. Each successive output channel is disposed on an alternate side of the linear array. Every other output channel is disposed on an alternate side of the linear array. One or more dark reference pixels can be connected to one or more additional shift register elements in the horizontal CCD shift registers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Inventors: Edward T. Nelson, Shen Wang
  • Patent number: 8102454
    Abstract: An image converter tube 2c and a plurality of image sensors CCDs 1 (eight CCDs 1 here) are provided, and the respective CCDs 1 and image positions in the image converter tube 2c are in one-to-one correspondence. By carrying out at least one of a control to make a shift to a different image position after image formation in one and the same image position for a predetermined number of frames, and a control to make a shift to a different image position in an imaging cycle with a predetermined time interval, various image pickup situations can be accommodated without changing the structure of CCDs 1 per se.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
    Inventor: Yasushi Kondo
  • Patent number: 8063968
    Abstract: An image sensing device for detecting an image of a nonplanar surface includes a plurality of pixels configured to detect the image of the nonplanar surface. The plurality of pixels are associated with a plurality of pixel pitches. The plurality of pixels are positioned to maintain a constant image resolution of the nonplanar surface for the plurality of pixels, based on the plurality of pixel pitches associated with the plurality of pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Hugh Christian, Earl K. Aamodt
  • Patent number: 8053716
    Abstract: An imaging system comprises a first charge-coupled device (CCD), a second CCD, and a processor. The first CCD is configured to receive one or more light flashes, record a first set of data based on the light flashes, shift the first set of data in a first direction, read out the first set of data, and read out continuously. The second CCD is configured to receive the one or more light flashes, record a second set of data based on the light flashes, shift the second set of data in a second direction opposite to the first direction, read out the second set of data, and read out continuously. The processor, coupled to the first CCD and second CCD, is configured to determine a time and a location of the one or more light flashes based on the first set of data and the second set of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Munther M. Hindi, Lee M. Klynn
  • Patent number: 8004579
    Abstract: A CCD Device of the type for providing charge gain by impact ionisation has a multiplication register. Gain provided by a subset of the elements of the multiplication register are independently controllable from other elements in the register. This enables the register to be used in one setting with the same gain applied to all elements and a different setting with a subset of elements arranged to provide a different gain. By comparing the two signals, the gain provided by each element and the register as a whole may be derived.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: E2V Technologies (UK) Limited
    Inventor: Mark Stanford Robbins
  • Patent number: 7952633
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for propagating charge through a sensor and implementation thereof is provided. The method and apparatus may be used to inspect specimens, the sensor operating to advance an accumulated charge between gates of the TDI sensor. The design implementation provides a set of values representing a plurality of out of phase signals, such as sinusoidal or trapezoidal signals. These out of phase signals are converted and transmitted to the sensor. The converted signals cause the sensor to transfer charges in the sensor toward an end of the sensor. Aspects such as feed through correction and correction of nonlinearities are addressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: David Lee Brown, Kai Cao, Yung-Ho Chuang
  • Patent number: 7907197
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device is provided. The imaging device includes an imaging portion which includes light receiving portions and vertical transfer registers, a horizontal transfer portion, an output part for outputting an electrical signal converted from electric charges transferred from the horizontal transfer portion, a first reference potential applying means, and a second reference potential applying means. The imaging portion, the horizontal transfer portion and the output part are formed in a first conductivity type semiconductor substrate having a second conductivity type region, and a reference potential is applied to the second conductivity type semiconductor region. The first reference potential applying means applies a reference potential to the second conductivity type semiconductor region corresponding to an area where the output part is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Ryo Takiguchi, Shogo Numaguchi, Hiroaki Tanaka, Isao Hirota
  • Patent number: 7893978
    Abstract: An image capture device includes a plurality of image capture elements for capturing an object image, a plurality of vertical output lines for reading signals out of the plurality of image capture elements, and a plurality of processing circuits. Each processing circuit includes a first capacitor element having a first electrode connected to one of the plurality of vertical output lines, a differential amplifier having a first input terminal connected to a second electrode of the first capacitor element, a second capacitor element connected between the first input terminal and an output terminal of the differential amplifier, and a first switch configured to control conduction between the first input terminal and the output terminal of the differential amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroki Hiyama, Akira Okita, Hideaki Takada, Katsuhito Sakurai
  • Patent number: 7889260
    Abstract: An image signal processing circuit for executing signal processing for an output of an image pickup device, includes an image signal correction section; the image signal correction section including a calculation section, and a correction section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Shigeru Hagiwara
  • Patent number: 7880790
    Abstract: An image-signal processing apparatus (1) designed to process the signals output from a CCD image sensor (10) that reads pixel data for one screen, line by line, divides the pixel data into a plurality of channels and outputs the pixel data thus divided. The image-signal processing apparatus (1) detects and corrects the black level of each pixel data item that the image sensor (10) has output for one channel. The image-signal processing apparatus (1) detects and corrects the gain difference between channels, which pertain to the pixel data items output from the image sensor (10). Hence, the apparatus (1) can correct the black level of each pixel data item and the gain difference between channels with high accuracy, when used in combination with an image sensor that divides pixel data into a plurality of channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Tanaka, Akira Hamano, Manabu Koiso
  • Patent number: 7808539
    Abstract: Pixel signals are sequentially output from an image sensor in a reverse order to an order in which light sensing cells are arranged with respect to one of a horizontal direction and a vertical direction. In an image processor, first, a data reading part transfers the pixel signals in the same order as corresponding light sensing cells are arranged with respect to both of a horizontal direction and a vertical direction, and a signal sequence of the pixel signals is changed. Then, the pixel signals which are output group by group are sequentially selected by a selector in accordance with a sequence of groups. As a result, the pixel signals can be supplied from the selector in an order conforming a two-dimensional array of the light sensing cells, to thereby facilitate color interpolation which is to be later performed by a color interpolator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: MegaChips Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Matsutani
  • Patent number: 7787040
    Abstract: An image-taking apparatus according to the present invention is constituted to have a wiring structure of transfer electrodes matching with a color filter arrangement and exert vertical transfer control over signal charges so as to transfer the signal charges read from pixels in the same color to the same horizontal transfer route. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the pixel of an image-taking device includes an odd-numbered electrode readout gate and an even-numbered electrode readout gate so that it allows control to read the charges to either of vertical transfer routes adjacent to the right and left of the pixel. It can be constituted so that one of the right and left vertical transfer routes transfers the charges to the first horizontal transfer route and the other transfers them to the second horizontal transfer route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuya Oda
  • Patent number: 7760261
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device is provided and includes: a semiconductor substrate having a two-dimensional array of photoelectric conversion elements, each storing a signal charge in accordance with a received amount of light; a charge transfer path that transfers the signal charge read out of the photoelectric conversion elements toward an output end of the solid-state imaging device; and a branching part having two branches, the branching part receiving the signal charge transferred along the charge transfer path and distributing the signal charge toward one of the two branches alternately. The charge transfer path has an end portion narrowed in channel width and connected to the branching part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Makoto Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7750957
    Abstract: A solid-state image sensing apparatus including a solid-state image sensing device and a signal processing circuit. The solid-state image sensing device includes: a vertical transfer unit, composed of transfer columns corresponding to columns of the light-to-electric conversion elements, operable to transfer, in a vertical direction, signal charges read out from the light-to-electric conversion elements; a horizontal transfer unit operable to receive the signal charges from the vertical transfer unit and transfer them in a horizontal direction. The signal processing circuit converts the signal charges from the horizontal transfer unit into pixel data, and rearranges it into a two-dimensional array. In the rearrangement, the signal processing circuit, per transfer of one piece of pixel data, cyclically selects a line memory out of three line memories, writes a piece of pixel data into the selected line memory, or reads a row of pixel data from the selected line memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Shimazu, Ryouichi Nagayoshi, Toshiya Fujii, Toshiyuki Nakashima, Toshinobu Hatano, Jun Kajiwara, Kenji Arakawa, Toshiya Kogishi
  • Patent number: 7710484
    Abstract: A CCD image sensor is driven in an interlace scan method, in which readout of signal charge is performed in two divided fields. In the first field, signal charge Qs accumulated in photodiodes of the first horizontal line and noise charge Qn generated in VCCDs on the second horizontal line are transferred. In the second field, the signal charge Qs accumulated in the photodiodes of the second horizontal line and the noise charge Qn generated in the VCCDs on the first horizontal line are transferred. The image signal based on the noise charge Qn obtained in the second field is subtracted from the image signal Qs based on the signal charge obtained in the first field. Then the image signal based on the noise charge Qn obtained in the first field is subtracted from the image signal based on the signal charge Qs obtained in the second field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuya Oda
  • Patent number: 7705901
    Abstract: In an image pickup apparatus, photosensitive devices each are allocated to particular one of pixels bidimensionally arranged on a photosensitive cell array and is divided into two photosensitive regions having substantially equal photosensitive area. Signal charges stored in the two photosensitive regions each are transferred over particular one of vertical transfer paths arranged at both sides of the photosensitive regions. The signal charges are read out in an interlace read mode such that in a first field signal charges are read out from pixels corresponding to green, and in a second field signal charges are read out from pixels corresponding to red and blue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Fuifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Hirokazu Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20100085461
    Abstract: A CCD image sensor includes: first and second CCD registers arranged so as to sandwich a pixel array therebetween, a first output portion provided to a connection part of the first and second CCD registers, a third CCD register which reads out and transfers the charge transferred by one of the first and second CCD registers, a second output portion provided to an end portion of the third CCD register, and a switch for changing whether or not to perform an output by the second output portion, depending on an operation mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2009
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Noboru Takatsuka
  • Patent number: 7683952
    Abstract: In an image sensor of this invention, each image information detecting unit has one photoelectric converter, eight signal fetch gates for fetching signal charges from the photoelectric converter, and eight store and forward CCD arrays extending parallel to one another and connected to the signal fetch gates, respectively, for storing the signal charges. Only one of the eight signal fetch gates is switched ON in each electronic shuttering cycle synonymous with a photography cycle, to deliver a signal charge to a corresponding one of the store CCD arrays. When signal charges have been stored in all the first cells of the store CCD arrays after eight electronic shuttering cycles, the eight store CCD arrays perform one transfer operation all at once, to forward, in parallel, the eight signal charges to the next cells. This operation is repeated to perform high-speed photography at eight times the transfer speed of the store CCD arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
    Inventor: Hideki Tominaga
  • Patent number: 7679662
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a solid-state imaging element which includes a plurality of drive signal inputs, a plurality of bus lines, and a plurality of vertical transfer register electrodes. In the solid-state imaging element, a charge accumulated in light-receiving elements in a pixel region is vertically transferred by the drive signals input to the electrodes. Each of the electrodes has a contact part connected to the second contact and having a width smaller than a width of the electrodes in the pixel region, and a blank region is formed between predetermined adjacent two of the contact parts so that a width of the blank region is larger than a distance between respective two of the contact parts other than the predetermined adjacent two of the contact parts. The first contact is disposed on the blank region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Sadamu Suizu, Masaaki Takayama
  • Patent number: 7667757
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a photoelectric conversion unit 110, an analog shift register, and signal output units 131 and 132. The analog shift register is divided into a first transfer section 121 and a second transfer section 122 with a substantially central region of the analog shift register being set as a boundary. A common transfer section 123 is provided in the boundary between the first transfer section and the second transfer section. The common transfer section 123 selects, as a transfer path of signal charges transferred from the photoelectric conversion unit 110, either a first path through the first transfer section 121 or a second path through the second transfer section 122.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Katsumi Ikeda
  • Patent number: 7602432
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging element includes an imaging element area, a first horizontal transfer register, a second horizontal transfer register, a first transfer channel, a second transfer channel, and a channel stop region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Toshihisa Makihira
  • Patent number: 7538804
    Abstract: A solid state image pick-up device has shields for suppressing deterioration in a ratio of an output signal to output noises caused by crosstalks, suppressing deterioration in a ratio of the output signal to output noises caused by a coupling capacity, and suppressing deterioration in a ratio of the output signal to output noises caused by imbalance is provided. Shielding lines 301, 302, and 303 are arranged in a layer to which output lines 210 and 220 belong. Shielding lines 304, 305, and 306 are arranged over the shielding lines 301, 302, and 303, respectively. Further, shielding pins 307, 308, and 309 are arranged between the shielding lines 301 and 304, between the shielding lines 302 and 305, and between the shielding lines 303 and 306, respectively. No shielding line is arranged over output lines 210 and 220. A structure is made to be plane-symmetrical with respect to a plane including a center line of the shielding line 301 and a plane including a center line of the shielding line 304.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Okita, Hiroki Hiyama, Hideaki Takada
  • Patent number: 7508435
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the correction of video signals which are produced by pixel-by-pixel reading of picture cells from an optoelectronic sensor via two or more channels which have different transmission characteristics. In this case, the video signal is supplied to a processing circuit and is converted to digital pixel values. Estimated values for pixel values of another transmission channel are calculated from the digital pixel values of one transmission channel, and the estimated values and pixel values of one transmission channel are used to derive correction values, which correct differences between the estimated values and the pixel values of the relevant transmission channel, if necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Andreas Loew, Manfred Dworatzek
  • Patent number: 7480000
    Abstract: An image-taking apparatus according to the present invention is constituted to have a wiring structure of transfer electrodes matching with a color filter arrangement and exert vertical transfer control over signal charges so as to transfer the signal charges read from pixels in the same color to the same horizontal transfer route. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the pixel of an image-taking device includes an odd-numbered electrode readout gate and an even-numbered electrode readout gate so that it allows control to read the charges to either of vertical transfer routes adjacent to the right and left of the pixel. It can be constituted so that one of the right and left vertical transfer routes transfers the charges to the first horizontal transfer route and the other transfers them to the second horizontal transfer route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuya Oda
  • Patent number: 7474347
    Abstract: A substantially semicylindrical lens having a lensing function, a shading-correcting (reducing) function, and a predetermined-wavelength transmitting function is formed on the upper surface of a device chip including a sensor array, a CCD transfer register, a read-out gate, and the like. The substantially semicylindrical lens is semicircular in cross section along a second direction, and has a lens surface curved in a first direction so that its diameter is larger at both ends in the first direction than in the center in order to serve a function of correcting the shading caused by the optical conditions outside the device. The substantially semicylindrical lens is partially or entirely made of a substance that is transmissive with respect to a signal having a predetermined wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kiyohisa Tanaka