Light emitting and image sensing device and apparatus

Abstract

There is provided a light emitting and image sensing device for a scene. The device is formed in a semiconductor substrate and comprises a photosensor component for sensing an image of the scene. The photosensor component is responsive to incident light from the scene and provides an electrical signal representative of the image. There is also a photoemitter component for emitting a light signal representative of the electrical signal, and a coupling component connecting the photosensor component with the photoemitter component.

1 . A light emitting and image sensing device for a scene, the device formed in a semiconductor substrate, the device comprising:
 a photosensor means for sensing an image of the scene, the photosensor means being responsive to incident light from the scene and providing an electrical signal representative of the image;   a photoemitter means for emitting a light signal representative of the electrical signal; and   a coupling means connecting the photosensor means with the photoemitter means.   
   
   
       2 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor substrate is a silicon substrate, the photoemitter means and the photosensor means being formed in the silicon substrate. 
   
   
       3 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the device further includes a photoemitter control circuit operable to control an emission of the light from the photoemitter means, the control circuit being formed in the semiconductor substrate. 
   
   
       4 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein an optical barrier substantially optically separates the photoemitter means from the photosensor means, the optical barrier being formed in the semiconductor substrate. 
   
   
       5 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the photoemitter means includes a light emitting diode. 
   
   
       6 . The device as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the photoemitter means includes a PN junction implanted with a rare earth ion. 
   
   
       7 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the photoemitter means includes a resonant cavity light emitting diode. 
   
   
       8 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the photoemitter means includes a vertical cavity surface emitting laser. 
   
   
       9 . The device as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the photoemitter means includes a MOS capacitor having a gate dielectric, the MOS capacitor being formed on the silicon substrate, the gate dielectric being implanted with a rare earth ion. 
   
   
       10 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the photosensor means comprises:
 a matrix of rows and columns of photosensor structures responsive to incident light upon the device;   for each row in said matrix, row select circuitry connected to each of the photosensor structures in said row for selectively designating for outputting output signals representative of the light sensed by said photosensor structure; and   for each column in said matrix, column select circuitry connected to each of the photosensor structures in said column for selectively designating for outputting output signals representative of the light sensed by said photosensor structures.   
   
   
       11 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the photosensor means comprises:
 a plurality of select lines;   a plurality of signal lines; and   a plurality of pixel elements, a pixel element including:
 a photosensor structure; and 
   
     switching means coupled between the photosensor structure and one of the plurality of signal lines, the switching means responsive to select signals on one or more of the plurality of select lines for conveying a photosensor signal between the photosensor structure and the one of the plurality of signal lines. 
   
   
       12 . A light emitting and image sensing device for a scene comprising:
 a photosensor means for sensing an image of the scene, the photosensor means being formed in a first semiconductor substrate and being responsive to incident light from the scene and providing an electrical signal representative of the image; and   a photoemitter means for emitting a light signal representative of the light signal, the photoemitter means being formed in a second semiconductor substrate;   the second semiconductor substrate being connected with the first semiconductor substrate.   
   
   
       13 . The device as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the first semiconductor substrate is a silicon substrate. 
   
   
       14 . The device as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the device further includes a photoemitter control circuit operable to control an emission of the light from the photoemitter means, the control circuit being formed in the first semiconductor substrate. 
   
   
       15 . The device as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the photoemitter means includes a light emitting diode. 
   
   
       16 . The device as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the photoemitter means includes a resonant cavity light emitting diode. 
   
   
       17 . The device as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the photoemitter means includes a vertical cavity surface emitting laser. 
   
   
       18 . The device as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the photosensor means comprises:
 a matrix of rows and columns of photosensor structures responsive to incident light upon the device;   for each row in said matrix, row select circuitry connected to each of the photosensor structures in said row for selectively designating for outputting output signals representative of the light sensed by said photosensor structure; and   for each column in said matrix, column select circuitry connected to each of the photosensor structures in said column for selectively designating for outputting output signals representative of the light sensed by said photosensor structures.   
   
   
       19 . The device as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the photosensor means comprises:
 a plurality of select lines;   a plurality of signal lines; and   a plurality of pixel elements, a pixel element including:
 a photosensor structure; and 
   
     switching means coupled between the photosensor structure and one of the plurality of signal lines, the switching means responsive to select signals on one or more of the plurality of select lines for conveying a photosensor signal between the photosensor structure and the one of the plurality of signal lines.