Importance

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Abstract

A time-of-flight imager pixel has a light-sensitive region, a first and a second integration gate associated with the light-sensitive region, a first and a second sense node, a first output gate arranged between the first integration gate and the first sense node and a second output gate arranged between the second integration gate and the second sense node, a method for operating such a pixel includes exposing the light-sensitive region to light so as to optically generate charge carriers; collecting the charge carriers alternatively under the first and second integration gates; adjusting voltages of the first and second output gates and the first and second integration gates, thereby transferring a first portion of the charge carriers from the first integration gate into the first sense node and a second portion from the second integration gate into the second sense node; calculating time-of-flight information based on the first and second portions of charge carriers. adjusting at least one voltage so as to transfer, if respectively the first and/or second integration gate is close to or in saturation, an amount of charge carriers form the first and/or second integration gate into the first and/or second sense node; and testing whether a voltage change exceeding a given threshold was thereby provoked in the first and/or second sense node.

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First Claim