Furthermore, as the pixel section and circuit section are formed as independent chips, a manufacturing process can be adopted, enabling the pixel section to be specialized for higher image quality while the circuit section can be specialized for higher functionality, thus simultaneously achieving higher image quality, superior functionality and a more compact size.

ENGADGET: Sony's new cameraphone CMOS jams bigger gear into the same space (video)

Following that, over the next five years, it will endeavor to create a lucid astronomic image of a section measuring an eighth of the total sky.

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This image sensor layers the pixel section containing formations of back-illuminated structure pixels onto chips containing the circuit section for signal processing, which is in place of supporting substrates for conventional back-illuminated CMOS image sensors.

ENGADGET: Sony's new cameraphone CMOS jams bigger gear into the same space (video)

Conventional CMOS image sensors mount the pixel section and analog logic circuit on top of the same chip, which require numerous constraints when wishing to mount the large-scale circuits such as measures to counter the circuit scale and chip size, measures to suppress noise caused by the layout of the pixel and circuit sections, and optimizing the characteristics of pixels and circuit transistors.

ENGADGET: Sony's new cameraphone CMOS jams bigger gear into the same space (video)

The patent pre-defines a number of gestures, such as ones for facial recognition, a selection gesture and a pointing gesture (to identify a specific section of an onscreen image).

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In particular, notice the floating advertising section (viewable in the lower right quadrant of the first image above), which contains sponsored display advertisements, sponsored stories, and targeted display ads.

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