Method for driving image capture device, image capture device, and image capture system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9621831-B2
Application number	US-201514973320-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2015
Priority date	Dec 26, 2014
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

An image capture device includes multiple pixels, each of which has multiple photoelectric conversion elements. Each of first pixels which are some of the pixels outputs a signal based on charges obtained by adding together the charges generated in the photoelectric conversion elements. Each of second pixels outputs a signal based on charges generated by a photoelectric conversion element disposed at a first position, without outputting charges generated by a photoelectric conversion element disposed at a second position among the photoelectric conversion elements. Each of third pixels outputs a signal based on charges generated by the photoelectric conversion element disposed at the second position, without outputting a signal based on charges generated by the photoelectric conversion element disposed at the first position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for driving an image capture device including a plurality of pixels, each of the plurality of pixels including a microlens and a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements generating respective charges based on light passing through the microlens and being disposed at a first position and a second position with respect to the microlens in such a manner as to receive light passing through different respective pupils in an optical system, the pupils being different from each other, the method comprising:
supplying a common voltage to the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements such that the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements are depleted;
in one vertical scanning period in which rows in which the plurality of pixels are arranged are vertically scanned,
by using a first pixel, outputting a signal based on charges obtained by adding together the charges generated by the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements;
by using a second pixel, outputting a signal based on charges generated by the photoelectric conversion element disposed at the first position among the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, without outputting a signal based on charges generated by the photoelectric conversion element disposed at the second position among the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements; and
by using a third pixel, outputting a signal based on charges generated by the photoelectric conversion element disposed at the second position among the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, without outputting a signal based on charges generated by the photoelectric conversion element disposed at the first position among the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements.

2. The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes an amplifier unit which outputs a signal based on charges generated by each of the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements.

3. The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein, in the second pixel, the photoelectric conversion element disposed at the second position is reset for a period in which the photoelectric conversion element disposed at the first position accumulates the charges.

4. The method according to claim 3 ,
wherein, in the third pixel, the photoelectric conversion element disposed at the first position is reset for a period in which the photoelectric conversion element disposed at the second position accumulates the charges.

5. The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of pixels are arranged in a matrix,
wherein the second pixel and the third pixel are arranged in an identical row, and
wherein, after the second pixel outputs the signal, the third pixel outputs the signal.

6. The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of pixels are arranged in a matrix,
wherein the second pixel and the third pixel are arranged in an identical row, and
wherein a period in which the second pixel outputs the signal overlaps a period in which the third pixel outputs the signal.

7. The method according to claim 5 ,
wherein the first pixel is arranged in the identical row in which the second pixel and the third pixel are arranged, and
wherein the signals are output in the order of the first pixel, the second pixel, and the third pixel.

8. The method according to claim 6 ,
wherein the first pixel is arranged in the identical row in which the second pixel and the third pixel are arranged, and
wherein a period in which the first pixel outputs the signal, the period in which the second pixel outputs the signal, and the period in which the third pixel outputs the signal overlap one another.

9. The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of pixels are arranged in a matrix, and
wherein one vertical scanning period includes a frame in which a first row is scanned and in which a second row is not scanned, and a frame in which the second row is scanned and in which the first row is not scanned, the first row being a row in which the first pixel is arranged, the second row being a row in which the second pixel and the third pixel are arranged.

10. The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein a pixel which operates as the first pixel in a first vertical scanning period in which the rows in which the plurality of pixels are arranged are vertically scanned operates as the second pixel in a second vertical scanning period in which the rows in which the plurality of pixels are arranged are vertically scanned, and
wherein a pixel which operates as the second pixel in the first vertical scanning period operates as the first pixel in the second vertical scanning period.

11. An image capture device comprising:
a plurality of pixels, each of the plurality of pixels including a microlens and a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements generating respective charges based on light passing through the microlens and being disposed at a first position and a second position with respect to the microlens in such a manner as to receive light passing through respective pupils in an optical system, the pupils being different from each other,
wherein a common voltage is supplied to the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements in each of the plurality of pixels such that the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements are depleted,
wherein a first pixel outputs a signal based on charges obtained by adding together the charges generated by the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements,
wherein a second pixel outputs a signal based on charges generated by the photoelectric conversion element disposed at the first position among the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, without outputting a signal based on charges generated by the photoelectric conversion element disposed at the second position among the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, and
wherein, in one vertical scanning period in which rows in which the plurality of pixels are arranged are vertically scanned, a third pixel outputs a signal based on charges generated by the photoelectric conversion element disposed at the second position among the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, without outputting a signal based on charges generated by the photoelectric conversion element disposed at the first position among the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements.

12. The image capture device according to claim 11 ,
wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes an amplifier unit, a first transfer transistor that transfers the charges in the photoelectric conversion element disposed at the first position to the amplifier unit, and a second transfer transistor that transfers the charges in the photoelectric conversion element disposed at the second position to the amplifier unit, and
wherein a gate of the first transfer transistor of the first pixel, a gate of the second transfer transistor of the second pixel, and a gate of the first transfer transistor of the second pixel are connected to an identical control line.

13. The image capture device according to claim 12 ,
wherein the gate of the first transfer transistor of the first pixel, the gate of the second transfer transistor of the second pixel, and a gate of the second transfer transistor of the third pixel are connected to an identical control line.

14. An image capture system comprising:
an image capture device; and
an output signal processor that processes a signal which is output by the image capture device,
wherein the ima

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Inui Fumihiro
• Ota Yasuharu

Classifications

• H04N25/704 Primary

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

• 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

• H04N25/76

  Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors · CPC title

• H04N25/778

  comprising amplifiers shared between a plurality of pixels, i.e. at least one part of the amplifier must be on the sensor array itself · CPC title