# US 11,910,113 B2 · Image sensor and image-capturing device having pixels for focus detection and pixels for image generation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,910,113 B2 - Document ID: US11910113B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/056,064 - Filed: 2019-05-22 - Published: 2021-10-07 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-23 - Assignees: Nikon Corporation - Applicants: Nikon Corporation - Inventors: Ryoji Ando; Toru Takagi; Shutaro Kato; Yoshiyuki Watanabe; Takashi Seo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11910113B2 ## CPC - H04N 25/46: by combining or binning pixels - H04N 25/766: comprising control or output lines used for a plurality of functions, e.g. for pixel output, driving, reset or power - H04N 25/704: Pixels specially adapted for focusing, e.g. phase difference pixel sets - H04N 25/78: Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters - H10F 39/8037: {the integrated elements comprising a transistor} - H10F 39/8057: {Optical shielding} - H04N 25/77: Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION ## Abstract An image sensor includes: a first photoelectric conversion unit that photoelectrically converts light to generate an electric charge; a first output unit that outputs a first signal based on the electric charge generated by the first photoelectric conversion unit; a plurality of second photoelectric conversion units that photoelectrically convert light to generate electric charges; a plurality of second output units that output second signals based on the electric charges generated by the second photoelectric conversion units; an output line to which the first output unit and the plurality of second output units are connected, and from which at least one of the first signal and the second signals is output; a first control line for controlling the output of the first signal from the first output unit; and second control lines for controlling the outputs of the second signals from the plurality of second output units. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image sensor, comprising: a first photoelectric converter that photoelectrically converts light to generate an electric charge; a first output unit that outputs a first signal based on the electric charge generated by the first photoelectric converter; a plurality of second photoelectric converters that photoelectrically convert light to generate electric charges; a plurality of second output units that output second signals based on the electric charges generated by the plurality of second photoelectric converters; an output line to which the first output unit and the plurality of second output units are connected, and to which at least one of the first signal and the second signals is output; a first control line for controlling output of the first signal from the first output unit to the output line; second control lines for controlling outputs of the second signals from the plurality of second output units to the output line; and third control lines for controlling at least one of the output of the first signal from the first output unit to the output line and the outputs of the second signals from the plurality of second output units to the output line, wherein: the first output unit is controlled via the first control line and the third control lines; and the plurality of second output units are controlled via the second control lines and the third control lines. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image sensor according to claim 1, wherein: the first output unit outputs the first signal at a timing different from the timings at which the plurality of second output units output the second signals. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image sensor according to claim 1, wherein: while the first output unit outputs the first signal, the plurality of second output units are controlled via the second control lines so as not to output the second signals. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image sensor according to claim 1, wherein: while the plurality of second output units output the second signals, the first output unit is controlled via the first control line so as not to output the first signal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image sensor according to claim 1, wherein: while the plurality of second output units simultaneously output the second signals, the first output unit is controlled via the first control line so as not to output the first signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image sensor according to claim 1, wherein: the first control line and the second control lines are provided in a first direction, and the third control lines are provided in a second direction intersecting the first direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The image sensor according to claim 1, comprising: a light-shielding portion that shields a part of the light incident on the first photoelectric converter. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The image sensor according to claim 1, wherein: the first signal is used for focus detection, and the second signals are used for image generation. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The image sensor according to claim 1, wherein: the first photoelectric converter has a sensitivity different from a sensitivity of each of the plurality of second photoelectric converters. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The image sensor according to claim 1, wherein: each of the plurality of second photoelectric converters photoelectrically converts light transmitted through a first filter having a first spectral characteristic. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The image sensor according to claim 10, wherein: the first photoelectric converter photoelectrically converts light transmitted through a second filter having a second spectral characteristic different from the first spectral characteristic. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The image sensor according to claim 1, comprising: a controller to which the first control line and the second control lines are connected, wherein the controller controls the output of the first signal from the first output unit to the output line and controls the outputs of the second signals from the plurality of second output units to the output line. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The image sensor according to claim 12, wherein: the controller is stacked with image-capturing units having the first photoelectric converter and the plurality of second photoelectric converters. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The image sensor according to claim 1, comprising a readout unit that is stacked with image-capturing units having the first photoelectric converter and the plurality of second photoelectric converters and that reads out at least one of the first signal and the second signals from the output line. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The image sensor according to claim 14, wherein: the readout unit is an analog/digital converter that converts at least one of the first signal and the second signals from an analog signal into a digital signal. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The image sensor according to claim 1, comprising: a first readout unit that reads out the first signal from the output line; and a second readout unit that reads out the second signals from the output line, wherein the first readout unit and the second readout unit are stacked with image-capturing units having the first photoelectric converter and the plurality of second photoelectric converters. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The image sensor according to claim 16, wherein: the first readout unit is a first analog/digital converter that converts the first signal from an analog signal into a digital signal, and the second readout unit is a second analog/digital converter that converts at least one of the second signals from an analog signal into a digital signal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The image sensor according to claim 1, wherein: the first output unit and the plurality of second output units are selection transistors, and the first control line and the second control lines are control lines for controlling the selection transistors. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) An image-capturing device, comprising: the image sensor according to claim 1; and a generator that generates image data based on the second signals.