公开(公告)号：DE69930774T2

公开(公告)日：2007-02-15

申请号：DE69930774

申请日：1999-01-20

Applicant: ST MICROELECTRONICS INC

Inventor： FERRARI ALBERTO ,  TARTAGNI MARCO

IPC: G06F3/044 ,  A61B5/117 ,  G01B7/28 ,  G06F3/033 ,  G06F3/038 ,  G06F3/041 ,  G06F3/048 ,  G06K9/00 ,  G09G5/08

Abstract: A plurality N of capacitance sensing cells are arranged in a row/column array top to cooperate with a fingertip and produce an output signal that controls the movement of a cursor/pointer across a display screen. The output of each individual sensing cell is connected to the corresponding individual node of a resistor array that has N nodes arranged in a similar row/column array. A centroid output of the resistor nodes in row configuration provides an output signal for control of cursor movement in a row direction. A centroid output of the resistor nodes in column configuration provides an output signal for control of cursor movement in an orthogonal column direction. A mass signal output of the row/column resistor mode array provides a switch on/off signal.

公开(公告)号：DE69824377T2

公开(公告)日：2005-06-16

申请号：DE69824377

申请日：1998-11-06

Applicant: ST MICROELECTRONICS INC

Inventor： TARTAGNI MARCO ,  GUPTA BHUSAN

IPC: G01V3/00 ,  G01B7/004 ,  G01N27/22 ,  G01B101/50

公开(公告)号：DE69921712T2

公开(公告)日：2005-03-17

申请号：DE69921712

申请日：1999-03-05

Applicant: ST MICROELECTRONICS INC

Inventor： TARTAGNI MARCO ,  GUPTA BHUSAN ,  KRAMER ALAN

IPC: G01B7/00 ,  A61B5/117 ,  G01B7/004 ,  G01B7/02 ,  G01B7/287 ,  G01B7/34 ,  G06K9/00

Abstract: A distance sensor has a capacitive element in turn having a first capacitor plate which is positioned facing a second capacitor plate whose distance is to be measured. In the case of fingerprinting, the second capacitor plate is defined directly by the skin surface of the finger being printed. The sensor comprises an inverting amplifier, between the input and output of which the capacitive element is connected to form a negative feedback branch. By supplying an electric charge step to the input of the inverting amplifier, a voltage step directly proportional to the distance being measured is obtained at the output.

公开(公告)号：DE69821442D1

公开(公告)日：2004-03-11

申请号：DE69821442

申请日：1998-10-27

Applicant: ST MICROELECTRONICS INC

Inventor： KRAMER ALAN H ,  RAMBALDI ROBERTO ,  TARTAGNI MARCO

IPC: H01L21/66 ,  H04N5/367 ,  H04N5/374 ,  H04N5/217 ,  H04N3/15

Abstract: Disclosed is a CMOS image sensor that includes circuitry for identifying defective pixels, particularly pixels having leaky access switches. The leaky access switches allow charge to escape from the pixel over a row or column line in a pixel array, thereby corrupting the outputs of an entire row or column of pixels. A disclosed test involves (a) electronically setting a defined charge in a selected pixel of the CMOS imager; (b) reading the output of the selected pixel; and (c) comparing the output of the selected pixel to an expected value based upon the defined charge set in the selected pixels. If the output significantly deviates from the expected value, then the selected pixel is identified as having a leaky access switch. Preferably, a newly fabricated sensor is first tested as described. If such leaky access switch is discovered, the imager is discarded without incurring further manufacturing cost. If, on the other hand, the imager is not found to contain a leaky access switch, it may packaged and then subjected to an optical test.

公开(公告)号：DE69821442T2

公开(公告)日：2004-12-16

申请号：DE69821442

申请日：1998-10-27

Applicant: ST MICROELECTRONICS INC

Inventor： KRAMER ALAN H ,  RAMBALDI ROBERTO ,  TARTAGNI MARCO

IPC: H01L21/66 ,  H04N5/367 ,  H04N5/374 ,  H04N5/217 ,  H04N3/15

Abstract: Disclosed is a CMOS image sensor that includes circuitry for identifying defective pixels, particularly pixels having leaky access switches. The leaky access switches allow charge to escape from the pixel over a row or column line in a pixel array, thereby corrupting the outputs of an entire row or column of pixels. A disclosed test involves (a) electronically setting a defined charge in a selected pixel of the CMOS imager; (b) reading the output of the selected pixel; and (c) comparing the output of the selected pixel to an expected value based upon the defined charge set in the selected pixels. If the output significantly deviates from the expected value, then the selected pixel is identified as having a leaky access switch. Preferably, a newly fabricated sensor is first tested as described. If such leaky access switch is discovered, the imager is discarded without incurring further manufacturing cost. If, on the other hand, the imager is not found to contain a leaky access switch, it may packaged and then subjected to an optical test.

公开(公告)号：DE69840907D1

公开(公告)日：2009-07-30

申请号：DE69840907

申请日：1998-10-27

Applicant: ST MICROELECTRONICS INC

Inventor： RAMBALDI ROBERTO ,  TARTAGNI MARCO ,  KRAMER ALAN H

IPC: H01L27/146 ,  H04N5/367 ,  H04N5/374

Abstract: Disclosed is a fault tolerant CMOS image sensor that includes circuitry for identifying defective pixels and masking them during image generation. Masking may involve, in one example, replacing the output of a given pixel with an average of the output of surrounding non-faulty pixels. Thus, while image sensors may be fabricated with some number of faulty pixels, the images produced by such sensors will not have undesirable bright or dark spots. The disclosed sensor includes (a) one or more pixels (active or passive) capable of providing outputs indicative of a quantity of radiation to which each of the one or more pixels has been exposed; and (b) one or more circuit elements electrically coupled to the one or more pixels and configured to identify and correct faulty pixels in the CMOS imager. The one more pixels each include a photodiode diffusion formed in a well and a tap to power or ground also formed in the well. The disclosed sensor also identifies pixels that were initially acceptable but later became defective. The newly defective pixels so identified may then be masked to thereby increase the CMOS detector lifetime.