	US 12,081,881 B2
	Sensor and control method
Koya Tsuchimoto, Kanagawa (JP); and Hayato Wakabayashi, Kanagawa (JP)
Assigned to SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION, Kanagawa (JP)
Appl. No. 17/295,280
Filed by SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION, Kanagawa (JP)
PCT Filed Nov. 14, 2019, PCT No. PCT/JP2019/044629 § 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 19, 2021, PCT Pub. No. WO2020/110743, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 4, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 2018-221958 (JP), filed on Nov. 28, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2024/0015412 A1, Jan. 11, 2024
Int. Cl. H04N 25/47 (2023.01); H01L 27/146 (2006.01); H04N 25/78 (2023.01)

CPC H04N 25/47 (2023.01) [H04N 25/78 (2023.01); H01L 27/14621 (2013.01); H01L 27/14625 (2013.01)]

13 Claims

1. A sensor, comprising:

pixels configured to:

receive light; and

perform photoelectric conversion based on the received light to generate electric signals; and

circuitry configured to:

detect an event that is a change in the electric signals of the pixels, wherein the electric signals correspond to a photocurrent of the pixels;

convert the photocurrent of the pixels into a voltage corresponding to the photocurrent;

detect, as the event, a change in the voltage that exceeds a specific threshold;

adjust, for each of the pixels, a gain of the event; and

switch, based on the adjustment of the gain of the event, a circuit configuration between a first configuration in which transistors form a cascade connection and a second configuration in which the transistors do not form the cascade connection.