US 12,032,064 B2
Time-resolving sensor using SPAD + PPD or capacitors in pixel for range measurement
Yibing Michelle Wang, Pasadena, CA (US)
Assigned to SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., (KR)
Filed by Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Suwon-si (KR)
Filed on May 30, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/203,634.
Application 18/203,634 is a continuation of application No. 17/735,108, filed on May 2, 2022, granted, now 11,703,594.
Application 17/735,108 is a continuation of application No. 17/015,058, filed on Sep. 8, 2020, granted, now 11,366,226, issued on Jun. 21, 2022.
Application 17/015,058 is a continuation of application No. 16/714,670, filed on Dec. 13, 2019, granted, now 10,802,118, issued on Oct. 13, 2020.
Application 16/714,670 is a continuation of application No. 15/878,392, filed on Jan. 23, 2018, granted, now 10,545,224, issued on Jan. 28, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/595,508, filed on Dec. 6, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2023/0296772 A1, Sep. 21, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01S 17/10 (2020.01); G01S 7/4863 (2020.01); G01S 7/4865 (2020.01); G01S 17/89 (2020.01); G01S 17/894 (2020.01)
CPC G01S 17/10 (2013.01) [G01S 7/4863 (2013.01); G01S 7/4865 (2013.01); G01S 17/89 (2013.01); G01S 17/894 (2020.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A differential time-to-charge converter (DTCC) circuit, comprising:
a capacitive device;
a first transistor configured to transfer a first charge on the capacitive device to a first floating diffusion in response to a first enable signal that is active at a beginning of a shutter signal and is inactive in response to a detection event that detects one or more photons that have been reflected from an object;
a second transistor configured to transfer a remaining charge on the capacitive device to a second floating diffusion in response to a second enable signal that is active in response to the detection event of the one or more photons and is inactive in response to an end of the shutter signal; and
an output circuit configured to output a first voltage that is based on the first charge on the first floating diffusion and a second voltage that is based on the remaining charge on the second floating diffusion, a first ratio of the first voltage to a sum of the first voltage and the second voltage being proportional to a time of flight of the one or more photons detected by the detection event, and a second ratio of the second voltage to the sum of the first voltage and the second voltage being proportional to the time of flight of the one or more photons detected by the detection event.