Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Solid-state image sensor, imaging device, and method of controlling solid-state image sensor
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Application No.: US16964666Application Date: 2018-12-04
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Publication No.: US11622086B2Publication Date: 2023-04-04
- Inventor: Yutaka Inaoka , Hongbo Zhu , Takafumi Takatsuka
- Applicant: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
- Applicant Address: JP Kanagawa
- Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
- Current Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
- Current Assignee Address: JP Kanagawa
- Agency: Michael Best & Friedrich LLP
- Priority: JPJP2018-017019 20180202,JPJP2018-017020 20180202
- International Application: PCT/JP2018/044462 WO 20181204
- International Announcement: WO2019/150752 WO 20190808
- Main IPC: H04N5/351
- IPC: H04N5/351 ; H01L27/146

Abstract:
To reduce power consumption in a solid-state image sensor that detects weak light.
The solid-state image sensor includes a photodiode, a resistor, a measuring unit, and a control unit. The photodiode photoelectrically converts incident light and outputs a photocurrent. The resistor drops a potential of one end of the photodiode to a value lower than a power supply potential every time a photocurrent is output. The measuring unit measures illuminance of the incident light on the basis of a frequency of dropping of the potential of one end. The control unit controls the power supply potential to a lower value as the measured illuminance is higher.
The solid-state image sensor includes a photodiode, a resistor, a measuring unit, and a control unit. The photodiode photoelectrically converts incident light and outputs a photocurrent. The resistor drops a potential of one end of the photodiode to a value lower than a power supply potential every time a photocurrent is output. The measuring unit measures illuminance of the incident light on the basis of a frequency of dropping of the potential of one end. The control unit controls the power supply potential to a lower value as the measured illuminance is higher.
Public/Granted literature
- US20200382726A1 SOLID-STATE IMAGE SENSOR, IMAGING DEVICE, AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING SOLID-STATE IMAGE SENSOR Public/Granted day:2020-12-03
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