# US 12,604,113 B2 · Image sensor including plural memory areas for storing bad pixel information and image sensor test device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,604,113 B2 - Document ID: US12604113B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/385,093 - Filed: 2023-10-30 - Published: 2024-11-28 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2023-05-23 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Deokha Shin; Dahee Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12604113B2 ## CPC - H04N 25/68: applied to defects - H04N 25/683: by defect estimation performed on the scene signal, e.g. real time or on the fly detection - H04N 17/002: {for television cameras} - H04N 25/77: Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components - G01R 31/26: Testing of individual semiconductor devices (testing of photovoltaic devices H02S50/10; testing or measuring during manufacture or treatment {H10P74/00}) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) ## Abstract An image sensor test device includes: an interface configured to transmit a control signal to an image sensor to be tested; and a host device configured to transmit, to the image sensor, a storage control signal instructing to store information about a bad pixel which is determined based on an output signal of the image sensor, wherein the output signal corresponds to the control signal, and wherein the storage control signal includes a signal of instructing to store the information about the bad pixel in a memory area of a plurality of memory areas. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image sensor test device comprising: an interface configured to transmit a control signal to an image sensor to be tested; and a host device configured to transmit, to the image sensor, a storage control signal instructing to store information about a bad pixel which is determined based on an output signal of the image sensor which corresponds to the control signal, wherein the storage control signal comprises a signal instructing to store the information about the bad pixel in a memory area of a plurality of memory areas in the image sensor, and wherein the interface comprises: a probe card configured to exchange an electrical signal with a plurality of pads of the image sensor; and an interface board configured to receive an output signal of the probe card and to transmit the control signal to the image sensor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image sensor test device of claim 1, wherein the information about the bad pixel is determined based on the output signal of the probe card. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The image sensor test device of claim 2, wherein the host device is configured to check a test mode of the image sensor, and wherein, based on the checked test mode, the host device is configured to transmit the storage control signal instructing to store the information about the bad pixel in the memory area of the plurality of memory areas. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The image sensor test device of claim 3, wherein the plurality of memory areas comprise a first memory area and a second memory area, and wherein the first memory area and the second memory area have different storage priorities. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image sensor test device of claim 1, wherein the image sensor comprises one of a wafer image sensor, a chip packaged image sensor, and a camera module related image sensor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image sensor test device of claim 1, wherein the memory area is located in a non-volatile memory device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The image sensor test device of claim 6, wherein the non-volatile memory device comprises at least one of an one-time programmable (OTP) memory and a programmable read-only memory (PROM). ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The image sensor test device of claim 6, wherein the memory area comprises different memory areas of one memory device or memory areas of different memory devices. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The image sensor test device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of memory areas comprise a first memory area and a second memory area, wherein the first memory area is configured to store the information about the bad pixel, and wherein the output signal of the image sensor comprises an image signal generated based on the information about the bad pixel, which is stored in the first memory area. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The image sensor test device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of memory areas comprise a first memory area and a second memory area, wherein the second memory area is configured to store the information about the bad pixel, and wherein the host device is configured to transmit the storage control signal for storing the information about the bad pixel in the second memory area. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The image sensor test device of claim 10, wherein the host device is configured to transmit the storage control signal instructing to store the information about the bad pixel in the second memory area when the image sensor is re-tested. ### Claim 12 A method performed by an image sensor test device, the method comprising: providing a driving voltage to an image sensor to be tested; transmitting a control signal to the image sensor; and transmitting, to the image sensor, a storage control signal instructing to store information of a bad pixel which is determined based on an output signal of the image sensor which corresponds to the control signal, wherein the storage control signal comprises a signal of instructing to store the information about the bad pixel in a memory area of a plurality of memory areas areas in the image sensor, and wherein the method further comprises: exchanging, by a probe card, an electrical signal with a plurality of pads of the image sensor; and receiving, by an interface board, an output signal of the probe card and transmitting, by the interface board, the control signal to the image sensor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of memory areas comprise different memory areas of one memory device or memory areas of different memory devices. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: checking a test mode of the image sensor; and transmitting the storage control signal instructing to store the information about the bad pixel in the memory area of the plurality of memory areas based on the checked test mode. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of memory areas have different storage priorities. ### Claim 16 An image sensor comprising: a plurality of memory areas a pixel array configured to generate a pixel signal corresponding to an intensity of incident light; a read-out circuit configured to: read the pixel signal, convert the pixel signal into a digital signal, and generate an image signal; and a bad pixel correcting circuit configured to correct at least one bad pixel in the image signal based on information about the at least one bad pixel and to output a corrected image signal, wherein the information about the at least one bad pixel comprises information obtained by reconstructing a plurality of pieces of the information about the at least one bad pixel stored in the plurality of memory areas, wherein the plurality of memory areas is located in a non-volatile memory device, and wherein the plurality of memory areas comprises different memory areas of one memory device or memory areas of different memory devices. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The image sensor of claim 16, further comprising: a control circuit configured to: extract the plurality of pieces of the information about the at least one bad pixel stored in the plurality of memory areas, and generate the information about the at least one bad pixel by reconstructing the extracted plurality of pieces of information about the at least one bad pixel based on pixel coordinates. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The image sensor of claim 16, wherein the plurality of pieces of the information about the at least one bad pixel is stored in a first memory device and a second memory device, and wherein the first memory device and the second memory device are different types. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The image sensor of claim 16, wherein the plurality of memory areas in which the plurality of pieces of the information about the at least one bad pixel is configured to be stored are located in a non-volatile memory device comprising at least one of a one-time programmable (OTP) memory and a programmable read-only memory (PROM).