Image sensor and image capturing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020041759-A1
Application number	US-201916596086-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 8, 2019
Priority date	Sep 16, 2015
Publication date	Feb 6, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

An image sensor includes a pixel portion in which a plurality of unit pixels each having one micro lens and a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions are arrayed in a matrix, a signal readout portion that reads out signals accumulated in the photoelectric conversion portions and converts the read signals to digital signals, a signal processor that processes signals read out by the signal readout portion and has an image capture signal processor that performs signal processing for generating a captured image on signals read out by the signal readout portion and a focus detection signal processor that performs signal processing for focus detection on signals read out by the signal readout portion, and an output portion that outputs signals processed by the signal processor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An image capturing apparatus comprising:
an image sensor; and an image processor that processes signals output from the image sensor and generates an image, wherein the image sensor includes: a pixel portion in which a plurality of unit pixels each having one micro lens and a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions are arrayed in a matrix; an image capture signal processor that performs signal processing for generating a captured image on signals output from the unit pixels of the pixel portion; and a phase difference detection signal processor that performs signal processing for phase difference detection on signals output from the unit pixels of the pixel portion; an output portion that outputs signals processed by the image capture signal processor or the phase difference detection signal processor outside of the image sensor; and a controller that controls signal processing of the image capture signal processor and the phase difference detection signal processor.

2 . The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a phase difference detector that performs phase difference detection.

3 . The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller controls the phase difference detection signal processor to select the signals of the unit pixels in a target area in the pixel portion, and output a signal of at least one photoelectric conversion portion among the plurality of photoelectric conversion portions of each of the unit pixels in the target area.

4 . The image capturing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the controller controls the phase difference detection signal processor to respectively output the signals of the plurality of photoelectric conversion portions of each of the unit pixels in the target area.

5 . The image capturing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the controller controls the phase difference detection signal processor to selectively combine and output the signals of the plurality of photoelectric conversion portions of each of the unit pixels in the target area.

6 . The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller controls the phase difference detection signal processor to perform a correlation operation on signals of the plurality of photoelectric conversion portions of each of the unit pixels and output a value calculated by the correlation operation.

7 . The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image sensor further comprising a plurality of holding circuits that hold signals output from the plurality of photoelectric conversion portions of each of the unit pixels.

8 . The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image sensor further comprising a plurality of holding circuits that hold signals output from the plurality of photoelectric conversion portions of each of the unit pixels on a column-by-column basis.

9 . The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image capture signal processor has a compression processor that compresses and outputs signals of the plurality of photoelectric conversion portions of each of the unit pixels.

10 . The image capturing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the compression processor combines and averages the signals of the plurality of photoelectric conversion portions of each of the unit pixels.

11 . The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image sensor having a stacked structure formed by a plurality of semiconductor substrates, and
wherein the pixel portion is formed on a first semiconductor substrate, and the image capture signal processor and the phase difference detection signal processor are formed on a second semiconductor substrate.

12 . An image capturing apparatus comprising:
an image sensor; and an image processor that processes signals output from the image sensor and generates an image, wherein the image sensor includes: a pixel portion in which a plurality of pixels that photoelectrically convert light from a subject are disposed; a subject detection portion that detects a subject area in which a subject image exists in the pixel portion; and an output portion that outputs signals of the pixels of an entire area of the pixel portion to outside of the image sensor for generating an image, and outputs the signals of the pixels of the subject area of the pixel portion which was detected by the subject detection portion to outside of the image sensor for calculating an evaluation value.

13 . The image capturing apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the image sensor further comprising an A/D conversion portion that converts the signals that are output from the pixels into digital signals.

14 . The image capturing apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein each of the pixels has one micro lens and a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions.

15 . The image capturing apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the image sensor having a stacked structure formed by stacking a plurality of semiconductor substrates.

16 . An image capturing apparatus comprising:
an image sensor; and an image processor that processes signals output from the image sensor and generates an image, wherein the image sensor includes: a pixel portion in which a plurality of pixels that photoelectrically convert light from a subject are disposed; a light metering portion that calculates a light metering evaluation value using signals of the pixels of a partial area of the pixel portion; and an output portion that outputs the signals of the pixels of an entire area of the pixel portion to outside of the image sensor for generating an image, and outputs the light metering evaluation value to outside of the image sensor for performing automatic exposure control.

17 . The image capturing apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the image sensor further comprising an A/D conversion portion configured to convert the signals that are output from the pixels into digital signals.

18 . The image capturing apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein each of the pixels has one micro lens and a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions.

19 . The image capturing apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the image sensor having a stacked structure formed by stacking a plurality of semiconductor substrates.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Ishii Mie
• Sasaki Ken

Classifications

• H04N25/77

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

• H04N23/672 Primary

  based on the phase difference signals · CPC title

• H04N23/611

  where the recognised objects include parts of the human body · CPC title

• H04N23/67

  Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals · CPC title

• H04N23/631

  Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters · CPC title