Sony patents camera sensor that captures extra light to prevent blown-out highlights
Sony describes a camera sensor design where each pixel has two separate areas to store electrical charge from incoming light. One area holds the standard amount of light, while a second area catches any extra light that would normally overflow and cause bright spots to lose detail. A switch allows the sensor to combine these two amounts of charge before converting them into a digital image signal.
In the filing’s own words
A photodetection device that includes a plurality of pixels that performs exposure at the same timing. Each of the plurality of pixels includes: a photoelectric conversion element that stores charge corresponding to a light amount of incident light; a first retention unit that retains the charge stored in the photoelectric conversion element; a charge-voltage conversion unit that converts the charge retained in the first retention unit into a voltage; a second retention unit that retains charge overflowing from the photoelectric conversion element; a first transfer path that transfers charge from the photoelectric conversion element to the first retention unit; a second transfer path that transfers charge from the photoelectric conversion element to the second retention unit; and a first transistor that switches whether or not to supply the charge retained in the second retention unit to the charge-voltage conversion unit together with the charge retained in the first retention unit.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A photodetection device, comprising a plurality of pixels that performs exposure at the same timing, wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes: a photoelectric conversion element that stores charge corresponding to a light amount of incident light; a first retention unit that retains the charge stored in the photoelectric conversion element; a charge-voltage conversion unit that converts the charge retained in the first retention unit into a voltage; a second retention unit that retains charge overflowing from the photoelectric conversion element; a first transfer path that transfers charge from the photoelectric conversion element to the first retention unit; a second transfer path that transfers charge from the photoelectric conversion element to the second retention unit; and a first transistor that switches whether or not to supply the charge retained in the second retention unit to the charge-voltage conversion unit together with the charge retained in the first retention unit.
Facts
- Company
- Sony (SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION)
- Official title
- PHOTODETECTION DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS
- Publication number
- US20260281581A1
- Application number
- 19471611
- Filed
- Mar 25, 2024
- Published
- Sep 17, 2026
- Inventors
- 2
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
H04N 25/771 Electricity & electronicsMore from Sony in Cameras & imaging
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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.