Sony patents camera circuit that combines signals with fewer wires
Sony has filed a patent for a circuit used in digital cameras that combines multiple electrical signals into one. The design uses switches and small capacitors to store and merge these signals, allowing the camera to process more data without needing extra physical wires.
In the filing’s own words
[Object] To provide a weighted addition circuit and a solid-state image pickup apparatus that are capable of increasing the number of weighted additions while suppressing an increase in the number of wirings of readout lines. [Solving Means] A weighted addition circuit according to the present disclosure includes: a readout wiring which accepts an input of a plurality of signals read out by a vertical signal line of a solid-state image pickup apparatus; a first switch which connects or disconnects the vertical signal line and the readout wiring; a plurality of capacitors which sample-hold the plurality of signals; and a plurality of second switches which connect or disconnect the readout wiring and the capacitors.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A weighted addition circuit, comprising: a readout wiring which accepts an input of a plurality of signals read out by a vertical signal line of a solid-state image pickup apparatus; a first switch which connects or disconnects the vertical signal line and the readout wiring; a plurality of capacitors which sample-hold the plurality of signals; and a plurality of second switches which connect or disconnect the readout wiring and the capacitors.
Facts
- Company
- Sony (SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION)
- Official title
- WEIGHTED ADDITION CIRCUIT AND SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS
- Publication number
- US20260292371A1
- Application number
- 19471796
- Filed
- Mar 13, 2024
- Published
- Sep 24, 2026
- Inventors
- 1
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
H04N 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.