IP Library Granted Patent US 8,964,079
Granted Patent B2
US 8,964,079 · App. 13/442,444 · Granted Feb 24, 2015

Image sensor and image capturing apparatus

Inventors: Koichi Fukuda (Tokyo, JP); Ryo Yamasaki (Tokyo, JP); Makoto Oikawa (Yokohama, JP); Ichiro Onuki (Kawasaki, JP); Hideaki Yamamoto (Kawasaki, JP); Akihiro Nishio (Yokohama, JP)
Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
H01L27/14605H04N5/3696H04N9/045
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,964,079
App. No.
13/442,444
Granted
Feb 24, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

An image sensor comprising a plurality of image sensing pixel groups is provided. Each of the image sensing pixel groups has a plurality of first pixels each having photoelectric conversion portions arrayed in first and second directions for first and second numbers of divisions, respectively, and a plurality of second pixels each having photoelectric conversion portions arrayed in the first and second directions for third and fourth numbers of divisions, respectively. The photoelectric conversion portions comprising the first pixel and the second pixel have a function of photoelectrically converting a plurality of images formed by divided light fluxes of a light flux from an imaging optical system and outputting a focus detection signal for phase difference detection. The first and third numbers of division are coprime natural numbers, and the second and fourth numbers of divisions are coprime natural numbers.

Claims (9)

1. An image sensor comprising a plurality of image sensing pixel groups, wherein:

each of said plurality of image sensing pixel groups has a plurality of first pixels each having a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions that are arrayed in a first direction for a first number of divisions and in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction for a second number of divisions, and a plurality of second pixels each having a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions that are arrayed in the first direction for a third number of divisions and in the second direction for a fourth number of divisions;

the plurality of the photoelectric conversion portions comprising said first pixel and said second pixel have a function that photoelectrically converts a plurality of images formed by light fluxes transmitted through different regions of an exit pupil of an imaging optical system and outputs a focus detection signal; and

the first number of divisions and the third number of divisions are coprime natural numbers greater than 1, and the second number of divisions and the fourth number of divisions are coprime natural numbers greater than 1;

wherein the first number of divisions and the second number of divisions are different to each other, and the third number of divisions and the fourth number of divisions are different to each other, and a product of the first number of divisions and the second number of divisions and a product of the third number of divisions and the fourth number of divisions are equal.

2. The image sensor according to claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of first pixels and said plurality of second pixels has a color filter, and said first pixel and said second pixel that have the color filter of a same color do not contact in the first and second directions.

3. An image capturing apparatus, including:

an image sensor according to claim 1 ; and

a control unit configured to perform focus adjustment using the focus detection signal.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 9, 2012
From: FUKUDA, KOICHI; YAMASAKI, RYO; OIKAWA, MAKOTO; ONUKI, ICHIRO; YAMAMOTO, HIDEAKI; NISHIO, AKIHIRO
To: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 028518/0560 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2011-094370 · Apr 20, 2011 · national
JP 2012-015936 · Jan 27, 2012 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20120268634A1 · Oct 25, 2012