Light sensor
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics (Alps) SAS
InventorXavier Branca
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A light sensor includes an integrated circuit chip and a boost DC/DC converter. The integrated circuit chip supports an array of pixels, each pixel including a SPAD. The boost DC/DC converter delivers to the SPADs a bias potential capable of placing the SPADs in Geiger mode. The boost DC/DC converter includes an inductive element, a first switch, a second switch, and a circuit for controlling on/off switching of the first switch. The inductive element and the first and second switches are arranged outside of the integrated circuit chip while the control circuit forms part of the integrated circuit chip.
Claims16
A light sensor, comprising:
- an integrated circuit chip comprising a pixel array including a plurality of pixels, each pixel of said plurality of pixels comprising a single-photon avalanche diode;
- and
- a boost DC/DC converter configured to deliver a bias potential to the single-photon avalanche diode of each pixel, wherein the bias potential is configured to place each single-photon avalanche diode in Geiger mode;
- wherein the boost DC/DC converter comprises:
- an inductive element coupling a node configured to receive a first power supply potential to an intermediate node;
- a first switch coupling the intermediate node to a reference potential;
- a second switch coupling the intermediate node to an output node configured to deliver said bias potential;
- and
- a control circuit configured to control switching of the first switch;
- wherein the inductive element, the first switch, and the second switch of the boost DC/DC converter are arranged outside of the integrated circuit chip;
- and
- wherein the control circuit forms a part of said integrated circuit chip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.