公开(公告)号：US20160373644A1

公开(公告)日：2016-12-22

申请号：US15256368

申请日：2016-09-02

Applicant: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Tiejun Dai ,  Eiichi Funatsu ,  Donghui Wu ,  Zheng Yang ,  Xiao Xie

IPC: H04N5/232 ,  H04N5/378 ,  H04N5/243

CPC classification number: H04N5/23212 ,  H04N5/243 ,  H04N5/3765 ,  H04N5/378

Abstract: A method of focusing an image sensor includes scanning a first portion of an image frame from an image sensor a first time at a first rate to produce first focus data. A second portion of the image frame from the image sensor is scanned at a second rate to read image data from the second portion. The first rate is greater than the second rate. The first portion of the image frame is scanned a second time at the first rate to produce second focus data. The first focus data and the second focus data are compared, and the focus of a lens is adjusted in response to the comparison of the first focus data and the second focus data.

公开(公告)号：US20220247943A1

公开(公告)日：2022-08-04

申请号：US17167768

申请日：2021-02-04

Applicant: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Zhiyong Zhan ,  Tongtong Yu ,  Zheng Yang ,  Wei Deng

IPC: H04N5/353 ,  H04N5/33 ,  H04N5/3745

Abstract: An imaging system includes a pixel array configured to generate image charge voltage signals in response to incident light received from an external scene. An infrared illumination source is deactivated during the capture of a first image of the external scene and activated during the capture of a second image of the external scene. An array of sample and hold circuits is coupled to the pixel array. Each sample and hold circuit is coupled to a respective pixel of the pixel array and includes first and second capacitors to store first and second image charge voltage signals of the captured first and second images, respectively. A column voltage domain differential amplifier is coupled to the first and second capacitors to determine a difference between the first and second image charge voltage signals to identify an object in a foreground of the external scene.

公开(公告)号：US11240456B2

公开(公告)日：2022-02-01

申请号：US16441674

申请日：2019-06-14

Applicant: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Hiroaki Ebihara ,  Zheng Yang

IPC: H04N5/378 ,  H04N5/365 ,  H04N5/3745 ,  H01L27/146

Abstract: An amplifier circuit for use in an image sensor includes a common source amplifier coupled to receive an input signal representative of an image charge from a pixel cell of the image sensor. An auto-zero switch is coupled between an input of the common source amplifier and an output of the common source amplifier. A feedback capacitor is coupled to the input of the common source amplifier. An offset switch is coupled to the feedback capacitor and is further coupled to a reset voltage and an output of the amplifier circuit. The auto-zero switch and the offset switch are configured to couple the feedback capacitor to the reset voltage during a reset of the amplifier circuit. The offset switch is configured to couple the feedback capacitor to the output of the amplifier circuit after the reset of the amplifier circuit.

公开(公告)号：US10375338B2

公开(公告)日：2019-08-06

申请号：US15421881

申请日：2017-02-01

Applicant: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Zheng Yang ,  Hiroaki Ebihara ,  Chun-Ming Tang ,  Chao-Fang Tsai ,  Rui Wang ,  Tiejun Dai

IPC: H04N5/378 ,  H04N5/369 ,  H04N5/374 ,  H01L27/146 ,  H04N5/3745

Abstract: A hybrid bonded image sensor has a photodiode die with macrocells having at least one photodiode and a bond contact; a supporting circuitry die with multiple supercells, each supercell having at least one macrocell unit having a bond contact coupled to the bond contact of a macrocell of the photodiode die. Each macrocell unit lies within a supercell and has a reset transistor adapted to reset photodiodes of the macrocell of the photodiode die. Each supercell has at least one common source amplifier adapted to receive signal from the bond contact of a selected macrocell unit of the supercell, the common source amplifier coupled to drive a column line through a selectable source follower. In embodiments, the common source amplifiers of several supercells drive the selectable source follower through a distributed differential amplifier.

公开(公告)号：US20180324379A1

公开(公告)日：2018-11-08

申请号：US16035388

申请日：2018-07-13

Applicant: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Hiroaki Ebihara ,  Zheng Yang

IPC: H04N5/378 ,  H03K5/24

CPC classification number: H04N5/378 ,  H03K5/2481

Abstract: A comparator includes a first stage coupled to compare a reference voltage to an image charge voltage signal. The first stage includes first and second NMOS input transistors coupled between an enabling transistor and respective first and second cascode devices to receive the reference voltage and the image charge voltage signal. A first auto-zero switch is between a gate of the first NMOS input transistor and a first node. The first node is between the first NMOS input transistor and the first cascode device. A second auto-zero switch is between a gate of the second NMOS input transistor and a second node. The second node is between the second cascode device and a second PMOS transistor. A voltage difference between the first and second nodes during an auto-zero period reduces an amount of kickback that occurs during an ADC period.

公开(公告)号：US20180124372A1

公开(公告)日：2018-05-03

申请号：US15341374

申请日：2016-11-02

Applicant: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Zheng Yang ,  Eiichi Funatsu ,  Sohei Manabe ,  Keiji Mabuchi ,  Dajiang Yang ,  Duli Mao ,  Bowei Zhang

IPC: H04N13/00 ,  H04N13/02 ,  G06T7/00 ,  H04N5/353 ,  H04N5/378 ,  G06T5/00 ,  G06T5/50 ,  H01L27/146

CPC classification number: H04N13/106 ,  G01B11/24 ,  G06T5/001 ,  G06T5/50 ,  G06T7/586 ,  G06T7/593 ,  G06T2207/10028 ,  G06T2207/10144 ,  G06T2207/10152 ,  G06T2207/20224 ,  H01L27/146 ,  H01L27/14614 ,  H01L27/14643 ,  H04N5/3535 ,  H04N5/37452 ,  H04N5/378 ,  H04N13/254 ,  H04N13/271 ,  H04N2013/0092

Abstract: An active depth imaging system and method of operating the same captures illuminator-on and illuminator-off image data with each of a first and second imager. The illuminator-on image data includes information representing an imaged scene and light emitted from an illuminator and reflected off of objects within the imaged scene. The illuminator-off image data includes information representing the imaged scene without the light emitted from the illuminator. For each image set captured by the first and second imagers, illuminator-off image data is subtracted from the illuminator-on image data to identify the illuminated light within the scene. The depth of an object at which the light is incident on then is determined by the subtracted image data of the first and second imagers.

公开(公告)号：US20170324910A1

公开(公告)日：2017-11-09

申请号：US15147741

申请日：2016-05-05

Applicant: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Zheng Yang ,  Hiroaki Ebihara

IPC: H04N5/341 ,  H04N5/374

CPC classification number: H04N5/341 ,  H04N5/357 ,  H04N5/374 ,  H04N5/378

Abstract: A method for implementing H-Banding cancellation in an image sensor starts with a pixel array capturing image data. Pixel array includes a plurality of pixels to generate pixel data signals, respectively. ADC circuitry acquires the pixel data signals. ADC circuitry includes a comparator circuitry. In one embodiment, comparator circuitry 310 includes a plurality of comparators. Comparators included in comparator circuitry compare the pixel data signals, respectively, to a ramp signal received from a ramp generator to generate comparator output signals. Adjacent comparators output signals may be opposite in polarity. Other embodiments are described.

公开(公告)号：US09774811B1

公开(公告)日：2017-09-26

申请号：US15277642

申请日：2016-09-27

Applicant: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Hiroaki Ebihara ,  Zheng Yang

IPC: H03M1/56 ,  H04N5/378 ,  H03K5/24 ,  H03K4/502 ,  H03M1/66

CPC classification number: H04N5/378 ,  H03K4/502 ,  H03K4/56 ,  H03K5/249 ,  H03M1/129 ,  H03M1/1295 ,  H03M1/56 ,  H03M1/66 ,  H04L9/3278

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for image sensors with increased analog to digital conversion range are described herein. An example method may include disabling a first auto-zero switch of a comparator, the first auto-zero switch coupled to a ramp voltage input of the comparator, increasing, by a ramp generator, an auto-zero voltage level of a ramp voltage provided to the ramp voltage input of the comparator, and disabling a second auto-zero switch of the comparator, the second auto-zero switch coupled to a bitline input of the comparator.

公开(公告)号：US20150103220A1

公开(公告)日：2015-04-16

申请号：US14573978

申请日：2014-12-17

Applicant: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Inventor： Zheng Yang ,  Guangbin Zhang ,  Yuanbao Gu

IPC: H04N5/378 ,  H04N5/357 ,  H04N5/369 ,  H03M1/10 ,  H03M1/56

CPC classification number: H04N5/378 ,  H03M1/007 ,  H03M1/10 ,  H03M1/1009 ,  H03M1/1042 ,  H03M1/123 ,  H03M1/56 ,  H03M1/58 ,  H03M2201/2355 ,  H04N5/2175 ,  H04N5/357 ,  H04N5/3698 ,  H04N5/3745

Abstract: An apparatus includes analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion circuitry coupled to a pixel array. The A/D conversion circuitry includes a voltage ramp generator and a set of column A/D conversion circuits. The voltage ramp generator generates a single slope voltage ramp in a first state and a multiple slope voltage ramp in a second state. The set of column A/D conversion circuits is coupled with the voltage ramp generator. The apparatus further includes calibration circuitry coupled with the set of column A/D conversion circuits and operable to determine digital calibration data to adjust digital image data. The calibration circuitry provides analog calibration data that spans a calibration range to the set of column A/D conversion circuits instead of the analog image data from the pixel array being provided to the set of column A/D conversion circuits.

Abstract translation: 一种装置包括耦合到像素阵列的模数（A / D）转换电路。 A / D转换电路包括电压斜坡发生器和一组列A / D转换电路。 电压斜坡发生器产生处于第一状态的单斜坡电压斜坡和处于第二状态的多斜坡电压斜坡。 该列A / D转换电路与电压斜坡发生器耦合。 该装置还包括与一组列A / D转换电路耦合的校准电路，并且可操作以确定数字校准数据以调整数字图像数据。 校准电路提供将校准范围跨越到A / D转换电路组的模拟校准数据，而不是提供给列A / D转换电路的像素阵列的模拟图像数据。

公开(公告)号：US08994832B1

公开(公告)日：2015-03-31

申请号：US14573978

申请日：2014-12-17

Applicant: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Zheng Yang ,  Guangbin Zhang ,  Yuanbao Gu

IPC: H04N5/378 ,  H03M1/10 ,  H03M1/56 ,  H04N5/369 ,  H04N5/357 ,  H04N5/217 ,  H04N5/3745

CPC classification number: H04N5/378 ,  H03M1/007 ,  H03M1/10 ,  H03M1/1009 ,  H03M1/1042 ,  H03M1/123 ,  H03M1/56 ,  H03M1/58 ,  H03M2201/2355 ,  H04N5/2175 ,  H04N5/357 ,  H04N5/3698 ,  H04N5/3745

Abstract: An apparatus includes analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion circuitry coupled to a pixel array. The A/D conversion circuitry includes a voltage ramp generator and a set of column A/D conversion circuits. The voltage ramp generator generates a single slope voltage ramp in a first state and a multiple slope voltage ramp in a second state. The set of column A/D conversion circuits is coupled with the voltage ramp generator. The apparatus further includes calibration circuitry coupled with the set of column A/D conversion circuits and operable to determine digital calibration data to adjust digital image data. The calibration circuitry provides analog calibration data that spans a calibration range to the set of column A/D conversion circuits instead of the analog image data from the pixel array being provided to the set of column A/D conversion circuits.

Abstract translation: 一种装置包括耦合到像素阵列的模数（A / D）转换电路。 A / D转换电路包括电压斜坡发生器和一组列A / D转换电路。 电压斜坡发生器产生处于第一状态的单斜坡电压斜坡和处于第二状态的多斜坡电压斜坡。 该列A / D转换电路与电压斜坡发生器耦合。 该装置还包括与一组列A / D转换电路耦合的校准电路，并且可操作以确定数字校准数据以调整数字图像数据。 校准电路提供将校准范围跨越到A / D转换电路组的模拟校准数据，而不是提供给列A / D转换电路的像素阵列的模拟图像数据。