WBT 09

1. Filterless Color Imaging Sensor
Presented by Thomas Martinuzzo
Project Leader, Sciences and Engineering
thomas.martinuzzo@univalor.ca

2. Overview
An New Imaging Sensor f M M k A li i
AN I iS for Mass Market Applications
Seeking Partnerships in Development and Market Deployment
in Development and Market
Market : $6b by 2014
Inventor: Pr. Yves Audet, École Polytechnique de Montreal
Intellectual Property: PCT (entered in US, JP, UK)+ 2 new USPR
underway on improvements
on improvements

3. ”Image Sensor 101”
”I S 101”
An Image Sensor converts a visual i
AI S i l image into an electric signal
i l ii l
+ Very Good Quality
+ Very Good Quality Image + Cheap
+ Cheap
Image Sensors
‐ Very expensive + Small
‐ Energy + Energy
‐ Resolution
‐ Sensitiviy
CCD Image Sensors CMOS Image Sensors
Digital Mobile Vision Medical
Camcorders Automatives Robotics
Cameras Phones PDA Machine Imaging
gg

4. The Art of Color
The Art of Color Detection
Filters are deposited on top of the sensor array
according to the Bayer pattern.
pixels with filter sensor array
G: Green color detecting pixels
for luminance (brightness) signal
R, B: Red and Blue color
R B: Red and Blue color detecting
pixels for chrominance (color) signal

5. What about a sensor that
about a sensor that…
is as sensitive as CCD
CCD,
is as compact, low power consuming and low cost
compact
as CMOS,
does not require filters to detect color images.

6. Our Technology
The filterless color i
Th fil l l image sensor relies on the well‐known
li h ll k
principle of wavelength penetration into solids (silicon).
light ray
silicon surface
ili f
λ(red) = 650 nm
λ(green) = 530 nm
λ(blue) = 470 nm

7. The Art of Color
The Art of Color Detection
red + green + blue
z
red + blue
rouge
y
light ray
x
P+ electrodes
P+ electrodes
N well
N‐well
E
B
electron‐hole pairs
electron‐hole pairs
P‐ substrat

8. Value Proposition
Value Proposition
An Imaging Sensor C bi i Ad
AI iS Combining Advantages of CMOS and CCD
f CMOS d CCD
Sensors
• Small
Small
• Low Cost
• High resolution
High resolution
• High Sensitivity
• Low Power Consumption
p
4 Mpixels sensor for the size of a current
2Mpixels sensor found in your cellular phone

9. Summary
Simple Idea
Si l Id
Developed Within Academic Institution
Researchers With Industry Experience
Through Boostrapping Financing
Core IP
Various Market Segments
Looking For Partnerships in Development and Market Deployment

10. Filterless Color Imaging Sensor
Imaging Sensor
Thomas Martinuzzo
thomas.martinuzzo@univalor.ca
Booth # 402

11. Intellectual Property
• PCT/CA2007/000997 « Color Image Sensor »
/ / l
claiming priority on US60/811,435 07.06.2006
– Positive ISR
– Positive Written Opinion
p
• Entered into US Japan and England (Canada is
US, Japan and England (Canada is
possible up to Dec. 09)
• 2 US provisional underway on improvments

12. The Art of Color Detection
Actual color image detection
ll d Our innovation: One pixel, three
lh
concept: The Bayer pattern colors and no filtering
Optical filter transmission could be as low as 30% in the case of
O i l fil ii ld b l 30% i h f
the blue color