TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Toshiba Corporation (TOKYO:6502) today announced the development of “Bright Mode”, a CMOS image sensor technology that allows smartphones and tablets to record Full HD video at 240 frames per second (fps), the industry’s highest frame rate1. “Bright Mode” realizes high quality slow motion playback.
High speed video recording requires a high frame rate with short exposure time, which results in underexposed images. “Bright Mode” technology secures double the exposure time by adopting interlaced2 video output, not the progressive3 output that standard CMOS sensors use. “Bright Mode” also employs charge binning4, which doubles the electrical charge of each pixel, resulting in an image four times brighter than that from a CMOS sensor without “Bright Mode”. The technology also realizes 240 fps equivalent Full HD video recording. Toshiba will also provide an interlace-progressive conversion program that enables users to offer high quality progressive video with low deterioration, without changing frame rate.
CMOS image sensors incorporating “Bright Mode” can playback high quality video in slow motion at one-eighth standard speed5, bringing new dimensions to imaging.
Toshiba’s “Bright Mode” technology contributes to a wide variety of video applications, such as high-speed recording slow motion video, and continuous shooting.
Sample sensors incorporating “Bright Mode” will be available in Q1 2014.
| Notes: | ||
| [1] | Research by Toshiba, as of January 7, 2014. | |
| [2] | Interlaced video system divides frame data into odd horizontal lines in a frame (odd field) and even horizontal lines in a frame (even field), and outputs each field by turns. | |
| [3] | Sequential scan system that outputs data of all pixels in each frame. | |
| [4] | Doubling the electrical charge of the pixel by putting the electrical charge of two pixels together, when the image is downsized by half. | |
| [5] | When replaying Full HD (1080p) slow video at 30 fps. | |
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Output frame rate example |
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Sensor output mode
(Output pixels) |
Normal mode
(Progressive output) |
Bright mode
(Interlaced output) (After progressive conversion processing) |
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| Full-HD (1920 ×1080) | 120 fps | 240 fps | ||
| HD (1280 × 720) | 120 fps | 240 fps | ||
| WVGA (800 × 480) | 240 fps | 480 fps | ||
| VGA (640 × 480) | 240 fps | 480 fps | ||
| QVGA (320 × 240) | 480 fps | 900 fps | ||
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About Toshiba
Toshiba is a world-leading diversified manufacturer, solutions provider and marketer of advanced electronic and electrical products and systems. Toshiba Group brings innovation and imagination to a wide range of businesses: digital products, including LCD TVs, notebook PCs, retail solutions and MFPs; electronic devices, including semiconductors, storage products and materials; industrial and social infrastructure systems, including power generation systems, smart community solutions, medical systems and escalators & elevators; and home appliances.
Toshiba was founded in 1875, and today operates a global network of more than 590 consolidated companies, with 206,000 employees worldwide and annual sales surpassing 5.8 trillion yen (US$61 billion). Visit Toshiba's web site at www.toshiba.co.jp/index.htm