Adaptive solid state image sensor
First Claim
1. An active pixel image sensor comprising an array of active pixels for producing electrical signals in response to incident radiation and readout circuitry for scanning and processing the pixel outputs into signals corresponding to an image wherein:
- each active pixel comprises a photodetector and a circuit for amplifying the output of the photodetector;
the array of pixels comprises a first plurality of pixels whose photodetectors are responsive to a first spectral range and a second plurality of pixels whose photodetectors are responsive to a second spectral range different from the first spectral range;
the first plurality of pixels and the second plurality of pixels each comprise photodetectors that are monolithically integrated into the same single crystal semiconductor substrate; and
the pixels of the array are spatially arranged and connected to form a plurality of sub-arrays disposed and arranged to capture essentially the same image.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved monolithic solid state imager comprises plural sub-arrays of respectively different kinds of pixels, an optional filter mosaic comprising color filters and clear elements, and circuitry to process the output of the pixels. The different kinds of pixels respond to respectively different spectral ranges. Advantageously the different kinds of pixels can be chosen from: 1) SWIR pixels responsive to short wavelength infrared (SWIR) in the range of approximately 800-1800 nm; 2) regular pixels responsive to visible and NIR radiation (400-1000 nm) and wideband pixels responsive to visible, NIR and SWIR radiation.
72 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An active pixel image sensor comprising an array of active pixels for producing electrical signals in response to incident radiation and readout circuitry for scanning and processing the pixel outputs into signals corresponding to an image wherein:
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each active pixel comprises a photodetector and a circuit for amplifying the output of the photodetector;
the array of pixels comprises a first plurality of pixels whose photodetectors are responsive to a first spectral range and a second plurality of pixels whose photodetectors are responsive to a second spectral range different from the first spectral range;
the first plurality of pixels and the second plurality of pixels each comprise photodetectors that are monolithically integrated into the same single crystal semiconductor substrate; and
the pixels of the array are spatially arranged and connected to form a plurality of sub-arrays disposed and arranged to capture essentially the same image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A solid state image sensor comprising an array of photodetector pixels for producing electrical signals in response to incoming radiation and readout circuitry for scanning and processing the outputs of the pixels to process the outputs into data corresponding to an image,
wherein the array of pixels comprises at least two sub-arrays, each sub-array composed of a plurality of pixels and the pixels of the respective two sub-arrays responsive to different spectral ranges of radiation; one of the two sub-arrays comprising pixels responsive to visible and near infrared radiation in the range 400-1000 nanometers (regular pixels) and the other sub-array comprising pixels responsive to short wavelength infrared radiation in the range of approximately 800-1800 nanometers. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A solid state image sensor comprising an array of photodetector pixels for producing electrical signals in response to incoming radiation and readout circuitry for scanning and processing the outputs of the pixels to process the outputs into data corresponding to an image,
wherein the pixels are monolithically integrated into the same silicon semiconductor substrate; - and
wherein the array of pixels comprises at least two sub-arrays, each sub-array composed of a plurality of pixels and the pixels of the respective two sub-arrays having photodetectors responsive to different spectral ranges of radiation;
one of the two sub-arrays comprising pixel responsive to visible and near infrared radiation in the range 400-1000 nanometers (regular pixels) and the other sub-array comprising pixels responsive to visible, near infrared and shortwave infrared radiation in the range of approximately 400-1800 nanometers (wideband pixels). - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification