Ambient infrared detection in solid state sensors
View Patent ↗An image sensor device has a first region configured to sense only infrared illumination and a second region configured to not sense visible and infrared illumination.
1. An image sensor device, comprising:
a first region configured to sense only infrared illumination; and
a second region configured to not sense visible and infrared illumination.
2. The image sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the first region comprises pixels covered by a filter that blocks all visible wavelengths of light from reaching the pixels.
3. The image sensor device of claim 2 , wherein the filter comprises a black filter.
4. The image sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the second region comprises pixels covered by a shield that prevents the pixels from receiving both visible and infrared illumination.
5. The image sensor device of claim 4 , wherein the pixels are configured to collect infrared-generated charge.
6. The image sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the image sensor device is configured to record an image.
7. The image sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the second region is around a periphery of the first region.
8. The image sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the first region comprises optically black infrared-sensitive pixels and the second region comprises optically and infrared-black pixels.
9. An image system comprising:
control circuitry that generates an image in response to pixel data; and
an image sensor device, coupled to the control circuitry, that generates the pixel data, the image sensor device comprising:
a first region configured to sense only infrared illumination; and
a second region configured to not sense visible and infrared illumination.
10. The image system of claim 9 , wherein the first region comprises pixels covered by a filter that blocks all visible wavelengths of light from reaching the pixels.
11. The image system of claim 9 , wherein the second region comprises pixels covered by a shield that prevents the pixels from receiving both visible and infrared illumination.
12. The image system of claim 9 , further comprising an input/output circuit connected to the control circuitry and configured to connect the image system to a computer or other system.
13. An image sensor device, comprising:
an array of pixels comprising:
a first region configured to sense only visible illumination; and
a second region configured to sense only infrared illumination.
14. The image sensor device of claim 13 , further comprising a color filter array over the array of pixels.
15. The image sensor device of claim 14 , further comprising a plurality of lenses over the color filter array, wherein each lens of the plurality of lenses corresponds to a respective one of the pixels in the first region.
16. The image sensor device of claim 14 , further comprising a black filter over the color filter array in second region and an infrared filter over the color filter array in first region.
17. The image sensor device of claim 13 , wherein each pixel of the array of pixels comprises a CMOS sensor.
18. The image sensor device of claim 13 , wherein the array of pixels further comprises a third region configured to not sense visible and infrared illumination.
19. The image sensor device of claim 18 , wherein the third region is between the first and second regions.
20. The image sensor device of claim 19 , wherein the array of pixels further comprises a fourth region configured to not sense visible and infrared illumination, wherein the second region is between the third and fourth regions.