Distance sensor and image processing system including the same
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsEric Fossum, Tae Yon Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pixel of a distance sensor includes a photosensor that generates photocharges corresponding to light incident in a first direction. The photosensor includes a plurality of first layers having a cross-sectional area increasing along the first direction after a first depth and at least one transfer gate which receives a transfer control signal for transferring the photocharges to a floating diffusion node. A strong electric field is formed in the direction in which the photocharges move horizontally or vertically in the pixel, thereby accelerating the photocharges, allowing for increased sensitivity and demodulation contrast.
Claims8
An image processing system comprising:
- a distance sensor comprising a plurality of pixels each generating photocharges corresponding to light incident along a first direction and outputting an electrical signal corresponding to the photocharges;
- and
- a processor arranged to calculate a distance to an object by processing electrical signals using time-of-flight (TOF) method,
- wherein each of the pixels comprises:
- a photosensor arranged to have a cross-sectional area increasing along the first direction after a first depth;
- and
- at least one transfer gate arranged to receive a transfer control signal for transferring the photocharges to a floating diffusion node,
- wherein the cross-sectional area of the photosensor decreases along the first direction up to the first depth.
An electronic device, comprising:
- a pixel of a distance sensor that includes a photosensor that generates photocharges corresponding to the intensity of light impinging on a surface of the photosensor, the photosensor including layers of increasing cross sectional area, after a first depth, in a first direction parallel to the surface of the photosensor upon which light impinges;
- a floating diffusion node;
- and
- a transfer gate arranged to transfer photocharges from the photosensor to a floating diffusion nod,
- wherein the cross-sectional area of the photosensor decreases along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction up to the first depth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.