EVENT-BASED SENSOR AND EVENT-BASED SENSING METHOD

• US 20200137333A1
• Filed: 12/23/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Suh, Yun Jae, Kim, Sung Ho, Kim, Jun Seok, Ryu, Hyun Surk
• Granted Patent: US 10,917,594 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/00 Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/40 Extracting pixel data from image sensors by controlling scanning circuits, e.g. by modifying the number of pixels sampled or to be sampled
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/47 Image sensors with pixel address output; Event-driven image sensors; Selection of pixels to be read out based on image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/63 applied to dark current
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/707 Pixels for event detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/77 Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/78 Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters

Abstract

An event-based sensor includes: a pixel array configured to output activation signals in response to an input to the pixel array; and a controller configured to output a control signal for supplying a first photocurrent generated in a first pixel of the pixel array to a second pixel of the pixel array.

Claims

1. An event-based sensor comprising:

a pixel array comprising a plurality of first pixels and a second pixel, each of the plurality of first pixels and the second pixel having a photodiode configured to generate a photocurrent based on incident light, a pixel circuit configured to output an activation signal based on the photocurrent, and an internal switching circuit being connected between the photodiode and the pixel circuit;

an external switching circuit connected between the photodiode and a signal line; and

a controller configured to control the internal switching circuit and the external switching circuit, to transfer first photocurrents generated in the plurality of first pixels to the second pixel through the signal line.

2. The event-based sensor of claim 1, wherein each of the internal switching circuit and the external switching circuit is connected to a first control line and a second control line.

3. The event-based sensor of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to turn the internal switching circuit of each of the plurality of first pixels off, and turn the external switching circuit of each of the plurality of first pixels on, by inputting a control signal to the first control line and the second control line respectively.

4. The event-based sensor of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to turn the internal switching circuit of the second pixel on, and turn the external switching circuit of the second pixel off, by inputting a control signal to the first control line and the second control line respectively.

5. The event-based sensor of claim 1, wherein the signal line comprises a first signal line for transferring the first photocurrent in a row direction of the pixel array, and a second signal line for transferring the first photocurrent in a column direction of the pixel array.

6. The event-based sensor of claim 5, wherein the external switching circuit comprises a first external switching circuit connected the photodiode and the first signal line, and a second external switching circuit connected the photodiode and the second signal line.

7. The event-based sensor of claim 1, wherein the second pixel is configured to generate a second photocurrent based on incident light, and output the activation signal based on the first photocurrent and the second photocurrent.

8. The event-based sensor of claim 7, wherein the second pixel is configured to output the activation signal based on a voltage corresponding to a sum of the first photocurrent and the second photocurrent, and a threshold adjusted according to the supply of the first photocurrent to the second pixel.

9. The event-based sensor of claim 7, wherein the second pixel is configured to output the activation signal based on a voltage corresponding to an average of the first photocurrent and the second photocurrent, and a predetermined threshold.

10. An event-based sensor comprising:

a plurality of pixels; and

a controller configured to a output a control signal for supplying a first photocurrent generated in one or more first pixels among the plurality of pixels in response to input light to a second pixel,

wherein each of the plurality of pixels comprises;

a photodiode configured to generate a photocurrent based on incident light;

a pixel circuit configured to output an activation signal based on the photocurrent; and

a first switching circuit configured to control connection between a cathode of the photodiode and the pixel circuit depending on a control signal,

11. The event-based sensor of claim 10, wherein the first switching circuit comprises an AND gate and a switch.

12. The event-based sensor of claim 10, wherein the second switching circuit comprises a NOT gate and a switch.

13. The event-based sensor of claim 10, wherein the second pixel generates a second photocurrent in response to input light, and generates an activation signal based on the first photocurrent and the second photocurrent.

14. The event-based sensor of claim 10, wherein a number of the one or more first pixels is determined to allow a sum of the first photocurrent and the second photocurrent to be equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold.

15. The event-based sensor of claim 10, further comprising a second switching circuit configured to control connection between a photodiode of the one or more first pixels and a pixel circuit of the second pixel.

16. The event-based sensor of claim 15, wherein the second switching circuit is operated complementarily with the first switching circuit.

17. A pixel in an event-based sensor comprising:

a photodiode configured to generate a photocurrent based on incident light;

a pixel circuit configured to output an activation signal based on the photocurrent;

a first switching circuit configured to control a connection between the photodiode and the pixel circuit depending on a control signal; and

a second switching circuit configured to control a connection between the photodiode and a pixel circuit of a further pixel,

wherein the photocurrent is supplied to the pixel circuit of the further pixel, depending on operations of the first switching circuit and the second switching circuit.

18. The pixel in an event-based sensor of claim 17, wherein the other pixel outputs another activation signal based on the photocurrent and another photocurrent generated in a photodiode of the other pixel.

19. The pixel in an event-based sensor of claim 17, wherein the pixel circuit is configured to covert the photocurrent to a voltage, and compare information about the voltage to a predetermined threshold to output the activation signal based on a result of the comparison.

20. The pixel in an event-based sensor of claim 17, wherein the photocurrent is supplied to the pixel circuit of the other pixel through at least one of a first signal line and a second signal line.