Sony patents sensor system that splits power to save battery
Sony describes a setup where a sensor and a main processor each have separate power sections for different tasks. The system allows the basic data connection to stay active while turning off the more complex processing parts to save energy.
In the filing’s own words
A sensor system includes: a sensor device; and an application processor (AP) device that uses the sensor device, in which the sensor device includes: a first in-sensor power domain (PD) and a second in-sensor PD of which power-on and power-off can be individually controlled; and a TxIF circuit that is provided across the first in-sensor PD and the second in-sensor PD and transmits data, the AP device includes: a first in-AP PD and a second in-AP PD of which power-on and power-off can be individually controlled; and an RxIF circuit that is provided across the first in-AP PD and the second in-AP PD and receives the data, the first in-sensor PD and the first in-AP PD provide a layer higher than a physical layer, and the second in-sensor PD and the second in-AP PD provide the physical layer.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A sensor system comprising: a sensor device; and an application processor (AP) device that uses the sensor device, wherein the sensor device includes: a first in-sensor power domain (PD) and a second in-sensor PD of which power-on and power-off can be individually controlled; and a TxIF circuit that is provided across the first in-sensor PD and the second in-sensor PD and transmits data, the AP device includes: a first in-AP PD and a second in-AP PD of which power-on and power-off can be individually controlled; and an RxIF circuit that is provided across the first in-AP PD and the second in-AP PD and receives the data, the first in-sensor PD and the first in-AP PD provide a layer higher than a physical layer, and the second in-sensor PD and the second in-AP PD provide the physical layer.
Facts
- Company
- Sony (Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation)
- Official title
- SENSOR SYSTEM, SENSOR DEVICE, AND AP DEVICE
- Publication number
- US20260277298A1
- Application number
- 19473651
- Filed
- Apr 8, 2024
- Published
- Sep 17, 2026
- Inventors
- 1
- Claims
- 15
Classified under
G06F 1/3287 Physics & computingMore 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.