Aptina’s innovations are built on a foundation of great ideas presented by a world-class research and development team. This page highlights a handful of Aptina’s recently issued patents. For a complete list of patents issued to Aptina, visit the USPTO web site.
Circuit for an active pixel
A pixel circuit includes a pixel-capture device having a pixel node and operable to convert light intensity into a pixel signal at the pixel node, the pixel signal representing a captured pixel. A row node carries a row signal that is operable to both (a) enable passage of the pixel signal from the pixel node to a column node during a readout phase of the captured pixel, and (b) set the pixel node to a predetermined signal level during a reset phase of the captured pixel. The reset phase and the readout phase are configured to occur during different time intervals. A reset node is included for carrying a reset signal that is operable together with the row signal to (a) enable passage from the pixel node to the column node during the readout phase, and (b) set the pixel node to predetermined signal level during the reset phase.
View Patent►July 5, 2011
Active pixel sensor with reduced fixed pattern noise
An image sensor includes pixels each of which is designed to transfer charge, accumulated in a photoactive region of the pixel during a first period, through a second active region of the pixel to a power supply node, and to transfer charge, accumulated in the photoactive region during a second period, through the second active region to a sense node in the pixel. Passing charge through the second active region prior to transferring it either to the power supply node or the sense node can help reduce fixed pattern noise. The image sensor can be operated in snap-shot mode.
View Patent►July 5, 2011
3D backside illuminated image sensor with multiplexed pixel structure
A three-dimensional pixel array, a method of manufacturing a pixel array and an imager including the three-dimensional pixel array. The three-dimensional array includes multiple groups of pixels, each group of pixels including a first layer and a second layer. The first layer includes multiple photosensitive elements, one per pixel in the group, at least one floating diffusion region connected to each photosensitive element in the group via at least one respective transfer gate per pixel and multiple transfer gate lines, at least two transfer gate lines connected to each respective transfer gate in each row of pixels. The second layer includes at least a rest transistor per group and a source follower transistor coupled to the shared floating diffusion in the first layer.
View Patent►June 14, 2011
Defective pixel correction method and system
A defective pixel detection and correction mechanism for use in an image sensor integrated circuit determines whether a current pixel is a defective pixel in a consistent manner from frame to frame. The defective pixel detection and correction mechanism also replaces defective pixels with stable replacement values. The defective pixel detection and correction mechanism has a defective pixel detection mechanism that employs a look-up table with defective pixel locations for providing a non-varying determination of whether a pixel is defective or non-defective. The defective pixel detection and correction mechanism also has a defective pixel correction mechanism that employs a consistent replacement choice facility to provide a previous pixel value in the same frame, on the same row, and a predetermined number of pixels from the current pixel location as a replacement value and a replacement unit (e.g., multiplexer) for replacing the defective pixel value with the replacement value.
View Patent►May 17, 2011
Image sensors with light guides
An image sensor may be formed from a planar semiconductor substrate. The image sensor may have an array of pixels. Each pixel may have a photosensitive element that is formed in the substrate and may have a light guide in a dielectric stack that guides light from a microlens and color filter to the photosensitive element. The light guides in pixels that are offset from the center of the image sensor may be tilted so that their longitudinal axes each form a non-zero angle with a vertical axis that lies perpendicular to the planar semiconductor substrate. These light guides may have laterally elongated openings that help collect light. A light guide may have a lower opening that matches the size of an associated photosensitive element. Photosensitive elements that are laterally offset from the center of the image sensor may be tilted. Pixels of different colors may have off-center photosensitive elements.
View Patent►April 12, 2011
Image stabilization device and method
An imaging device and processes to provide image stabilization by controlling analog gain and integration time. Analog gain and integration time for images are determined by comparing an image in various frames, whether full frames or hidden frames, where the image is provided with differently set analog gain and integration time settings to determine settings for stabilized image capture.
View Patent►
