# US 11,309,440 B2 · Imaging device and imaging system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,309,440 B2 - Document ID: US11309440B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/019,907 - Filed: 2020-09-14 - Published: 2020-12-31 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-17 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Keisuke Ota - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11309440B2 ## CPC - H10F 77/959: {for devices working in avalanche mode} - H04N 23/749: {by influencing the pick-up tube voltages} - H04N 25/773: comprising photon counting circuits, e.g. single photon detection [SPD] or single photon avalanche diodes [SPAD] - H04N 25/778: comprising amplifiers shared between a plurality of pixels, i.e. at least one part of the amplifier must be on the sensor array itself - H10F 30/225: the potential barrier working in avalanche mode, e.g. avalanche photodiodes - H10F 30/2255: {in which the active layers form heterostructures, e.g. SAM structures} - H10F 39/12: Image sensors - H10F 39/809: {of hybrid image sensors} - H10F 39/199: {Back-illuminated image sensors} - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An imaging device includes a plurality of pixels each including a plurality of avalanche photodiodes, a setting unit configured to set the plurality of avalanche photodiodes to an active state or an inactive state separately, and a counter circuit that counts and outputs number of photons determined by the avalanche photodiode(s) set to the active state out of the plurality of avalanche photodiodes, wherein the imaging device is configured to change the number of avalanche photodiodes set to the active state out of the plurality of avalanche photodiodes in accordance with brightness of an object. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A photoelectric conversion device comprising: a first substrate including a plurality of avalanche photodiodes; and a second substrate including a setting circuit configured to separately set the plurality of avalanche photodiodes to an active state or an inactive state, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are stacked, wherein the photoelectric conversion device is configured to change the number of avalanche photodiodes set to the active state out of the plurality of avalanche photodiodes, and wherein the number of avalanche photodiodes set to the active state in a dark situation is larger than the number of avalanche photodiodes set to the active state in a bright situation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the setting circuit comprises a switch that switches a voltage applied to each of the plurality of avalanche photodiodes to a voltage that is higher than a breakdown voltage of each of the plurality of avalanche photodiodes or a voltage that is lower than or equal to the breakdown voltage. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1 further comprising a counter circuit that connects two or more avalanche photodiodes out of the plurality of avalanche photodiodes so as to input a signal from the two or more avalanche photodiodes and count a signal output from the avalanche photodiode(s) set to the active state out of the two or more avalanche photodiodes, wherein the setting circuit comprises a switch that switches connection and disconnection between each of the plurality of avalanche photodiodes and the counter circuit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1 further comprising: a control circuit configured to control the number of the avalanche photodiodes set to the active state. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 4, wherein the control circuit controls the number of the avalanche photodiodes set to the active state in accordance with the control signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 4, wherein the control circuit switches an arrangement of one or more of the plurality of avalanche photodiodes set to the active state in an exposure period for acquiring an image. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 6, wherein a first avalanche photodiode of the plurality of avalanche photodiodes is in the active state in a first frame period, and the first avalanche photodiode is in the inactive state in a second frame period. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 4, wherein the control circuit switches the number of avalanche photodiodes set to the active state in an exposure period for acquiring an image. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 4, wherein the photoelectric conversion device is configured to change the number of avalanche photodiodes set to the active state out of the plurality of avalanche photodiodes, in accordance with ISO sensitivity setting. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 4, wherein the control circuit configured to receive a control signal in accordance with brightness of an object and control the setting circuit in accordance with the received control signal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 4) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 4, wherein the control circuit switches the number of avalanche photodiodes set to the active state in a light irradiation region. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the second substrate includes an AD conversion circuit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the first substrate includes a first interconnection layer, wherein the second substrate includes a second interconnection layer, and wherein the first interconnection layer and the interconnection layer are direct bonded to each other. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1 further comprising microlenses. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 14, further comprising a color filter. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) An imaging system comprising: the photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1; and a signal processing unit that processes a signal output from the photoelectric conversion device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The imaging system according to claim 16 further comprising a control circuit that sets the number of avalanche photodiodes set to the active state out of the plurality of avalanche photodiodes in accordance with brightness of an object. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A movable object comprising: the photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1; a distance information acquisition unit adapted to acquire distance information of a distance to an object, from parallax images based on a signal from the photoelectric conversion device; and a control circuit configured to control the movable object based on the distance information.