IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,167,143
Granted Patent B2
US 12,167,143 · App. 18/186,207 · Granted Dec 10, 2024

Imaging apparatus, driving method of imaging apparatus, and program

Inventors: Yuya Nishio (Saitama, JP); Tomoyuki Kawai (Saitama, JP); Koichi Tanaka (Saitama, JP)
Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
H04N23/73H04N23/667H04N23/672H04N23/6811H04N23/71H04N23/741H04N25/50H04N25/78
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,167,143
App. No.
18/186,207
Granted
Dec 10, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

The imaging apparatus includes: a processor; and an imaging element that has column signal lines, which are for reading out signals and extend in a first direction, and that has a first pixel group and a second pixel group arranged in the first direction, the first pixel group including phase difference pixels and imaging pixels arranged in a second direction intersecting the first direction and the second pixel group including imaging pixels arranged in the second direction. The processor is configured to set one of a first exposure time, during which the first pixel group is exposed, and a second exposure time, during which the second pixel group is exposed, shorter than the other, and determine which of the first exposure time and the second exposure time is made shorter than the other on the basis of information of a subject image.

Claims (65)

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

an imaging element that has column signal lines, which are for reading out signals and extend in a first direction, and that has a first pixel group and a second pixel group arranged in the first direction, the first pixel group including a plurality of phase difference pixels and a plurality of imaging pixels arranged in a second direction intersecting the first direction and the second pixel group including a plurality of imaging pixels arranged in the second direction,

wherein the processor is configured to

execute setting processing of exposure times making one of a first exposure time, during which the first pixel group is exposed, and a second exposure time, during which the second pixel group is exposed, shorter than the other, and

determine which of the first exposure time and the second exposure time is made shorter than the other on the basis of information of a subject imaged by the imaging element, in the setting processing.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the processor is configured to

cause the imaging element to detect a brightness of a region-of-interest in an imaging region as the information, and determine the first exposure time and the second exposure time on the basis of the detected brightness.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the processor is configured to

make the first exposure time shorter than the second exposure time in a case where the brightness is equal to or greater than a first threshold value, and

make the second exposure time shorter than the first exposure time in a case where the brightness is less than the first threshold value.

4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the processor is configured to

detect a speed of movement of the subject as the information and determine the first exposure time and the second exposure time on the basis of the detected speed of movement.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4 ,

wherein the processor is configured to

make the first exposure time shorter than the second exposure time in a case where the speed of movement is equal to or greater than a second threshold value, and

make the second exposure time shorter than the first exposure time in a case where the speed of movement is less than the second threshold value.

6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the processor is configured to

read out a signal of one of the first pixel group and the second pixel group, and then read out a signal of the other of the first pixel group and the second pixel group, in a frame period.

7. The imaging apparatus according to claim 6 ,

wherein the processor is configured to

detect a position of the subject in an imaging region of the imaging element in the first direction,

read out a signal of one of the first pixel group and the second pixel group from the other direction side, and then read out a signal of the other of the first pixel group and the second pixel group from the one direction side, in a case where the detected position is on one direction side in the first direction, and

read out a signal of one of the first pixel group and the second pixel group from the one direction side, and then read out a signal of the other of the first pixel group and the second pixel group from the other direction side, in a case where the detected position is on the other direction side.

8. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the processor is configured to execute synthesis processing of generating a video signal by synthesizing a signal which is read out from the first pixel group and a signal which is read out from the second pixel group.

9. The imaging apparatus according to claim 8 ,

wherein the processor is configured to

execute phase processing of reducing a phase shift between the signal which is read out from the first pixel group and the signal which is read out from the second pixel group, and then execute the synthesis processing.

10. The imaging apparatus according to claim 9 ,

wherein the processor is configured to

perform the phase processing on the signal which is read out from the second pixel group.

11. The imaging apparatus according to claim 8 ,

wherein the processor is configured to

perform electronic vibration-proof processing on the video signal generated by the synthesis processing.

12. An imaging apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

an imaging element that has column signal lines, which are for reading out signals and extend in a first direction, and that has a first pixel group and a second pixel group arranged in the first direction, the first pixel group including a plurality of phase difference pixels and a plurality of imaging pixels arranged in a second direction intersecting the first direction and the second pixel group including a plurality of imaging pixels arranged in the second direction,

wherein the processor is configured to selectively execute

a first mode including

first setting processing of making one of a first exposure time, during which the first pixel group is exposed, and a second exposure time, during which the second pixel group is exposed, shorter than the other, and

first synthesis processing of generating a first video signal by synthesizing a signal which is read out from the first pixel group and a signal which is read out from the second pixel group, and

a second mode including

second setting processing of making one of the first exposure time and the second exposure time in a first frame period and the first exposure time and the second exposure time in a second frame period subsequent to the first frame period shorter than the other, and

second synthesis processing of generating a second video signal by synthesizing a signal which is read out from the first pixel group and the second pixel group in the first frame period, and a signal which is read out from the first pixel group and the second pixel group in the second frame period, and

a setting upper limit value of a frame rate in the first mode is set to be higher than a setting upper limit value of a frame rate in the second mode.

13. An imaging apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

an imaging element that has column signal lines, which are for reading out signals and extend in a first direction, and that has a first pixel group and a second pixel group arranged in the first direction, the first pixel group and the second pixel group including a plurality of imaging pixels arranged in a second direction intersecting the first direction,

wherein the first pixel group includes a plurality of first phase difference pixels having a first aperture area, and

the second pixel group includes a plurality of second phase difference pixels having a second aperture area smaller than the first aperture area, and

the processor is configured to

execute setting processing of exposure times making a first exposure time during which the first pixel group is exposed shorter than a second exposure time during which the second pixel group is exposed.

14. The imaging apparatus according to claim 13 ,

wherein the processor is configured to execute synthesis processing of generating a video signal by synthesizing a signal which is read out from the first pixel group and a signal which is read out from the second pixel group.

15. A driving method of an imaging apparatus including an imaging element that has column signal lines, which are for reading out signals and extend in a first direction, and that has a first pixel group and a second pixel group arranged in the first direction, the first pixel group including a plurality of phase difference pixels and a plurality of imaging pixels arranged in a second direction intersecting the first direction and the second pixel group including a plurality of imaging pixels arranged in the second direction, the driving method comprising:

setting processing of exposure times making one of a first exposure time, during which the first pixel group is exposed, and a second exposure time, during which the second pixel group is exposed, shorter than the other; and

determining which of the first exposure time and the second exposure time is made shorter than the other on the basis of information of a subject imaged by the imaging element, in the setting processing.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for operating an imaging apparatus including an imaging element that has column signal lines, which are for reading out signals and extend in a first direction, and that has a first pixel group and a second pixel group arranged in the first direction, the first pixel group including a plurality of phase difference pixels and a plurality of imaging pixels arranged in a second direction intersecting the first direction and the second pixel group including a plurality of imaging pixels arranged in the second direction, the program causing the imaging apparatus to execute:

setting processing of exposure times making one of a first exposure time, during which the first pixel group is exposed, and a second exposure time, during which the second pixel group is exposed, shorter than the other; and

determining which of the first exposure time and the second exposure time is made shorter than the other on the basis of information of a subject imaged by the imaging element, in the setting processing.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 21, 2023
From: NISHIO, YUYA; KAWAI, TOMOYUKI; TANAKA, KOICHI
To: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063052/0568 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-163983 · Sep 29, 2020 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2021031097 · Aug 25, 2021
Related Publication 20230232112A1 · Jul 20, 2023