Image capturing apparatus and control method therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11064146-B2
Application number	US-201916600800-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2019
Priority date	Oct 17, 2018
Publication date	Jul 13, 2021
Grant date	Jul 13, 2021

Abstract

An image capturing apparatus that comprises a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels for performing photoelectric conversion are arranged in a matrix, and column circuits plurally arranged for each column of the pixel region and to which signals of the pixel region are outputted, the apparatus comprising: a correction unit configured to correct image data outputted from the pixel region based on a difference in a characteristic of the plurality of column circuits; and a control unit configured to control so as to output the image data using a first column circuit of the plurality of column circuits and to output correction data for correction value generation by the correction unit using a second column circuit different from the first column circuit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image capturing apparatus comprising:
a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels for performing photoelectric conversion are arranged in a matrix;
a plurality of column output lines parallelly and plurally arranged for each pixel column in the pixel region and to each of which each signal of a plurality of different pixels arranged at same pixel column is outputted;
a plurality of column circuits connected to the plurality of column output lines in a one to one relationship; and
at least one processor or circuit configured to function as the following units:
a correction unit configured to correct image data based on a difference in a characteristic of the plurality of column circuits; and
a control unit configured to control so as to output signal for generating image data to a first column output line of the plurality of column output lines arranged at the same pixel column and to output signal for generating correction data used by the correction unit to a second column output line different from the first column output line among the plurality of column output lines arranged at the same pixel column.

2. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls to output signal for generating image data obtained by a first mode to the first column output line, and to output signal for generating correction data corresponding to a second mode that differs from the first mode to the second column output line.

3. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the control unit further controls to output signal for generating image data obtained in the second mode to the second column output line, and controls the correction unit to correct image data obtained in the second mode using a correction data corresponding to the second mode.

4. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the first mode and the second mode have different ISO sensitivities.

5. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the first mode and the second mode have different numbers of bits in AD conversion.

6. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the first mode and the second mode have different numbers of combinations of pixels in the column direction.

7. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the first mode and the second mode have different numbers of combinations of pixels in the row direction.

8. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the signal for generating image data and the signal for generating correction data are outputted via different output units.

9. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the column circuit has a gain that is set for each of the column circuits.

10. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an output period of the signal for generating image data and an output period of the signal for generating correction data overlap.

11. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an output period of the signal for generating image data and an output period of the signal for generating correction data do not overlap.

12. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls a column circuit that is not used to be turned off during either of the signal for generating image data output period or the signal for generating correction data output period.

13. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit has a mode for reading a signal of a pixel using only one of the first and second column output line, and a mode for reading a signal of a pixel using the first and second column output line.

14. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the correction unit has a mode for correcting the image data using a correction value obtained using the correction data, and a mode for correcting the image data using a correction value obtained without using the correction data.

15. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the correction unit is built into an imaging element.

16. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the signal for generating correction data is obtained by reading out a signal from a photoelectric conversion element in the pixel region without transferring the signal.

17. A method for controlling an image capturing apparatus that comprises a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels for performing photoelectric conversion are arranged in a matrix, a plurality of column output lines parallelly and plurally arranged for each pixel column in the pixel region and to each of which each signal of a plurality of different pixels arranged at same pixel column is outputted, and a plurality of column circuits connected to the plurality of column output lines in a one to one relationship, the method comprising:
correcting image data based on a difference in a characteristic of the plurality of column circuits;
controlling so as to output signal for generating image data to a first column output line of the plurality of column output lines arranged at the same pixel column and to output signal for generating correction data used by the correcting to a second column output line different from the first column output line among the plurality of column output lines arranged at the same pixel column.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Sambonsugi Hideaki

Classifications

• H04N25/78 Primary

  Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters · CPC title

• H04N25/677 Primary

  for reducing the column or line fixed pattern noise · CPC title

• H04N25/779

  Circuitry for scanning or addressing the pixel array · CPC title

• H04N25/77

  Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components · CPC title

• H04N5/376 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic