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MagyarCanon applies for patents for active cooling grip, internal ND filter, low-light SPAD sensor
Patent applications filed by OEMs may not always be guaranteed features in their next product, but they certainly reveal what problems the company considers worth solving in future products. Canon has recently applied for a number of patents, some of which at least appear specific and detailed enough that they could conceivably feature in its cameras in the near future.
Two recent patent applications deal with a bottom-mounted camera grip accessory for actively cooling a camera, presumably for prolonged video recording. The first describes the grip itself with a fan blowing fresh air into the camera to cool it from the inside, while the second describes the camera's inner structure for channeling the air appropriately. This indicates that the grip would require a compatible camera body. Incidentally, active cooling systems for cameras already exist – Fujifilm's X-H2S cooling fan attaches to the back of the camera, and Panasonic’s LUMIX S5M2 has a fan built into the camera body.
Another series of patents describe the mechanical details of integrating a neutral-density (ND) filter into camera bodies of different sizes, including how to keep dust off the filter and sensor, and a provision for multiple ND filters. An ND filter is useful for reducing the exposure when deliberately using a large aperture or slow shutter speed in bright lighting. Having an internal filter is far more convenient than keeping several filters for multiple lenses in the kit and screwing them on or off all the time.
Yet another patent application pertains to the combined use of a CMOS sensor with a Single Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) sensor – a type of sensor that literally counts every photon hitting the surface, resulting in excellent low-light performance. SPAD sensors perform poorly in bright light, so it makes sense to pair one with a CMOS sensor to deliver very high effective dynamic range. The patent describes switching between the two sensors based on several parameters, and also discusses a compositing mode where each sensor captures different parts of the same scene. Interestingly, Canon depicts this system as a dual-camera setup on a mobile phone. An SPAD sensor is already used in Canon’s MS-500 security and monitoring camera.
Needless to say, these patent applications could herald some exciting new features in Canon’s future products, though how far in the future remains to be seen.
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