US 11,729,524 B2
Depth sensor and method of operating the same
Younggu Jin, Osan-si (KR); Youngchan Kim, Seongnam-si (KR); and Sung-ho Choi, Seoul (KR)
Assigned to SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., Suwon-si (KR)
Filed by SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., Suwon-si (KR)
Filed on Apr. 21, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/726,207.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2021-0064564 (KR), filed on May 20, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0377264 A1, Nov. 24, 2022
Int. Cl. H04N 25/531 (2023.01); H04N 25/58 (2023.01); H04N 25/75 (2023.01); H04N 25/77 (2023.01); H04N 25/533 (2023.01); G01S 7/486 (2020.01); H04N 25/766 (2023.01)
CPC H04N 25/531 (2023.01) [H04N 25/533 (2023.01); H04N 25/58 (2023.01); H04N 25/75 (2023.01); H04N 25/766 (2023.01); H04N 25/77 (2023.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A depth sensor comprising:
a pixel including a first tap, a second tap, a third tap, a fourth tap, an overflow transistor, and a photoelectric conversion device, each tap of the first tap, the second tap, the third tap, and the fourth tap including a photo transistor, a transfer transistor, and a readout circuit; and
a row driver configured to control the pixel,
wherein the row driver is further configured to:
in a first integration period of a global mode, activate a second photo gate signal controlling the photo transistor of the second tap and a third photo gate signal controlling the photo transistor of the third tap; and
in a second integration period of the global mode, activate a first photo gate signal controlling the photo transistor of the first tap and a fourth photo gate signal controlling the photo transistor of the fourth tap.