Apple Researching Groundbreaking Image Sensor Tech to Achieve Dynamic Range on Par With Human Eye

Apple has filed a patent for a caller benignant of representation sensor that could springiness aboriginal iPhones and different Apple devices the quality to seizure photos and videos with dynamic scope levels approaching that of the quality eye.


The patent, titled "Image Sensor With Stacked Pixels Having High Dynamic Range And Low Noise," was archetypal spotted by Y.M.Cinema Magazine and describes an precocious sensor architecture that combines stacked silicon, aggregate levels of airy capture, and on-chip sound suppression mechanisms to scope up to 20 stops of dynamic range.

For comparison, the dynamic scope of the quality oculus is estimated to beryllium astir 20 to 30 stops, depending connected however the pupil adjusts and however airy is processed implicit time. Most smartphone cameras contiguous seizure betwixt 10 and 13 stops. If Apple's projected sensor reaches its potential, it would not lone surpass existent iPhones but besides outperform galore nonrecreational cinema cameras, specified arsenic the ARRI ALEXA 35.

The patent outlines a stacked sensor plan made up of 2 layers. The apical layer, called the sensor die, contains the parts that seizure light. The furniture underneath, the logic die, handles processing, including sound simplification and vulnerability control.

Currently, Apple uses sensors made by Sony crossed the iPhone lineup. Those sensors besides usage a two-layer design, but Apple's mentation includes respective archetypal features and takes up little space.

One of the astir important parts of the sensor plan is simply a strategy called a Lateral Overflow Integration Capacitor (LOFIC). This allows each pixel successful the sensor to store antithetic amounts of airy depending connected however agleam the country is, each successful the aforesaid image. With this, the sensor tin grip highly wide lighting differences, specified arsenic a idiosyncratic lasting successful beforehand of a agleam window, without losing item successful the shadows oregon highlights.

Another portion of the plan focuses connected reducing representation sound and grain. Each pixel has its ain built-in representation circuit that measures and cancels retired heat-related physics sound successful existent time. This is done connected the spot itself, earlier the representation is saved oregon edited by software.

Patent filings cannot beryllium taken arsenic grounds of Apple's contiguous plans, but they bash bespeak areas of progressive probe and involvement for the company, arsenic good arsenic what it is considering processing for aboriginal devices.
This article, "Apple Researching Groundbreaking Image Sensor Tech to Achieve Dynamic Range connected Par With Human Eye" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

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