公开(公告)号：US20180081042A1

公开(公告)日：2018-03-22

申请号：US15815362

申请日：2017-11-16

Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS

Inventor： Pascal Mellot

IPC: G01S7/486 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S7/484 ,  G01S13/22

CPC classification number: G01S7/4865 ,  G01S7/484 ,  G01S7/4868 ,  G01S13/225 ,  G01S17/10

Abstract: A method of measuring the phase of a response signal relative to a periodic excitation signal, comprises the steps of producing for each cycle of the response signal two transitions synchronized to a clock and framing a reference point of the cycle; swapping the two transitions to confront them in turns to the cycles of the response signal; measuring the offsets of the confronted transitions relative to the respective reference points of the cycles; performing a delta-sigma modulation of the swapping rate of the two transitions based on the successive offsets; and producing a phase measurement based on the duty cycle of the swapping rate.

公开(公告)号：US11892568B2

公开(公告)日：2024-02-06

申请号：US17074238

申请日：2020-10-19

Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITED ,  STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS

Inventor： Ivelina Hristova ,  Pascal Mellot ,  Neale Dutton

IPC: G06T7/50 ,  G06F1/10 ,  G06T15/08 ,  G06T15/00 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S17/894 ,  G01S7/4863

CPC classification number: G01S7/4865 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S17/894 ,  G06F1/10 ,  G06T7/50 ,  G06T15/005 ,  G06T15/08 ,  G06T2207/10108

Abstract: A depth map sensor includes a first array of first pixels, each first pixel having a first photodetector associated with a pixel circuit that comprises a plurality of first bins for accumulating events. A clock source is configured to generate a plurality of phase-shifted clock signals. A first circuit has a plurality of first output lines coupled to the first array of first pixels. The first circuit is configured to receive the plurality of phase-shifted clock signals. The first circuit includes a first block and a second block. The first block is configured to propagate the plurality of phase-shifted clock signals to the second block during a first period determined by a first enable signal and the second block configured to select to which of the plurality of first output lines each of the plurality of phase-shifted clock signals is applied.

公开(公告)号：US20230362511A1

公开(公告)日：2023-11-09

申请号：US18353665

申请日：2023-07-17

Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS

Inventor： Gregory Roffet ,  Pascal Mellot

IPC: H04N25/71 ,  H04N25/46 ,  H04N25/583

CPC classification number: H04N25/745 ,  H04N25/46 ,  H04N25/583

Abstract: The image sensor includes an array of photosensitive pixels comprising at least two sets of at least one pixel, control circuit configured to generate at least two different timing signals and adapted to control an acquisition of an incident optical signal by the pixels of the array, and distribution circuit configured to respectively distribute the at least two different timing signals in the at least two sets of at least one sensor, during the same acquisition of the incident optical signal.

公开(公告)号：US11797645B2

公开(公告)日：2023-10-24

申请号：US17410143

申请日：2021-08-24

Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS ,  STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITED

Inventor： John Kevin Moore ,  Sam Lee ,  Pascal Mellot ,  Donald Baxter ,  Stuart McLeod ,  Kenneth Dargan

IPC: G06F17/18 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G06F11/07 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S7/487 ,  G01S7/497 ,  G01S7/481

CPC classification number: G06F17/18 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S7/4876 ,  G01S7/497 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G06F11/0703 ,  G01S7/4813

Abstract: A method includes receiving a histogram output from a detector sensor, and calculating a median point of a pulse waveform within the histogram. The pulse waveform has an even probability distribution over at least one quantization step of the histogram around the median point. A corresponding apparatus can include a detector sensor and a co-processor coupled to the detector sensor.

公开(公告)号：US11796386B2

公开(公告)日：2023-10-24

申请号：US17362548

申请日：2021-06-29

Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Research and Development) Limited ,  STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS

Inventor： Jeffrey M. Raynor ,  Sophie Taupin ,  Jean-Jacques Rouger ,  Pascal Mellot

IPC: G01J1/42 ,  G01J1/44 ,  H01L23/58 ,  H01L27/144 ,  H01L31/02

CPC classification number: G01J1/4204 ,  G01J1/44 ,  H01L23/585 ,  H01L27/1443 ,  H01L27/1446 ,  H01L31/02019 ,  G01J2001/446 ,  G01J2001/448

Abstract: An optical sensor includes pixels. Each pixel has a photodetector. A readout circuit performs a process over an exposure time where the photodetector is connected to a reverse bias voltage supply to reset a voltage across the photodetector, and the photodetector is disconnected from the reverse bias voltage supply until that the voltage across the photodetector decreases in response to received ambient light. An ambient light level is then determine an based on a number of times the voltage across the photodetector is reset over the exposure time.

公开(公告)号：US11750948B2

公开(公告)日：2023-09-05

申请号：US17456846

申请日：2021-11-29

Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS

Inventor： Gregory Roffet ,  Pascal Mellot

IPC: H04N25/71 ,  H04N25/46 ,  H04N25/583

CPC classification number: H04N25/745 ,  H04N25/46 ,  H04N25/583

Abstract: The image sensor includes an array of photosensitive pixels comprising at least two sets of at least one pixel, control circuit configured to generate at least two different timing signals and adapted to control an acquisition of an incident optical signal by the pixels of the array, and distribution circuit configured to respectively distribute said at least two different timing signals in said at least two sets of at least one sensor, during the same acquisition of the incident optical signal.

公开(公告)号：US11353591B2

公开(公告)日：2022-06-07

申请号：US17024418

申请日：2020-09-17

Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS ,  STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITED

Inventor： Christopher Townsend ,  Pascal Mellot

IPC: G01S17/89 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S17/10

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of laser safety verification for a depth map sensor, comprising illuminating, during a first illumination phase, using a laser illumination system, a first cluster of one or more first pixels of a pixel array of the depth map sensor, while not illuminating a second cluster, different from the first cluster, of one or more second pixels of the pixel array of the depth map sensor; and detecting, during the first illumination phase, a level of illumination of the second cluster.

公开(公告)号：US20220174234A1

公开(公告)日：2022-06-02

申请号：US17456846

申请日：2021-11-29

Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS

Inventor： Gregory Roffet ,  Pascal Mellot

IPC: H04N5/376 ,  H04N5/355 ,  H04N5/347

Abstract: The image sensor includes an array of photosensitive pixels comprising at least two sets of at least one pixel, control circuit configured to generate at least two different timing signals and adapted to control an acquisition of an incident optical signal by the pixels of the array, and distribution circuit configured to respectively distribute said at least two different timing signals in said at least two sets of at least one sensor, during the same acquisition of the incident optical signal.

公开(公告)号：US20210382964A1

公开(公告)日：2021-12-09

申请号：US17410143

申请日：2021-08-24

Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS ,  STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITED

Inventor： John Kevin Moore ,  Sam Lee ,  Pascal Mellot ,  Donald Baxter ,  Stuart McLeod ,  Kenneth Dargan

IPC: G06F17/18 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G06F11/07 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S7/487 ,  G01S7/497

Abstract: A method includes receiving a histogram output from a detector sensor, and calculating a median point of a pulse waveform within the histogram. The pulse waveform has an even probability distribution over at least one quantization step of the histogram around the median point. A corresponding apparatus can include a detector sensor and a co-processor coupled to the detector sensor.

公开(公告)号：US11061137B2

公开(公告)日：2021-07-13

申请号：US16741401

申请日：2020-01-13

Applicant: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS

Inventor： Pascal Mellot

IPC: G01S17/04 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S17/10 ,  H01L31/02 ,  H01L31/107

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a proximity detection device. The proximity detection device includes one or more photodetectors and a readout circuit configured to sample one or more output signals from the one or more photodetectors at regular intervals throughout a detection period. The proximity detection device includes a pulse transmission circuit configured to transmit into the scene a first optical pulse having a first pulse duration and a second optical pulse having a second pulse duration that is at least 50 percent longer than the first pulse duration.