US 12,407,809 B2
Pixel array including dark pixel sensors
Feng-Chien Hsieh, Pingtung (TW); Yun-Wei Cheng, Taipei (TW); and Kuo-Cheng Lee, Tainan (TW)
Assigned to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed on Jan. 18, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/415,993.
Application 18/415,993 is a continuation of application No. 17/249,915, filed on Mar. 18, 2021, granted, now 11,985,438.
Prior Publication US 2024/0155260 A1, May 9, 2024
Int. Cl. H04N 17/00 (2006.01); H04N 25/633 (2023.01); H10F 39/00 (2025.01)
CPC H04N 17/002 (2013.01) [H04N 25/633 (2023.01); H10F 39/024 (2025.01); H10F 39/8057 (2025.01); H10F 39/8063 (2025.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A pixel array, comprising:
a plurality of visible light pixel sensors configured to generate visible light information; and
a plurality of dark pixel sensors configured to generate dark current calibration information,
wherein each visible light pixel sensor, of the plurality of visible light pixel sensors, is within two pixel sensors away from a dark pixel sensor of the plurality of dark pixel sensors,
wherein at least one visible light pixel sensor, of the plurality of visible light pixel sensors, is greater than one pixel sensor away from each dark pixel sensor of the plurality of dark pixel sensors,
wherein the plurality of dark pixel sensors comprise a two-dimensional array of non-contiguous groups of dark pixel sensors, and
wherein each of the non-contiguous groups of dark pixel sensors are surrounded by a border of visible light pixel sensors of the plurality of visible light pixel sensors.