公开(公告)号：US20090002528A1

公开(公告)日：2009-01-01

申请号：US11872521

申请日：2007-10-15

申请人： Sohei Manabe ,  Ashish Shah ,  Sasidhar Saladi ,  William Qian ,  Hidetoshi Nozaki ,  Nagaraja Satyadev ,  Hsin-Chih Dyson Tai ,  Howard M. Rhodes

发明人： Sohei Manabe ,  Ashish Shah ,  Sasidhar Saladi ,  William Qian ,  Hidetoshi Nozaki ,  Nagaraja Satyadev ,  Hsin-Chih Dyson Tai ,  Howard M. Rhodes

IPC分类号： H04N5/335 ,  H04N9/64 ,  H04N3/14

CPC分类号： H04N5/3592 ,  H04N5/2355 ,  H04N5/3535 ,  H04N5/35554 ,  H04N5/37457

摘要： An image sensor has at least two photodiodes in each unit pixel. A high dynamic range is achieved by selecting different exposure times for the photodiodes. Additionally, blooming is reduced. The readout timing cycle is chosen so that the short exposure time photodiodes act as drains for excess charge overflowing from the long exposure time photodiodes. To improve draining of excess charge, the arrangement of photodiodes may be further selected so that long exposure time photodiodes are neighbored along vertical and horizontal directions by short exposure time photodiodes. A micro-lens array may also be provided in which light is preferentially coupled to the long exposure time photodiodes to improve sensitivity.

摘要翻译： 图像传感器在每个单位像素中具有至少两个光电二极管。 通过为光电二极管选择不同的曝光时间来实现高动态范围。 另外，开花减少。 选择读出定时周期，使得短曝光时间光电二极管充当从长曝光时间光电二极管溢出的过量电荷的漏极。 为了改善过剩电荷的排出，可以进一步选择光电二极管的布置，使得长曝光时间光电二极管通过短曝光时间光电二极管沿垂直和水平方向相邻。 还可以提供微透镜阵列，其中光优先地耦合到长曝光时间光电二极管以提高灵敏度。

公开(公告)号：US07825966B2

公开(公告)日：2010-11-02

申请号：US11872521

申请日：2007-10-15

申请人： Sohei Manabe ,  Ashish Shah ,  Sasidhar Saladi ,  William Qian ,  Hidetoshi Nozaki ,  Nagaraja Satyadev ,  Hsin-Chih (Dyson) Tai ,  Howard M. Rhodes

发明人： Sohei Manabe ,  Ashish Shah ,  Sasidhar Saladi ,  William Qian ,  Hidetoshi Nozaki ,  Nagaraja Satyadev ,  Hsin-Chih (Dyson) Tai ,  Howard M. Rhodes

IPC分类号： H04N5/335

CPC分类号： H04N5/3592 ,  H04N5/2355 ,  H04N5/3535 ,  H04N5/35554 ,  H04N5/37457

摘要： An image sensor has at least two photodiodes in each unit pixel. A high dynamic range is achieved by selecting different exposure times for the photodiodes. Additionally, blooming is reduced. The readout timing cycle is chosen so that the short exposure time photodiodes act as drains for excess charge overflowing from the long exposure time photodiodes. To improve draining of excess charge, the arrangement of photodiodes may be further selected so that long exposure time photodiodes are neighbored along vertical and horizontal directions by short exposure time photodiodes. A micro-lens array may also be provided in which light is preferentially coupled to the long exposure time photodiodes to improve sensitivity.

摘要翻译： 图像传感器在每个单位像素中具有至少两个光电二极管。 通过为光电二极管选择不同的曝光时间来实现高动态范围。 另外，开花减少。 选择读出定时周期，使得短曝光时间光电二极管充当从长曝光时间光电二极管溢出的过量电荷的漏极。 为了改善过剩电荷的排出，可以进一步选择光电二极管的布置，使得长曝光时间光电二极管通过短曝光时间光电二极管沿垂直和水平方向相邻。 还可以提供微透镜阵列，其中光优先地耦合到长曝光时间光电二极管以提高灵敏度。

公开(公告)号：US08642938B2

公开(公告)日：2014-02-04

申请号：US13350609

申请日：2012-01-13

申请人： Manoj Bikumandla ,  Sasidhar Saladi

发明人： Manoj Bikumandla ,  Sasidhar Saladi

IPC分类号： H01L27/00 ,  G01C3/00 ,  G01C3/08

CPC分类号： H01L27/14612 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/89

摘要： A time of flight pixel includes a photodiode that accumulates charge in response to light incident upon the photodiode. A first transfer transistor is couple between the photodiode and a first charge storage device to selectively transfer charge to the first charge storage device from the photodiode. A second transfer transistor coupled between the photodiode and a second charge storage device to selectively transfer charge to the second charge storage device from the photodiode. An enable transistor is coupled between the first charge storage device and a readout node coupled to the second charge storage device to selectively couple the first charge storage device to the readout node. An amplifier transistor having a gate is also coupled to a readout node.

摘要翻译： 飞行时间像素包括响应入射在光电二极管上的光积累电荷的光电二极管。 第一传输晶体管耦合在光电二极管和第一电荷存储装置之间，以从光电二极管选择性地将电荷转移到第一电荷存储装置。 耦合在光电二极管和第二电荷存储装置之间的第二传输晶体管，用于从光电二极管选择性地将电荷转移到第二电荷存储装置。 使能晶体管耦合在第一电荷存储器件和耦合到第二电荷存储器件的读出节点之间，以选择性地将第一电荷存储器件耦合到读出节点。 具有栅极的放大器晶体管也耦合到读出节点。

公开(公告)号：US20130181119A1

公开(公告)日：2013-07-18

申请号：US13350609

申请日：2012-01-13

申请人： Manoj Bikumandla ,  Sasidhar Saladi

发明人： Manoj Bikumandla ,  Sasidhar Saladi

IPC分类号： H01L27/144

CPC分类号： H01L27/14612 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/89

摘要： A time of flight pixel includes a photodiode that accumulates charge in response to light incident upon the photodiode. A first transfer transistor is couple between the photodiode and a first charge storage device to selectively transfer charge to the first charge storage device from the photodiode. A second transfer transistor coupled between the photodiode and a second charge storage device to selectively transfer charge to the second charge storage device from the photodiode. An enable transistor is coupled between the first charge storage device and a readout node coupled to the second charge storage device to selectively couple the first charge storage device to the readout node. An amplifier transistor having a gate is also coupled to a readout node.

摘要翻译： 飞行时间像素包括响应入射在光电二极管上的光积累电荷的光电二极管。 第一传输晶体管耦合在光电二极管和第一电荷存储装置之间，以从光电二极管选择性地将电荷转移到第一电荷存储装置。 耦合在光电二极管和第二电荷存储装置之间的第二传输晶体管，用于从光电二极管选择性地将电荷转移到第二电荷存储装置。 使能晶体管耦合在第一电荷存储器件和耦合到第二电荷存储器件的读出节点之间，以选择性地将第一电荷存储器件耦合到读出节点。 具有栅极的放大器晶体管也耦合到读出节点。