IP Library Granted Patent US 9,961,271
Granted Patent B2
US 9,961,271 · App. 15/038,744 · Granted May 1, 2018

Electronic device, imaging device, and imaging element

Inventors: Koichi Gohara (Kawasaki, JP); Satoshi Tsuchiya (Kawasaki, JP)
Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
H04N5/2353H01L27/1464H01L27/14621H01L27/14627H01L27/14634H01L27/14636H01L27/14645H04N9/07
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,961,271
App. No.
15/038,744
Granted
May 1, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electronic device includes: an imaging unit including a region having a pixel group that has a plurality of first pixels, and second pixels that are fewer than the first pixels in the pixel group; and a control unit that reads out the signals based upon exposure of the second pixels during exposure of the plurality of first pixels.

Claims (33)

1. An imaging element comprising a plurality of image capture regions with an image capture condition being able to be set for each of the plurality of image capture regions, the imaging element comprising:

a first image capture region and a second image capture region that capture an image of a subject; and

first pixels, second pixels, third pixels and fourth pixels that generate signals that are to be used for determining a setting value for the image capture conditions of the first imaging region and the second imaging region, respectively.

2. The imaging element according to claim 1 , wherein

the first pixels and the second pixels capture light of a first color, and the third pixels and the fourth pixels capture light of a second color.

3. The imaging element according to claim 2 , wherein

a condition of an exposure for the first image capture region is set based upon the signals output a plurality of times from the first pixels and the third pixels, and a condition of an exposure for the second image capture region is set based upon the signals output a plurality of times from the second pixels and the fourth pixels.

4. The imaging element according to claim 3 , wherein

an exposure time for the first image capture region is set in case that one of a signal generated by adding the signals output a plurality of times from the first pixels and a signal generated by adding the signals output a plurality of times from the third pixels is larger than a threshold value, and an exposure time for the second image capture region is set in case that one of a signal generated by adding the signals output a plurality of times from the second pixels and a signal generated by adding the signals output a plurality of times from the fourth pixels is larger than the threshold value.

5. The imaging element according to claim 3 , wherein:

the first image capture region comprising fifth pixels that capture light of the first color and sixth pixels that capture light of the second color;

the second image capture region comprises seventh pixels that capture light of the first color and eighth pixels that capture light of the second color;

a condition of an exposure for the fifth pixels is set based upon the signals from the first pixels;

a condition of an exposure for sixth pixels is set based upon the signals from the second pixels;

a condition of an exposure for seventh pixels is set based upon the signals from the third pixels; and

a condition of an exposure for the eighth pixels is set based upon the signals from the fourth pixels.

6. The imaging element according to claim 1 , wherein:

the first image capture region comprises the first pixels; and

the second image capture region comprises the second pixels.

7. The imaging element according to claim 1 , wherein:

the first image capture region comprises the third pixels; and

the second image capture region comprises the fourth pixels.

8. The imaging element according to claim 1 , wherein:

the first pixels are disposed other than the second image capture region, and the second pixels are disposed other than the first image capture region.

9. An imaging device comprising the imaging element according to claim 1 .

10. An imaging element with an image capture condition being able to be set for each of image capture regions, comprising:

a first image capture region that captures an image of a subject;

a second image capture region that generates a signal that is to be used for determining a setting value for the image capture condition for the first image capture region;

a third image capture region that captures an image of the subject; and

a fourth image capture region that generates a signal that is to be used for determining a setting value for the image capture condition for the third image capture region.

11. An imaging device comprising the imaging element according to claim 10 .

12. The imaging element according to claim 10 , wherein

the third image capturing region is different from the first image capturing region.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2016
From: GOHARA, KOICHI; TSUCHIYA, SATOSHI
To: NIKON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 040689/0192 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2013-243946 · Nov 26, 2013 · national
JP 2014-007869 · Jan 20, 2014 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170111563A1 · Apr 20, 2017