| Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
|---|
| 348250000 | In charge coupled type sensor | 30 |
| 20080211939 | Backside illuminated imager and method of fabricating the same - A structure and method for fabricating imagers that detect light from the backside of the wafer. The structure may have less complex focusing, reduced crosstalk, tighter pixel packing density, increased quantum efficiency, and wafer-level packaging. The fabrication of the imager includes forming an imaging device on a silicon wafer, adhering an interconnect wafer to the device wafer, forming interconnects on the interconnect wafer, etching away the substrate of the device wafer, and patterning additional layers such as nitrides, color filter arrays, and lenses on the backside of the device wafer. | 09-04-2008 |
| 20080211940 | Image pixel employing floating base readout concept, and image sensor and image sensor array including the image pixel - A pixel of an image sensor includes only two signal lines per pixel, a pinned photodiode for sensing light, a floating base bipolar transistor, and no reset and address transistors. The floating base bipolar transistor provides the pixel with a gain, which can increase pixel sensitivity and reduce noise. The pixel also incorporates a vertical blooming control structure for an efficient blooming suppression. The output terminals of the pixel are coupled to a common column output line terminated by a special current sensing correlated double sampling circuit, which is used for subtraction of emitter leakage current. Based on this structure, the pixel has high sensitivity, high response uniformity, low noise, reduced size, and efficient layout. | 09-04-2008 |
| 20080239116 | Method and apparatus for automatic linear shift parallax correction for multi-array image systems - A method and apparatus for correcting linear shift parallax error in multi-array image systems. Average pixel cell signal values for pixel cells within a summing window of each column or row of at least two sub-arrays are computed during read-out. The images of the sub-arrays are correlated based on the averages, then shifted based on a result of the correlation function to correct the exhibited parallax error. The summation, correlation, and shifting can be performed by a pixel pipeline processing circuit. | 10-02-2008 |
| 20080246863 | CCD SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND IMAGE DATA CORRECTION METHOD - A CCD solid-state imaging device is provided and includes: a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of photodiodes arranged in a two-dimensional array; a plurality of vertical charge transfer paths, each reading a signal charge from the photo diodes, wherein electron multiplication of the signal charge is performed in each of the vertical transfer paths; and a storage section that stores data indicating a multiplication factor of the electron multiplication, the multiplication factor being detected at each place of the vertical transfer paths in which the electron multiplication is performed. | 10-09-2008 |
| 20100020208 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TRAINING AN ACTIVE RANDOM FIELD FOR REAL-TIME IMAGE DENOISING - An Active Random Field is presented, in which a Markov Random Field (MRF) or a Conditional Random Field (CRF) is trained together with a fast inference algorithm using pairs of input and desired output and a benchmark error measure. | 01-28-2010 |
| 20100033605 | METHOD FOR REAL-TIME REMOVAL OF VERTICAL SCAN STREAKS IN A CCD - Methods are disclosed for correcting vertical line streaks in an interline or full-frame CCD. The method includes the step of subtracting an overscan row from each row of a previous image or from each row of a next image, such that each row of the final image contains the same readout smear effect and such that readout overscan rows contain the same smear information as each row of the final image. The method is also described for use with frame transfer CCDs. | 02-11-2010 |
| 20100039541 | Method for driving semiconductor device having capacitive load, method and apparatus for driving load, and electronic apparatus - When a signal is read from a CCD solid-state image pickup element, the CCD solid-state image pickup element is driven with at least two driving voltages so that high-speed reading is performed with generation of noise due to interference between the driving voltages reduced. The CCD solid-state image includes a charge storage section between a vertical transfer register and a horizontal transfer register. By performing the transfer of charge in the direction of columns during an effective transfer period of the transfer in the direction of rows, signal charge of one row generated by a light receiving sensor is transferred to the charge storage section, and by performing the transfer outside the effective transfer period in the transfer in the direction of the row, the signal charge of one row transferred to the charge storage section is transferred to the horizontal transfer register. | 02-18-2010 |
| 20100245634 | Hardware implemented pixel level digital filter and processing of electromagnetic signals - An apparatus for performing digital video processing of electromagnetic waves in IR or other electromagnetic waves spectra; derived from adjacent or separate bands (or sub-bands) representing a channel of electromagnetic wave intensities; that is processed for equipment radiometric corrections (calibration), adverse environmental elements or substance calibrations, channel filtering in real time and dynamic pixel to pixel time. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20110221940 | Solid-state image taking apparatus, method for driving solid-state image taking apparatus and electronic apparatus - Disclosed herein is a solid-state image taking apparatus, includes: a pixel array section including unit pixels laid out two-dimensionally to form a matrix to serve as unit pixels each employing an opto-electric conversion device, a transfer transistor, a first electric-charge accumulation section, a read transistor, a second electric-charge accumulation section, a reset transistor, and an amplification transistor; a driving section; and a correction section. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20120033112 | METHOD FOR CORRECTING IMAGES OBTAINED BY AN ARRAY OF PHOTOSENSITIVE POINTS - A method for correcting an image obtained by a matrix of photosensitive points finds particular utility when the matrix is subjected to an electromagnetic disturbance. The method of correction comprises a first step of row-by-row reading of the matrix. The signals read during a first reading of each row represent the charges accumulated subsequent to exposure of the matrix to luminous radiation and make it possible to form, for each column of the matrix, a discrete signal. The signals read during a second reading represent the charges accumulated in the absence of exposure and form, for each column of the matrix, a discrete signal. In a second step of the method, a signal corresponding substantially to the signal which would have been formed at the time of the first reading in the absence of exposure is determined. In a third step, the signal is subtracted column by column from the signal. | 02-09-2012 |
| 20120057054 | ERROR DIFFUSION-BASED IMAGE PROCESSING - In an embodiment, a method includes receiving values of a first pixel and a second pixel of an image at an input processor element of an image signal processor and distributing fractional parts of a number of values from surrounding pixels to the first pixel and the second pixel non-serially using first and second accelerator units, respectively, of the image signal processor. The method further includes assigning output values to the first pixel and the second pixel based on the values of the first pixel and the second pixel and the fractional parts of the number of values from the surrounding pixels using an output processor element of the image signal processor and outputting the output values to an output device that has a color range that is less than a color range of the image using the output processor element. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120274819 | SIGNAL IMAGE EXTRACTION - A method of eliminating background noise from a system for authenticating security markers includes capturing an image of a background of the security marker; illuminating the security marker; capturing a plurality of images of the optical response of the security marker; averaging the plurality of optical response images; smoothing the background image; and subtracting the smoothed background image from the average of the plurality of optical response images. | 11-01-2012 |
| 20140055647 | SIGNAL NOISE REDUCTION FOR IMAGING IN BIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS - A system and method for characterizing contributions to signal noise associated with charge-coupled devices adapted for use in biological analysis. Dark current contribution, readout offset contribution, photo response non-uniformity, and spurious charge contribution can be determined by the methods of the present teachings and used for signal correction by systems of the present teachings. | 02-27-2014 |
| 20140055648 | LOW LIGHT ADAPTIVE IMAGING DEVICE - Techniques described herein generally relate to digital imaging systems, methods and devices. In some example embodiments, a low light adaptive photoelectric imaging device may include a photoelectric transducer configured to receive and convert incident light into an electric charge that varies in response to an intensity of the received incident light. Some example imaging devices may also include circuitry coupled to the photoelectric transducer and configured to electrically float a potential at one or more terminals of the photoelectric transducer effective to cause the photoelectric transducer to amplify the electric charge according to a gain function that non-linearly varies relative to the intensity of the received incident light. | 02-27-2014 |
| 20140118583 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE SENSING DEVICE - There is provided a solid-state image sensing device that can prevent the occurrence of vertical line noise with simple circuit. A timing adjustment circuit generates a first clock supplied to a ramp generator and a second clock supplied to a counter so that a phase difference between the first clock and the second clock is within a predetermined range and differs according to lines in an image sensor. | 05-01-2014 |
| 20140125848 | SIGNAL NOISE REDUCTION FOR IMAGING IN BIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS - A system and method for characterizing contributions to signal noise associated with charge-coupled devices adapted for use in biological analysis. Dark current contribution, readout offset contribution, photo response non-uniformity, and spurious charge contribution can be determined by the methods of the present teachings and used for signal correction by systems of the present teachings. | 05-08-2014 |
| 20140160324 | CAMERA MODULE - A camera module according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure includes a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) mounted with an image sensor, a base arranged at an upper surface of the PCB, a lens holder arranged at an upper surface of the base to support plural sheets of lenses, a shield can configured to protect the lens holder by being coupled to the upper surface of the base to expose a lateral surface of the base, and a conductive layer formed at the exposed lateral surface of the base. | 06-12-2014 |
| 20140232910 | SIGNAL NOISE REDUCTION FOR IMAGING IN BIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS - A system and method for characterizing contributions to signal noise associated with charge-coupled devices adapted for use in biological analysis. Dark current contribution, readout offset contribution, photo response non-uniformity, and spurious charge contribution can be determined by the methods of the present teachings and used for signal correction by systems of the present teachings. | 08-21-2014 |
| 20140253765 | SIGNAL PROCESSING UNIT, SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP UNIT, ELECTRONIC APPARATUS, SIGNAL PROCESSING METHOD, AND PROGRAM - A signal processing unit includes: an extraction section configured to extract variation between a plurality of sampling values obtained through a plurality of sampling operations of signal levels in one or both of a first state and a second state, the first state being a state where floating diffusion is reset, the floating diffusion temporarily accumulating charges transferred from a photodiode performing photoelectric conversion, and the second state being a state where charges generated in the photodiode are accumulated in the floating diffusion; and a comparison section configured to compare the variation extracted by the extraction section and a predetermined reference value, and to switch, based on a result of the comparison, a signal to be output to a processing section in a subsequent stage. | 09-11-2014 |
| 20150312496 | Compound Eye Optical System And Imaging Device Using The Same - A compound eye optical system forms a plurality of images with different fields of view for connecting the plurality of images with the different fields of view and outputting one composite image. The system includes: a plurality of individual eye optical systems forming the plurality of images with different fields of view on an imaging surface; and an overall optical system forming an image with a field of view incorporating the entire fields of view obtained by the plurality of individual eye optical systems on the imaging surface, wherein the individual eye optical systems and the overall optical system are configured by a lens array plate having a plurality of lenses integrally formed. | 10-29-2015 |
| 20150341577 | IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE HAVING UNIT PIXELS ARRANGED IN TWO-DIMENSIONAL MATRIX FORM EACH OF WHICH HAS PIXELS OF DIFFERENT SENSITIVITIES, CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR, STORAGE MEDIUM STORING CONTROL PROGRAM THEREFOR, AND SIGNAL PROCESSING DEVICE FOR IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE - An image pickup device that is capable of performing shading correction with sufficient accuracy even if data volume for the shading correction is reduced. The image pickup device includes a plurality of unit pixels arranged in a two-dimensional matrix form. Each of the plurality of unit pixels includes a plurality of first sensitivity pixels having a first sensitivity, and at least one second sensitivity pixel having a second sensitivity different from the first sensitivity. The first and second sensitivity pixels are arranged so that a centroid position of the second sensitivity pixel approximately coincides with the centroid position of the first sensitivity pixels. | 11-26-2015 |
| 20150358562 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - According to one embodiment, pixels each in which first and second photoelectric conversion units each of which accumulate charges obtained by photoelectric conversion are arranged to be adjacent in a certain direction are arranged in a row direction and a column direction in a form of a matrix, micro lenses each of which is shared by the first and second photoelectric conversion units, and a read timing is controlled such that a read order of the first photoelectric conversion units and the second photoelectric conversion units in first and second lines of a same color is changed. | 12-10-2015 |
| 20160014355 | SIGNAL PROCESSING DEVICE AND METHOD, IMAGING DEVICE AND SOLID STATE IMAGING ELEMENT | 01-14-2016 |
| 20160065866 | IMAGE SENSOR AND OPERATING METHOD THEREOF, MOTION SENSOR INCLUDING THE SAME - There is provided an operating method of an image sensor including: storing a first charge from an optoelectronic element to a pixel buffer circuit within a first exposure period; transferring the first charge from the pixel buffer circuit to a first storage circuit within a second exposure period; storing a second charge from the optoelectronic element to the pixel buffer circuit within the second exposure period after the first charge is transferred; transferring the second charge from the pixel buffer circuit to a second storage circuit; and comparing charges stored in the first storage circuit and in the second storage circuit to output an analog image signal. | 03-03-2016 |
| 20160080677 | SOLID STATE IMAGING DEVICE, METHOD OF OUTPUTTING IMAGING SIGNAL AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE - There is provided a solid state imaging device including a first analog-to-digital converting unit that compares a level of an analog reference signal with a first inclination with a level of an analog pixel signal output from a pixel array unit, and converts the analog pixel signal into a first digital pixel signal, a second analog-to-digital converting unit that compares a level of an analog reference signal with a second inclination that is different in inclination from the analog reference signal with the first inclination with a level of the analog pixel signal, and converts the analog pixel signal into a second digital pixel signal, and a digital compositing unit that composites the first digital pixel signal with the second digital pixel signal, and outputs a composite result. | 03-17-2016 |
| 20160100114 | In-Pixel Correlated Double Sampling with Fold-over Detection - Disclosed herein are improved in-pixel correlated double sampling elements for photodetectors. The novel circuits and associated methods of the invention allow for accurate correlated double sampling while avoiding the inherent sampling errors that may occur in prior art in-pixel correlated double sampling techniques when bright or saturating signals are received. | 04-07-2016 |
| 20160112658 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS - An image pickup apparatus, including: an image pickup element including pixels arranged two-dimensionally; a photoelectric converter arranged for each of the pixels and configured to generate a charge corresponding to incident light amount; a switching unit configured to switch between states of the charge of the photoelectric converter being transferable and not transferable to a charge retainer; a correction data generator configured to read a signal for each pixel from the charge retainer under a state of the charge of the photoelectric converter being not transferable to the charge retainer, to generate noise correction data for each pixel; and a pixel noise corrector configured to read the signal for each pixel from the charge retainer under a state of the charge of the photoelectric converter being transferable to the charge retainer, to thereby correct noise for each pixel based on the noise correction data generated by the correction data generator. | 04-21-2016 |
| 20160165155 | METHOD FOR REDUCING IMAGE FUZZY DEGREE OF TDI-CCD CAMERA - The present invention belongs to the field of image processing, and particularly relates to the determination of an aerial remote sensing image fuzzy parameter and the elimination of aerial remote sensing image fuzziness based on a TDI-CCD camera. The method comprises the following specific steps: establishing an image coordinate system, reading an area array image, constructing a similarity matching criterion, conducting offset resolving to acquire homonymy points so as to obtain a digital image reducing the chattering influence. The method is relatively simple and precise in computing process, and good in processing effect. | 06-09-2016 |
| 20160165164 | IMAGING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - Provided is an imaging apparatus including an imaging element including a pixel unit having first and second photoelectric conversion units configured to generate image signals by photoelectrically converting optical fluxes passing through different regions into which an exit pupil of an imaging optical system is divided for one micro-lens. The imaging apparatus controls each of the timing of a first removal operation of removing a noise component from a first image signal read from the first photoelectric conversion unit and the timing of a second removal operation of removing a noise component from a second image signal read from the first and second photoelectric conversion units to have a predetermined relationship with a frequency of a noise source occurring during an operation of reading the image signals. | 06-09-2016 |
| 20160191825 | IMAGING DEVICE INCLUDING UNIT PIXEL CELL - An imaging device of the present disclosure includes: a unit pixel cell comprising a photoelectric converter converting incident light into signal charge, a semiconductor substrate, a charge storage region located in the semiconductor substrate and storing the signal charge, and a signal detection circuit detecting the signal charge; a feedback circuit negatively feeding back output of the signal detection circuit and comprising a signal line; and at least one wiring layer located between the semiconductor substrate and the photoelectric converter. The at least one wiring layer includes a portion of the signal line, the portion overlapping the unit pixel cell in a plan view. In the plan view, the portion is located on an opposite side from the charge storage region across a center line of the unit pixel cell, the center line being in parallel with a direction in which the signal line extends. | 06-30-2016 |
