IP Library Granted Patent US 10,321,083
Granted Patent B2
US 10,321,083 · App. 14/910,428 · Granted Jun 11, 2019

Electronic apparatus, method for controlling electronic apparatus, and control program

Inventor: Satoshi Tsuchiya (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
H04N5/3765H01L27/1464H01L27/14609H01L27/14634H04N5/2253H04N5/345H04N5/351H04N5/3535H04N5/35554H04N5/379H04N5/3745H04N9/045H01L27/14621H01L27/14627
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,321,083
App. No.
14/910,428
Granted
Jun 11, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

To divide an image capture region into multiple regions for which different image capture conditions are set and to generate multiple moving images corresponding to the multiple regions. An electronic apparatus includes an image sensor that captures first and second moving images in first and second regions of an image capture region on different image capture conditions, the second region differing from the first region, and a moving image generation unit that generates the first and second moving images captured in the first and second regions.

Claims (63)

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

an imaging sensor including a plurality of first pixels and a plurality of second pixels, the first pixels each including a first photoelectric converter configured to convert light to a charge and a first circuit unit connected to the first photoelectric converter, the second pixels each including a second photoelectric converter configured to convert light to a charge and a second circuit unit connected to the second photoelectric converter; and

a generation unit configured to generate first moving image data on the basis of first signals outputted from the first pixels and generate second moving image data on the basis of second signals outputted from the second pixels, wherein

in the imaging sensor, a plurality of the first photoelectric converters are arranged in a first direction and a second direction crossing the first direction in a first region where light enters, and a plurality of the second photoelectric converters are arranged in the first direction and the second direction in a second region where light enters, and

the imaging sensor includes first control lines to which a first control signal is outputted and second control lines different from the first control lines to which a second control signal is outputted, the first control signal being used to control the first circuit unit in each of the plurality of the first photoelectric converters arranged in the first direction and the second direction in the first region, the second control signal being used to control the second circuit unit in each of the plurality of the second photoelectric converters arranged in the first direction and the second direction in the second region.

2. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second control signal is outputted to each of the second control lines at a timing different from a timing at which the first control signal is outputted to each of the first control lines.

3. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the imaging sensor includes first signal lines to which the first signals are outputted and second signal lines different from the first signal lines to which the second signals are outputted, the first signal lines being connected to the first circuit units, the second signal lines being connected to the second circuit units, and

the generation unit generates the first moving image data on the basis of the first signals outputted to the first signal lines and generates the second moving image data on the basis of the second signals outputted to the second signal lines.

4. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein in the imaging sensor, a plurality of the first regions are arranged in the first direction and the second region is arranged between the first regions arranged in the first direction.

5. The electronic apparatus of claim 4 , wherein in the imaging sensor, the first and second regions are alternately arranged in the first direction.

6. The electronic apparatus of claim 4 , wherein in the imaging sensor, a plurality of the first regions are arranged in the second direction and the second region is arranged between the first regions arranged in the second direction.

7. The electronic apparatus of claim 6 , wherein in the imaging sensor, the first and second regions are alternately arranged in the second direction.

8. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a display controller configured to cause a display to display an image based on the first moving image data and an image based on the second moving image data.

9. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , comprising a recording controller configured to cause a recording unit to record the first moving image data and the second moving image data.

10. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

each of the first circuit units includes a first transfer unit configured to transfer the charge converted by the corresponding first photoelectric converter, and

each of the second circuit units includes a second transfer unit configured to transfer the charge converted by the corresponding second photoelectric converter.

11. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

each of the first circuit units includes a first resetting unit configured to reset a potential of a first floating diffusion to which a charge from the corresponding first photoelectric converter is transferred, and

each of the second circuit units includes a second resetting unit configured to reset a potential of a second floating diffusion to which a charge from the corresponding second photoelectric converter is transferred.

12. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the imaging sensor includes:

a first converter configured to convert the first signals outputted from the first pixels into digital signals; and

a second converter configured to convert the second signals outputted from the second pixels to digital signals, and

the generation unit generates the first moving image data on the basis of the first signals digitized by the first converter and generates the second moving image data on the basis of the second signals digitized by the second converter.

13. The electronic apparatus of claim 12 , wherein

the imaging sensor includes:

an image-capture chip including the first pixels and the second pixels; and

a signal processing chip including the first converter and the second converter, the signal processing chip being different from the image-capture chip.

14. The electronic apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the image-capture chip is stacked on the signal processing chip.

15. An electronic apparatus comprising:

an imaging sensor including a plurality of first pixels and a plurality of second pixels, the first pixels each including a first photoelectric converter configured to convert light to a charge and a first circuit connected to the first photoelectric converter, the second pixels each including a second photoelectric converter configured to convert light to a charge and a second circuit connected to the second photoelectric converter; and

a processor configured to generate first moving image data on the basis of first signals outputted from the first pixels and generate second moving image data on the basis of second signals outputted from the second pixels, wherein

in the imaging sensor, a plurality of the first photoelectric converters are arranged in a first direction and a second direction crossing the first direction in a first region where light enters, and a plurality of the second photoelectric converters are arranged in the first direction and the second direction in a second region where light enters, and

the imaging sensor includes first control lines to which a first control signal is outputted and second control lines different from the first control lines to which a second control signal is outputted, the first control signal being used to control the first circuit in each of the plurality of the first photoelectric converters arranged in the first direction and the second direction in the first region, the second control signal being used to control the second circuit in each of the plurality of the second photoelectric converters arranged in the first direction and the second direction in the second region.

16. The electronic apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the second control signal is outputted to each of the second control lines at a timing different from a timing at which the first control signal is outputted to each of the first control lines.

17. The electronic apparatus of claim 15 , wherein

the imaging sensor includes first signal lines to which the first signals are outputted and second signal lines different from the first signal lines to which the second signals are outputted, the first signal lines being connected to the first circuits, the second signal lines being connected to the second circuits, and

the processor generates the first moving image data on the basis of the first signals outputted to the first signal lines and generates the second moving image data on the basis of the second signals outputted to the second signal lines.

18. The electronic apparatus of claim 15 , wherein in the imaging sensor, a plurality of the first regions are arranged in the first direction and the second region is arranged between the first regions arranged in the first direction.

19. The electronic apparatus of claim 18 , wherein in the imaging sensor, the first and second regions are alternately arranged in the first direction.

20. The electronic apparatus of claim 18 , wherein in the imaging sensor, a plurality of the first regions are arranged in the second direction and the second region is arranged between the first regions arranged in the second direction.

21. The electronic apparatus of claim 20 , wherein in the imaging sensor, the first and second regions are alternately arranged in the second direction.

22. The electronic apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising a display controller configured to cause a display to display an image based on the first moving image data and an image based on the second moving image data.

23. The electronic apparatus of claim 15 , comprising a recording controller configured to cause a memory to record the first moving image data and the second moving image data.

24. The electronic apparatus of claim 15 , wherein

each of the first circuits includes a first transfer gate configured to transfer the charge converted by the corresponding first photoelectric converter, and

each of the second circuits includes a second transfer gate configured to transfer the charge converted by the corresponding second photoelectric converter.

25. The electronic apparatus of claim 15 , wherein

each of the first circuits includes a first reset transistor configured to reset a potential of a first floating diffusion to which a charge from the corresponding first photoelectric converter is transferred, and

each of the second circuits includes a second reset transistor configured to reset a potential of a second floating diffusion to which a charge from the corresponding second photoelectric converter is transferred.

26. The electronic apparatus of claim 15 , wherein

the imaging sensor includes:

a first converter configured to convert the first signals outputted from the first pixels into digital signals; and

a second converter configured to convert the second signals outputted from the second pixels to digital signals, and

the processor generates the first moving image data on the basis of the first signals digitized by the first converter and generates the second moving image data on the basis of the second signals digitized by the second converter.

27. The electronic apparatus of claim 26 , wherein

the imaging sensor includes:

an image-capture chip including the first pixels and the second pixels; and

a signal processing chip including the first converter and the second converter, the signal processing chip being different from the image-capture chip.

28. The electronic apparatus of claim 27 , wherein the

image-capture chip is stacked on the signal processing chip.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 5, 2016
From: TSUCHIYA, SATOSHI
To: NIKON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 037674/0327 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2013-167308 · Aug 12, 2013 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160198115A1 · Jul 7, 2016