US 11,877,080 B2
Pixel sensor having shared readout structure
Xinqiao Liu, Medina, WA (US); Song Chen, Redmond, WA (US); and Tsung-Hsun Tsai, Redmond, WA (US)
Assigned to Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC, Menlo Park, CA (US)
Filed by Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC, Menlo Park, CA (US)
Filed on Nov. 30, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/538,092.
Application 17/538,092 is a continuation of application No. 16/829,249, filed on Mar. 25, 2020, granted, now 11,218,660.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/824,301, filed on Mar. 26, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0094872 A1, Mar. 24, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04N 25/75 (2023.01); H01L 27/146 (2006.01); H04N 23/73 (2023.01); H04N 25/77 (2023.01); G02B 27/01 (2006.01)
CPC H04N 25/75 (2023.01) [H01L 27/14643 (2013.01); H04N 23/73 (2023.01); H04N 25/77 (2023.01); G02B 27/0172 (2013.01); G02B 2027/0178 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus comprising:
a first photodiode;
a second photodiode;
a quantizer;
a memory;
a controller configured to:
set a first exposure period in which the first photodiode generates a first charge;
set a second exposure period in which the second photodiode generates a second charge, the second exposure period being set based on:
the first exposure period; and
at least one of:
a first time associated with a read out operation of the memory to a second apparatus, or
a second time associated with a quantization operation by the quantizer;
perform, using the quantizer, a first quantization operation of the first charge to generate a first digital output; and
perform, using the quantizer, a second quantization operation of the second charge to generate a second digital output.