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Apple patents image sensor with independently controlled substrate sections

This patent describes an image sensor design where the semiconductor base is split into electrically isolated sections. A control circuit adjusts the electrical bias of each section independently to manage how light-sensitive pixels transfer data.

Why it mattersThis is a detailed hardware improvement that could help optimize how camera sensors handle electrical signals, though it does not specify a new consumer feature.

In the filing’s own words

An image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate includes a set of one or more substrate portions. Each substrate portion of the set of one or more substrate portions is electrically isolated from other substrate portions of the set of substrate portions. The image sensor further includes a set of photodiodes, a set of charge storage nodes, a set of charge transfer gates, and a control circuit. Each charge transfer gate of the set of charge transfer gates is disposed on and biased by a different substrate portion of the set of substrate portions. Each charge transfer gate of the set of charge transfer gates is operable to selectively connect a respective photodiode of the set of photodiodes to the charge storage node. The control circuit is operable to dynamically bias each substrate portion of the set of substrate portions independently of each other substrate portion of the set of substrate portions.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. An image sensor, comprising: a semiconductor substrate including a set of substrate portions, each substrate portion of the set of substrate portions electrically isolated from other substrate portions of the set of substrate portions; a set of photodiodes; a charge storage node; a set of charge transfer gates, each charge transfer gate of the set of charge transfer gates disposed on and biased by a different substrate portion of the set of substrate portions, and each charge transfer gate of the set of charge transfer gates operable to selectively connect a respective photodiode of the set of photodiodes to the charge storage node; and a control circuit operable to dynamically bias each substrate portion of the set of substrate portions independently of each other substrate portion of the set of substrate portions.

Facts

Company
Apple (Apple Inc.)
Official title
Image sensor architectures that employ multi-potential dynamic substrate biasing
Patent number
US12745468B2
Application number
18228534
Filed
Jul 31, 2023
Granted
Sep 22, 2026
Inventors
4
Claims
18

Classified under

H10F 39/18 Electricity & electronicsH10F 39/8037 Electricity & electronicsH10F 39/807 Electricity & electronicsH10F 39/809 Electricity & electronics
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.