US 12,188,816 B2
Light-receiving apparatus with cycle setting according to illumination categories for updating luminance value
Hongbo Zhu, Tokyo (JP); Kazuki Hizu, Kanagawa (JP); Takafumi Takatsuka, Kanagawa (JP); Yusuke Oike, Kanagawa (JP); Jun Ogi, Kanagawa (JP); and Yoshiaki Tashiro, Kanagawa (JP)
Assigned to Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation, Kanagawa (JP)
Filed by Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation, Kanagawa (JP)
Filed on Jun. 9, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/332,215.
Application 18/332,215 is a continuation of application No. 17/428,408, granted, now 11,754,442, previously published as PCT/JP2020/009871, filed on Mar. 6, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 2019-041786 (JP), filed on Mar. 7, 2019; and application No. 2020-038225 (JP), filed on Mar. 5, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0358608 A1, Nov. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. G01J 1/44 (2006.01); G01J 11/00 (2006.01); H01L 31/02 (2006.01); H03K 23/58 (2006.01); H04N 25/772 (2023.01); H04N 25/773 (2023.01); G02B 5/20 (2006.01)
CPC G01J 1/44 (2013.01) [G01J 11/00 (2013.01); H01L 31/02027 (2013.01); H03K 23/58 (2013.01); H04N 25/772 (2023.01); H04N 25/773 (2023.01); G01J 2001/448 (2013.01); G02B 5/20 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A light-receiving apparatus, comprising:
a counter configured to determine a number of times of incidence of a photon to a light-receiving element has been detected within an exposure period and to output a counted value;
luminance value updating circuitry configured to update a luminance value; and
setting circuitry configured to set a cycle of updating time information during the exposure period, the cycle being one of a plurality of cycles corresponding to illumination categories; and
acquisition circuitry configured to acquire, when the counted value reaches a threshold before the exposure period elapses, the luminance value that corresponds to a reach time at which the threshold had been reached, the reach time being based upon the time information.