公开(公告)号：US20220264050A1

公开(公告)日：2022-08-18

申请号：US17662412

申请日：2022-05-06

Applicant: Prophesee SA

Inventor： Thomas FINATEU ,  Daniel MATOLIN ,  Christoph POSCH

IPC: H04N5/3745 ,  H04N5/378 ,  H04N5/369 ,  H04N5/345 ,  H04N5/355

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to image sensors and methods for image sensing. More specifically, and without limitation, this disclosure relates to systems and methods for providing super-pixels, and implementing and using image sensors with super-pixels. In one implementation, an image sensor includes a plurality of super-pixels. Each super-pixel may include a first photosensitive element; a detector electrically connected to the first photosensitive element and configured to generate a trigger signal when an analog signal proportional to brightness of light impinging on the first photosensitive element matches a condition; a second photosensitive element; an exposure measurement circuit electrically connected to the second photosensitive element and configured to convert an analog signal proportional to brightness of light impinging on the second photosensitive element to a digital signal; and a logic circuit electrically connected to the detector and the exposure measurement circuit and configured to enable the exposure measurement circuit in response to the trigger signal and to disable the exposure measurement circuit when the digital signal is read out from the exposure measurement circuit.

公开(公告)号：US20200068149A1

公开(公告)日：2020-02-27

申请号：US16666387

申请日：2019-10-28

Applicant: Prophesee ,  Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas

Inventor： Thomas FINATEU ,  Bernabe LINARES BARRANCO ,  Teresa SERRANO GOTARREDONA ,  Christoph POSCH

IPC: H04N5/355 ,  H04N5/378 ,  H04N5/3745 ,  H04N5/357

Abstract: This invention relates to a pixel circuit comprising a photo-sensor stage (10) comprising a photodiode (1) delivering a photoreceptor current (Iph), a comparison stage (30) configured for detecting a change in a signal voltage (Vph) derived from said photoreceptor current, a sample-and-hold circuit (50) connected to the converting stage (20) and to the comparison stage (30), said comparison stage (30) configured to output an input signal for the sample-and-hold circuit (50), and for emitting a sampling signal to a control terminal of the sample-and-hold circuit (50) when a change is detected in the signal voltage (Vph).

公开(公告)号：US20210235028A1

公开(公告)日：2021-07-29

申请号：US17051148

申请日：2019-04-30

Applicant: PROPHESEE

Inventor： Thomas FINATEU ,  Daniel MATOLIN ,  Christoph POSCH

IPC: H04N5/353 ,  H04N5/378 ,  H04N5/3745

Abstract: An image sensor includes a plurality of pixels, each pixel including a photosensitive element, and a photo-signal converter adapted to provide, on a first output, a current signal linearly proportional to the intensity of light impinging on the photosensitive element and to provide, on a second output, a voltage signal logarithmic with the intensity of light impinging on the photosensitive element. Each pixel further includes a detector adapted to generate a trigger signal when a signal of the detector proportional to the voltage signal of the second output of the photo-signal converter exceeds a threshold, and a light-to-time converter adapted to measure and encode, in the time domain, light intensity on the photosensitive element. A light-to-time conversion cycle may be initiated by the light-to-time converter in response to receipt of the trigger signal.

公开(公告)号：US20220205835A1

公开(公告)日：2022-06-30

申请号：US17594551

申请日：2020-04-24

Applicant: PROPHESEE

Inventor： Geoffrey F. BURNS ,  Manuele BRAMBILLA ,  Christoph POSCH ,  Gaspard FLORENTZ ,  Stephane VALENTE

IPC: G01H9/00

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for imaging and sensing vibrations of an object. In one implementation, a system is provided for detecting vibrations that comprises a sensor with a plurality of pixels, each pixel including at least one photosensitive element. The sensor is configured to output signals related to illumination on each pixel. The system also includes at least one processor configured to receive the output signals from the sensor and detect, based on the output signals, one or more polarities. The at least one processor is also configured to determine timestamps associated with the output signals, analyze the timestamps and the polarities to detect vibrations of an object in the field of view of the sensor, and determine one or more frequencies of the detected vibrations.

公开(公告)号：US20210056323A1

公开(公告)日：2021-02-25

申请号：US16982879

申请日：2019-03-19

Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH ,  PROPHESEE

Inventor： Michael PFEIFFER ,  Jochen MARX ,  Oliver LANGE ,  Christoph POSCH ,  Xavier LAGORCE ,  Spiros NIKOLAIDIS

IPC: G06K9/00 ,  G06T7/70 ,  G06K9/62 ,  G06T7/20 ,  G08G1/16 ,  B60Q9/00 ,  B62D15/02 ,  B60T7/12 ,  B60W30/09 ,  B64C39/02 ,  G06N3/04 ,  G06N3/08

Abstract: A system (1) for detecting dynamic secondary objects (55) that have a potential to intersect the trajectory (51) of a moving primary object (50), comprising a vision sensor (2) with a light-sensitive area (20) that comprises event-based pixels (21), so that a relative change in the light intensity impinging onto an event-based pixel (21) of the vision sensor (2) by at least a predetermined percentage causes the vision sensor (2) to emit an event (21a) associated with this event-based pixel (21), wherein the system (1) further comprises a discriminator module (3) that gets both the stream of events (21a) from the vision sensor (2) and information (52) about the heading and/or speed of the motion of the primary object (50) as inputs, and is configured to identify, from said stream of events (21a), based at least in part on said information (52), events (21b) that are likely to be caused by the motion of a secondary object (55), rather than by the motion of the primary object (50).
Vision sensors (2) for use in the system (1).
A corresponding computer program.

公开(公告)号：US20230085570A1

公开(公告)日：2023-03-16

申请号：US17904212

申请日：2021-02-12

Applicant: PROPHESEE

Inventor： Daniel MATOLIN ,  Thomas FINATEU, III ,  Massimiliano GIULIONI ,  Christoph POSCH

IPC: H04N5/351 ,  H04N5/374 ,  H04N5/378

Abstract: A method for sampling data from pixels of an event vision sensor is disclosed. The method comprises receiving, with a selection circuit, an activation signal from an active pixel of the plurality of pixels of the line, generating, with the selection circuit, an acknowledge signal in response to receiving the activation signal, and sending the acknowledge signal to the plurality of pixels of the line, wherein each pixel of the line is configured to generate a request-reading signal when that pixel is active when receiving the acknowledge signal. The method also includes electrically coupling a control circuit to a pixel having a largest distance to the selection circuit among the plurality of pixels of the line, receiving, with the control circuit, the acknowledge signal from the selection circuit, generating, with the control circuit, a process-reading signal in response to receiving the acknowledge signal, and resetting the selection circuit and the plurality of pixels of the line after receiving the process-reading signal.

公开(公告)号：US20210127083A1

公开(公告)日：2021-04-29

申请号：US17255972

申请日：2019-06-27

Applicant: PROPHESEE SA

Inventor： Thomas FINATEU ,  Daniel MATOLIN ,  Christoph POSCH

IPC: H04N5/3745 ,  H04N5/345

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to image sensors and methods for image sensing. More specifically, and without limitation, this disclosure relates to systems and methods for providing super-pixels, and implementing and using image sensors with super-pixels. In one implementation, an image sensor includes a plurality of super-pixels. Each super-pixel may include a first photosensitive element; a detector electrically connected to the first photosensitive element and configured to generate a trigger signal when an analog signal proportional to brightness of light impinging on the first photosensitive element matches a condition; a second photosensitive element; an exposure measurement circuit electrically connected to the second photosensitive element and configured to convert an analog signal proportional to brightness of light impinging on the second photosensitive element to a digital signal; and a logic circuit electrically connected to the detector and the exposure measurement circuit and configured to enable the exposure measurement circuit in response to the trigger signal and to disable the exposure measurement circuit when the digital signal is read out from the exposure measurement circuit.

公开(公告)号：US20190273884A1

公开(公告)日：2019-09-05

申请号：US16343720

申请日：2017-10-19

Applicant: PROPHESEE ,  CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS

Inventor： Thomas FINATEU ,  Bernabé LINARES BARRANCO ,  Teresa SERRANO GOTARREDONA ,  Christoph POSCH

IPC: H04N5/3745

Abstract: A pixel circuit for detecting time-dependent visual data includes a photo sensing device detecting a light intensity and generating a signal representing the detected light intensity. The pixel circuit further includes: a voltage amplifier configured for amplifying the signal representing the detected light intensity and generating an amplified signal, the amplified signal being generated by taking into account a control signal which shifts an input voltage offset of the voltage amplifier; a hysteresis comparing module configured for comparing the amplified signal to at least one threshold value and to a reference value and for generating at least one output signal based on the comparison; and a feedback control module configured for generating the control signal of the voltage amplifier based on the at least one output signal generated by the hysteresis comparing module.