Sony patents image sensor that flags internal noise during event detection
Sony describes an image sensor that detects changes in light as specific events rather than capturing full video frames. The sensor includes a processing unit that generates electromagnetic noise and an output unit that signals when this noise is active during event detection.
In the filing’s own words
An image sensor includes: a pixel array unit in which pixels are two-dimensionally arranged, the pixels detecting a change in light reception amount as an event and generating an event signal indicating a detection result of the event; a predetermined processing unit configured to execute predetermined processing accompanied by generation of electromagnetic noise; and an information output unit configured to generate and output noise source driving presence/absence data indicating whether or not the predetermined processing is executed when the event is detected.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. An image sensor comprising: a pixel array unit in which pixels are two-dimensionally arranged, the pixels detecting a change in light reception amount as an event and generating an event signal indicating a detection result of the event; a predetermined processing unit configured to execute predetermined processing accompanied by generation of electromagnetic noise; and an information output unit configured to output noise source driving presence/absence data indicating whether or not the predetermined processing is executed when the event is detected.
Facts
- Company
- Sony (Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation)
- Official title
- Image sensor and data structure
- Patent number
- US12771956B2
- Application number
- 18837029
- Filed
- Mar 13, 2023
- Granted
- Oct 20, 2026
- Inventors
- 1
- Claims
- 12
Classified under
H04N 25/47 Electricity & electronicsG06N 20/00 Physics & computingH04N 25/617 Electricity & electronicsMore from Sony in Chips & hardware
- Sony patents light sensor that adjusts how it counts incoming photons Sep 1, 2026
- Sony patents camera sensor with two pixel types for better motion detection Sep 1, 2026
- Sony patents game graphics that adjust quality based on hardware heat Sep 8, 2026
- Sony patents camera sensor design that stacks chips to shrink pixels Sep 8, 2026
- Sony patents chip design that measures internal temperature from outside Sep 8, 2026
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.