Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Imaging devices with single-photon avalanche diodes having sub-exposures for high dynamic range
-
Application No.: US16670740Application Date: 2019-10-31
-
Publication No.: US11159738B2Publication Date: 2021-10-26
- Inventor: Salvatore Gnecchi
- Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
- Applicant Address: US AZ Phoenix
- Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
- Current Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
- Current Assignee Address: US AZ Phoenix
- Agency: Treyz Law Group, P.C.
- Agent Joseph F. Guihan
- Main IPC: H04N5/00
- IPC: H04N5/00 ; G06T7/00 ; G01S7/48 ; H04N5/235 ; G06T7/521 ; H04N5/225 ; G01S17/89 ; G01S7/4863

Abstract:
An imaging device may include single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs). To improve the sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio of the SPADs, photon detection efficiency (PDE) may be increased. However increased photon detection efficiency may result in a decreased saturation rate and lower than desired dynamic range. To increase the dynamic range, a SPAD-based semiconductor device may operate with multiple sub-exposures. During the first sub-exposure, an over-bias voltage may be set to a first voltage level so that the SPADs have a first photon detection efficiency. During the second sub-exposure, the over-bias voltage may be set to a second voltage level so that the SPADs have a second photon detection efficiency that is different than the first photon detection efficiency. Image data from the first and second sub-exposures may then be combined into a single high dynamic range depth map.
Public/Granted literature
- US20210092275A1 IMAGING DEVICES WITH SINGLE-PHOTON AVALANCHE DIODES HAVING SUB-EXPOSURES FOR HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE Public/Granted day:2021-03-25
Information query