• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.162-167
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• 2011

In this paper, we propose a vision system using a field programmable gate array(FPGA) and a smart vision chip. The output of the vision chip is varied by illumination conditions. This chip is suitable as a surveillance system in a dynamic environment. However, because the output swing of a smart vision chip is too small to definitely confirm the warning signal with the FPGA, a modification was needed for a reliable signal. The proposed system is based on a transmission control protocol/internet protocol(TCP/IP) that enables monitoring from a remote place. The warning signal indicates that some objects are too near.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.15-22
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• 2008

When designing image sensors including a CMOS vision chip for edge detection, resolution is a significant factor to evaluate the performance. It is hard to improve the resolution of a bio-inspired CMOS vision using a resistive network because the vision chip contains many circuits such as a resistive network and several signal processing circuits as well as photocircuits of general image sensors such as CMOS image sensor (CIS). Low resolution restricts the use of the application systems. In this paper, we improve the resolution through layout and circuit optimization. Furthermore, we have designed a printed circuit board using FPGA which controls the vision chip. The vision chip for edge detection has been designed and fabricated by using $0.35{\mu}m$ double-poly four-metal CMOS technology, and its output characteristics have been investigated.

• ETRI Journal
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.783-789
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• 2008

A bio-inspired vision chip for edge detection was fabricated using 0.35 ${\mu}m$ double-poly four-metal complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technology. It mimics the edge detection mechanism of a biological retina. This type of vision chip offer several advantages including compact size, high speed, and dense system integration. Low resolution and relatively high power consumption are common limitations of these chips because of their complex circuit structure. We have tried to overcome these problems by rearranging and simplifying their circuits. A vision chip of $160{\times}120$ pixels has been fabricated in $5{\times}5\;mm^2$ silicon die. It shows less than 10 mW of power consumption.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.188-194
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• 2004

With a remarkable advance in CMOS (complimentary metal-oxide-semiconductor) process technology, a variety of vision sensors with signal processing circuits for complicated functions are actively being developed. Especially, as the principles of signal processing in human retina have been revealed, a series of vision chips imitating human retina have been reported. Human retina is able to detect the edge and motion of an object effectively. The edge detection among the several functions of the retina is accomplished by the cells called photoreceptor, horizontal cell and bipolar cell. We designed a CMOS vision chip by modeling cells of the retina as hardwares involved in edge and motion detection. The designed vision chip was fabricated using $0.6{\mu}m$ CMOS process and the characteristics were measured. Having reliable output characteristics, this chip can be used at the input stage for many applications, like targe tracking system, fingerprint recognition system, human-friendly robot system and etc.

• ETRI Journal
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.539-544
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• 2005

An analog CMOS vision chip for edge detection with power consumption below 20mW was designed by adopting electronic switches. An electronic switch separates the edge detection circuit into two parts; one is a logarithmic compression photocircuit, the other is a signal processing circuit for edge detection. The electronic switch controls the connection between the two circuits. When the electronic switch is OFF, it can intercept the current flow through the signal processing circuit and restrict the magnitude of the current flow below several hundred nA. The estimated power consumption of the chip, with $128{\times}128$ pixels, was below 20mW. The vision chip was designed using $0.25{\mu}m$ 1-poly 5-metal standard full custom CMOS process technology.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.112-119
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• 2006

Resolution of an image sensor is very significant parameter to improve. It is hard to improve the resolution of the CMOS vision chip for edge detection based on a biological retina using a resistive network because the vision chip contains additional circuits such as a resistive network and some processing circuits comparing with general image sensors such as CMOS image sensor (CIS). In this paper, we proved the problem of low resolution by separating photo-sensing and signal processing circuits. This type of vision chips occurs a problem of low operation speed because the signal processing circuits should be commonly used in a row of the photo-sensors. The low speed problem of operation was proved by using a reset decoder. A vision chip for edge detection with $128{\times}128$ pixel array has been designed and fabricated by using $0.35{\mu}m$ 2-poly 4-metal CMOS technology. The fabricated chip was integrated with optical lens as a camera system and investigated with real image. By using this chip, we could achieved sufficient edge images for real application.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.255-262
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• 2002

Human retina is able to detect the edge of an object effectively. We designed a CMOS vision chip by modeling cells of the retina as hardwares involved in edge detection. There are several fluctuation factors which affect characteristics of MOSFETs during CMOS fabrication process and this effect appears as output offset of the vision chip which is composed of pixel arrays and readout circuits. The vision chip detecting edge information from input image is used for input stage of other systems. Therefore, the output offset of a vision chip determine the efficiency of the entire performance of a system. In order to eliminate the offset at the output stage, we designed a vision chip by using CDS(Correlated Double Sampling) technique. Using standard CMOS process, it is possible to integrate with other circuits. Having reliable output characteristics, this chip can be used at the input stage for many applications, like targe tracking system, fingerprint recognition system, human-friendly robot system and etc.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.1717-1722
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• 2003

In this paper we developed flip-chip bonder using XY stage, liner-rotary actuator and vision system. We depicted the major parts of the developed flip-chip bonder. Then we discussed several problems and their solutions such as vision and motion control, pick-up module position accuracy, separation of chip from the blue taped hoop, etc. We used a post guide to improve the horizontal positional accuracy against the long arm. Also, we used an ejector module and synchronization technique for easy chip separation from the blue tape.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.1663-1667
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• 2003

This thesis is on tile development of LD(Laser Diode) chip tester and the control system based on graphical programming language(LabVIEW) to control the equipment. The LD chip tester is used to test the optic power and the optic spectrum of the LD Chip. The emitter size of LD chip and the diameter of the receiver(optic fiber) are very small. Therefore, in order to test each chip precisely, this tester needs high accuracy. However each motion part of the tester could not accomplish hish accuracy due to the limit of the mechanical performance. Hence. an image processing with machine vision was carried out in order to compensate for the error. and also a load test was carried out so as to reduce tile impact of load on chip while the probing motion device is working. The obtained results were within ${\pm}$5$\mu\textrm{m}$ error.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.191-197
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• 2005

When fabricating a vision chip, we should consider the noise problem, such as the fixed pattern noise(FPN) due to the process variation. In this paper, we propose an edge-detection circuit based on biological retina using the offset-free column readout circuit to reduce the FPN occurring in the photo-detector. The offset-free column readout circuit consists of one source follower, one capacitor and five transmission gates. As a result, it is simpler and smaller than a general correlated double sampling(CDS) circuit. A vision chip for edge detection has been designed and fabricated using $0.35\;{\mu}m$ 2-poly 4-metal CMOS technology, and its output characteristics have been investigated.