ToF Sensor Pixel Grouping for Uniform Electric Field Generation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing time of flight (ToF) sensors face challenges in uniformly generating electric fields across pixels due to increased electric power consumption when using a pair of electrodes, and thinning processing of electric fields leads to biased fields.
Innovation Solution
An imaging apparatus with a pair of electric field application electrodes and electric charge extraction electrodes per pixel, along with a voltage application section that applies voltage between electrodes of adjacent pixels to produce a uniform electric field, reducing power consumption by combining pixels and optimizing electric field generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pair of electrodes is used to generate an electric field in each pixel, then the electric field generation is sufficient, but electric power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines adjacent pixels into a pixel group and shares electric field application electrodes between multiple pixels. Instead of providing a separate pair of electrodes for each pixel, the invention uses common electrodes for multiple pixels, thereby reducing the total number of electrodes and lowering power consumption while maintaining sufficient electric field generation across all pixels in the group.
2Use of energy by moving object
If thinning processing is performed to generate electric fields in only some pixels, then electric power consumption is reduced, but the electric fields become biased and non-uniform
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the sensor into multiple pixel groups, where each group contains several adjacent pixels that share common electric field application electrodes. This segmentation allows the system to maintain uniform electric field generation within each group while reducing overall power consumption compared to providing electrodes for every individual pixel. The segmentation strategy balances power efficiency with field uniformity by optimizing the group size and electrode placement.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for uniform electric field production across pixels while reducing electric power consumption, enhancing light reception sensitivity and distance measurement accuracy in ToF sensors.
Implementation Method 1
a voltage application section configured to apply voltage between a first electrode that is one of the pair of electric field application electrodes of a first pixel and a second electrode that is one of the pair of electric field application electrodes of a second pixel when pixel combination is performed, and produce an electric field across the first pixel and the second pixel
Data Source
AI summary
[Object] To uniformly produce electric fields when performing thinning processing of generating electric fields in only some of a plurality of pixels.[Solution] There is provided an imaging apparatus including: a pair of electric field application electrodes and a pair of electric charge extraction electrodes provided to each of a plurality of pixels; and a voltage application section configured to apply voltage between a first electrode that is one of the pair of electric field application electrodes of a first pixel and a second electrode that is one of the pair of electric field application electrodes of a second pixel when pixel combination is performed, and produce an electric field across the first pixel and the second pixel.