Sony patents image sensor design that groups pixels to save space
Sony has filed a patent for a new way to manage the wiring inside an image sensor. The design groups small pixels into larger clusters, or "macro pixels," using a two-tier system of signal lines to route data efficiently to the edge of the chip.
In the filing’s own words
The present disclosure generally pertains to image sensor control circuitry for controlling a plurality of pixels of an image sensor for defining a macro pixel and routing a signal of the macro pixel to a sensor periphery, the circuitry including: a plurality of first level signal lines, wherein each first level signal line is provided for at least two pixels of the image sensor, thereby defining a first level pixel tile; and a plurality of second level signal lines, wherein each second level signal line is provided for at least two first level pixel tiles of the image sensor, thereby defining a second level pixel tile.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. Image sensor control circuitry for controlling a plurality of pixels of an image sensor for defining a macro pixel and routing a signal of the macro pixel to a sensor periphery, the circuitry comprising: a plurality of first level signal lines, wherein each first level signal line is provided for at least two pixels of the image sensor, thereby defining a first level pixel tile; and a plurality of second level signal lines, wherein each second level signal line is provided for at least two first level pixel tiles of the image sensor, thereby defining a second level pixel tile.
Facts
- Company
- Sony (Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation)
- Official title
- IMAGE SENSOR CONTROL CIRCUITRY, IMAGE SENSOR, IMAGE SENSOR CONTROL METHOD
- Publication number
- US20260270586A1
- Application number
- 19165283
- Filed
- Mar 12, 2024
- Published
- Sep 10, 2026
- Inventors
- 5
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
H04N 25/705 Electricity & electronicsH04N 25/443 Electricity & electronicsH04N 25/773 Electricity & electronicsH04N 25/78 Electricity & electronicsMore from Sony in Chips & hardware
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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.