Back to results
US 12,225,302 B2Granted
Image sensor, image sensing system including the same, and method for sensing an image
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsKyoung Hwan Moon, Ji Hoon Kim, Young Jun Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An image sensor includes a pixel defining pattern in a mesh form, wherein a first division pattern divides a pixel area into two halves, a second division pattern divides the pixel area into two halves, a first diagonal division pattern divides the pixel area into two halves, a second diagonal division pattern divides the pixel area into two halves, and first through eighth photodiodes are arranged in the pixel area so divided.
Claims20
An image sensor, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a pixel defining pattern disposed within the substrate and formed in a mesh form, wherein the pixel defining pattern defines each of a plurality of pixel areas along the mesh form;
- a first division pattern extending along a first direction for dividing at least one pixel area among the plurality of pixel areas into two half portions;
- a second division pattern extending along a second direction for dividing the at least one pixel area into two half portions, wherein the second direction intersects the first direction;
- a first diagonal division pattern extending along a first diagonal direction for dividing the at least one pixel area into two half portions, wherein the first diagonal direction intersects the first direction and the second direction;
- first and second photodiodes disposed in the at least one pixel area and between the first division pattern and the first diagonal division pattern, wherein the first and second photodiodes are separated from each other by the first division pattern and the first diagonal division pattern;
- and
- third and fourth photodiodes disposed in the at least one pixel area;
- and between the second division pattern and the first diagonal division pattern, wherein the third and fourth photodiodes are separated from each other by the second division pattern and the first diagonal division pattern, wherein:
- the first photodiode and the third photodiode are separated from each other we by the first diagonal division pattern and are disposed adjacent to each other,
- the second photodiode and the fourth photodiode are separated from each other wise by the first diagonal division pattern and are disposed adjacent to each other, and
- in a first operation mode, a first binning operation is performed based on a first sensed signal generated from the first photodiode and a third sensed signal generated from the third photodiode, and a second binning operation is performed based on a second sensed signal generated from the second photodiode and a fourth sensed signal generated from the fourth photodiode.
9 more elements
An image sensor system, comprising:
- an image sensor for outputting an image signal;
- and
- an image signal processor connected to the image sensor for receiving and processing the image signal,
- wherein the image sensor includes:
- a substrate;
- a pixel defining pattern disposed within the substrate and formed in a mesh form, wherein the pixel defining pattern defines each of a plurality of pixel areas along the mesh form;
- a first division pattern extending along a first direction for dividing at least one pixel area among the plurality of pixel areas into two half portions;
- a second division pattern extending along a second direction for dividing the at least one pixel area into two half portions, wherein the second direction intersects the first direction;
- a first diagonal division pattern extending along a first diagonal direction for dividing the at least one pixel area into two half portions, wherein the first diagonal direction intersects the first direction and the second direction;
- a second diagonal division pattern extending along a second diagonal direction for dividing the at least one pixel area into two half portions, wherein the second diagonal direction intersects the first direction and the second direction, and the first diagonal direction;
- first and second photodiodes disposed in the at least one pixel area and between the first division pattern and the first diagonal division pattern, wherein the first and second photodiodes are separated from each other by the first division pattern and the first diagonal division pattern;
- third and fourth photodiodes disposed in the at least one pixel area;
- and between the second division pattern and the first diagonal division pattern, wherein the third and fourth photodiodes are separated from each other by the second division pattern and the first diagonal division pattern;
- fifth and sixth photodiodes disposed in the at least one pixel area and between the first division pattern and the second diagonal division pattern, wherein the fifth and sixth photodiodes are separated from each other by the first division pattern and the second diagonal division pattern;
- and
- seventh and eighth photodiodes disposed in the at least one pixel area and between the second division pattern and the second diagonal division pattern, wherein the seventh and eighth photodiodes are separated from each other by the second division pattern and the second diagonal division pattern, and
- wherein:
- the first photodiode and the third photodiode are separated from each other by the first diagonal division pattern and are disposed adjacent to each other,
- the second photodiode and the fourth photodiode are separated from each other, by the first diagonal division pattern and are disposed adjacent to each other, and
- in a first operation mode, a first binning operation is performed based on a first sensed signal generated from the first photodiode and a third sensed signal generated from the third photodiode, and a second binning operation is performed based on a second sensed signal generated from the second photodiode and a fourth sensed signal generated from the fourth photodiode.
17 more elements
A method for sensing an image, the method comprising:
- providing an image sensor, the image sensor including:
- a substrate,
- a pixel defining pattern disposed within the substrate and formed in a mesh form, wherein the pixel defining pattern defines each of a plurality of pixel areas along the mesh form,
- a first division pattern extending along a first direction for dividing at least one pixel area among the plurality of pixel areas into two half portions,
- a second division pattern extending along a second direction for dividing the at least one pixel area into two half portions, wherein the second direction intersects the first direction,
- a first diagonal division pattern extending along a first diagonal direction for dividing the at least one pixel area into two half portions, wherein the first diagonal direction intersects the first direction and the second direction,
- first and second photodiodes disposed in the at least one pixel area and between the first division pattern and the first diagonal division pattern, wherein the first and second photodiodes are separated from each other by the first division pattern and the first diagonal division pattern,
- third and fourth photodiodes disposed in the at least one pixel area, and between the second division pattern and the first diagonal division pattern, wherein the third and fourth photodiodes are separated from each other by the second division pattern and the first diagonal division pattern,
- wherein the first photodiode and the third photodiode are separated from each other by the first diagonal division pattern and are disposed adjacent to each other,
- wherein the second photodiode and the fourth photodiode are separated from each other by the first diagonal division pattern and are disposed adjacent to each other;
- and
- in response to a first mode, performing;
- a first binning operation based on a first sensed signal generated from the first photodiode and a third sensed signal generated from the third photodiode;
- and
- performing a second binning operation based on a second sensed signal generated from the second photodiode and a fourth sensed signal generated from the fourth photodiode.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.