Image sensor and image capturing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9001262-B2
Application number	US-201213476161-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 21, 2012
Priority date	May 26, 2011
Publication date	Apr 7, 2015
Grant date	Apr 7, 2015

Abstract

An image sensor comprises a first imaging pixel and a second imaging pixel each of which detects an object image formed by a photographing optical system and generates a recording image. Each of the first imaging pixel and the second imaging pixel comprises a plurality of photoelectric conversion units segmented in a first direction, the plurality of photoelectric conversion units have an ability of photoelectrically converting images formed by split light beams out of a light beam from the photographing optical system and outputting focus detection signals to be used to detect a phase difference. A base-line length of photoelectric conversion units to be used to detect the phase difference included in the first imaging pixel is longer than that of photoelectric conversion units to be used to detect the phase difference included in the second imaging pixel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image sensor comprising:
a first imaging pixel and a second imaging pixel each of which detects an object image formed by a photographing optical system and generates a recording image,
wherein said first imaging pixel comprises a plurality of photoelectric conversion units segmented in a first direction and said second imaging pixel includes four photoelectric conversion units segmented in the first direction,
the plurality of photoelectric conversion units configured to photoelectrically convert a plurality of images formed by split light beams passing through the photographing optical system and outputting focus detection signals used to detect a phase difference,
a base-line length of photoelectric conversion units used to detect the phase difference out of the plurality of photoelectric conversion units included in said first imaging pixel is longer than a base-line length of photoelectric conversion units used to detect the phase difference out of the plurality of photoelectric conversion units included in said second imaging pixel, and
images detected by two photoelectric conversion units at a center out of the photoelectric conversion units of each of the second imaging pixels are photoelectrically converted to output the focus detection signals used to detect the phase difference,
wherein the base-line length is a separation distance between gravity centers of portions of the photoelectric conversion units included in each of said first and second imagining pixels, the portions being extracted in an exit pupil range of the photographing optical system.

2. The image sensor according to claim 1 , wherein in a case where a defocus amount obtained is not more than a predetermined threshold, the phase difference is detected using the first imaging pixel, and in a case where the defocus amount exceeds the predetermined threshold, the phase difference is detected using the second imaging pixel.

3. The image sensor according to claim 1 , wherein after the phase difference is detected using the second imaging pixel, the phase difference is detected using the first imaging pixel.

4. The image sensor according to claim 1 , wherein each of the photoelectric conversion units of said first imaging pixel is segmented into a plurality of parts in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and the number of photoelectric conversion units included in the first imaging pixel equals the number of photoelectric conversion units included in the second imaging pixel.

5. The image sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
the second imaging pixel includes 2n (n is an integer not less than 2) photoelectric conversion units segmented in the first direction.

6. An image capturing apparatus including an image sensor as claimed in claim 1 .

7. The image sensor according to claim 5 , wherein after the phase difference is detected using two photoelectric conversion units having a first base-line length and arranged inside out of the 2n photoelectric conversion units included in the second imaging pixel, the phase difference is detected using two photoelectric conversion units having a second base-line length out of the plurality of photoelectric conversion units included in the first imaging pixel, and the phase difference is then detected using two photoelectric conversion units having a third base-line length and arranged outside the two photoelectric conversion units having the first base-line length out of the 2n photoelectric conversion units included in the second imaging pixel, and
the first base-line length is smaller than the second base-line length, and the second base-line length is smaller than the third base-line length.

Assignees

• Onuki Ichiro
• Fukuda Koichi
• Nishio Akihiro
• Yamamoto Hideaki
• Yamasaki Ryo
• Oikawa Makoto
• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Onuki Ichiro
• Fukuda Koichi
• Nishio Akihiro
• Yamamoto Hideaki
• Yamasaki Ryo
• Oikawa Makoto

Classifications

• H04N23/672

  based on the phase difference signals · CPC title

• H04N25/704 Primary

  Pixels specially adapted for focusing, e.g. phase difference pixel sets · CPC title

• H04N23/675

  comprising setting of focusing regions · CPC title

• H04N23/61

  based on recognised objects · CPC title

• H10F39/8023

  Disposition of the elements in pixels, e.g. smaller elements in the centre of the imager compared to larger elements at the periphery · CPC title