US 12,341,932 B2
Neighborhood-gated switching pixel sensor
Ward Van Der Tempel, Keerbergen (BE); Johannes Willem Peeters, Antwerp (BE); André Bernard Miodezky, Ukkel (BE); and Christian Mourad, Genval (BE)
Assigned to VOXELSENSORS SRL, Brussels (BE)
Appl. No. 18/268,947
Filed by VOXELSENSORS SRL, Brussels (BE)
PCT Filed Dec. 23, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/087594
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 21, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/136682, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 30, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2020/5975 (BE), filed on Dec. 23, 2020; and application No. 2021/5251 (BE), filed on Apr. 1, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0080581 A1, Mar. 7, 2024
Int. Cl. H04N 25/773 (2023.01); H04N 25/40 (2023.01)
CPC H04N 25/773 (2023.01) [H04N 25/40 (2023.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An imaging sensor system, comprising:
a plurality of pixel sensors, wherein the pixel sensors are grouped in at least one local cluster comprising at least two pixel sensors, wherein each pixel sensor of the at least one local cluster adjoins at least one other pixel sensor of the at least one local cluster,
wherein each pixel sensor comprises:
a photodetector capable of detecting single photons impinging thereon, the photodetector having an output for outputting an electrical local detection signal upon detection of a photon;
a local controlling circuit, wherein the plurality of pixel sensors in the at least one local cluster are configured, using the local controlling circuit, to output a global detection signal when detecting a local detection signal from at least two outputs of the photodetectors of the at least one local cluster; and
at least one light source;
wherein the local controlling circuit of each pixel sensor comprises: a local enabling circuit, and a neighborhood enabling circuit connected to the local enabling circuit,
wherein the local detection signal of the pixel sensor is provided to the local enabling circuit in the pixel sensor,
wherein the neighborhood enabling circuit of the pixel sensor is provided with at least one local detection signal of at least one other pixel sensor in the at least one local cluster,
wherein the pixel sensors are configured to output the global detection signal when both the local enabling circuit and the neighborhood enabling circuit are triggered
wherein the plurality of pixel sensors in the at least one local cluster are configured to output the global detection signal when detecting a local detection signal from at least two outputs of the photodetectors of the local cluster within a predetermined time delay.