# US 11,910,115 B2 · Imaging element, imaging apparatus, operation method of imaging element, and program > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,910,115 B2 - Document ID: US11910115B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/671,531 - Filed: 2022-02-14 - Published: 2022-06-02 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2019-08-28 - Assignees: FUJIFILM Corporation - Applicants: Fujifilm Corporation - Inventors: Kazufumi Sugawara; Makoto Kobayashi; Tomoyuki Kawai; Hitoshi Sakurabu; Ryo Hasegawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11910115B2 ## CPC - H04N 25/587: acquired sequentially, e.g. using the combination of odd and even image fields - H04N 25/615: involving a transfer function modelling the optical system, e.g. optical transfer function [OTF], phase transfer function [PhTF] or modulation transfer function [MTF] - H04N 23/61: based on recognised objects - H04N 23/6812: {based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors} - H04N 23/682: {Vibration or motion blur correction} - H04N 23/743: Bracketing, i.e. taking a series of images with varying exposure conditions - H04N 25/60: Noise processing, e.g. detecting, correcting, reducing or removing noise - H04N 25/79: Arrangements of circuitry being divided between different or multiple substrates, chips or circuit boards, e.g. stacked image sensors - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An imaging element incorporates a reading portion, a storage portion, a processing portion, and an output portion. The reading portion reads out image data obtained by imaging from a photoelectric conversion element at a first frame rate. The storage portion stores the image data read out from the photoelectric conversion element. The processing portion processes the image data. The output portion outputs the image data processed by the processing portion at a second frame rate. The processing portion detects first image data indicating a specific image from the image data stored in the storage portion. The output portion outputs second image data based on image data different from the first image data detected by the processing portion in the image data of a plurality of frames. The second frame rate is a frame rate lower than the first frame rate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An imaging element comprising: a reading circuit that is incorporated in the imaging element and reads out image data obtained by imaging using a photoelectric conversion element from the photoelectric conversion element at a first frame rate; a memory that is incorporated in the imaging element and stores the image data read out from the photoelectric conversion element by the reading circuit; a control circuit that is incorporated in the imaging element and processes the image data; and a communication interface that is incorporated in the imaging element and outputs the image data processed by the control circuit at a second frame rate, wherein the control circuit detects first image data indicating a specific image from the image data stored in the memory, and generates second image data that is image data different from the detected first image data in the image data of a plurality of frames, wherein the communication interface outputs the second image data generated by the control circuit, wherein the second frame rate is a frame rate lower than the first frame rate, and wherein the control circuit generates the second image data of which an exposure amount is greater than or equal to a predetermined exposure amount, by adjusting a gain of the image data different from the first image data in the image data of the plurality of frames. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The imaging element according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit combines image data of a plurality of frames different from the first image data in the image data of the plurality of frames, and wherein the communication interface outputs combined image data obtained by combining using the control circuit as the second image data. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The imaging element according to claim 1, wherein the specific image is an image including a noise component. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The imaging element according to claim 3, wherein the image including the noise component is an image indicated by image data obtained by imaging using the imaging element at a timing at which a vibration exerted on an apparatus including the imaging element is detected by a sensor capable of detecting the vibration, in the image data stored in the memory. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The imaging element according to claim 4, wherein the sensor outputs a signal indicating the detected vibration to the control circuit, and wherein the control circuit generates the first image data by associating image data obtained by imaging using the imaging element at a timing at which the signal of which a signal level is greater than or equal to a threshold value is input from the sensor, with an identifier for specifying the signal level greater than or equal to the threshold value. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The imaging element according to claim 3, wherein the image including the noise component is an image of a subject including an object of which a movement amount per unit time period is greater than or equal to a predetermined movement amount. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The imaging element according to claim 1, wherein in a case in which subject image data indicating an image of a subject including an object of which a movement amount per unit time period is greater than or equal to a predetermined movement amount is included in the image data, the control circuit removes the subject image data from the image data, and wherein the communication interface outputs, as the second image data, image data that is based on after-removal image data obtained by removing the subject image data from the image data using the control circuit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The imaging element according to claim 1, wherein at least the photoelectric conversion element and the memory are formed in one chip. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The imaging element according to claim 8, wherein the imaging element is a laminated imaging element in which the photoelectric conversion element is laminated with the memory. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) An imaging apparatus comprising: the imaging element according to claim 1; and a control device that performs at least one of control for displaying an image based on the second image data output by the communication interface on a display device or control for storing the second image data output by the communication interface in a storage device. ### Claim 11 An imaging element comprising: a reading circuit that is incorporated in the imaging element and reads out image data obtained by imaging using a photoelectric conversion element from the photoelectric conversion element at a first frame rate; a memory that is incorporated in the imaging element and stores the image data read out from the photoelectric conversion element by the reading circuit; a control circuit that is incorporated in the imaging element and processes the image data; and a communication interface that is incorporated in the imaging element and outputs the image data processed by the control circuit at a second frame rate, wherein the control circuit detects first image data indicating a specific image from the image data stored in the memory, and generates second image data that is based on the image data different from the detected first image data in the image data of a plurality of frames, and that is combined image data obtained by combining image data of a number of frames and of which an added exposure amount is greater than or equal to a first predetermined exposure amount, wherein the communication interface outputs the second image data generated by the control circuit, wherein the second frame rate is a frame rate lower than the first frame rate, wherein each image indicated by the image data of the plurality of frames set as a combining target includes a specific subject image indicating a specific subject of which a misregistration amount is less than or equal to a predetermined value between frames, and wherein the control circuit extracts specific subject image data of a plurality of frames of the first predetermined exposure amount or greater indicating an image including the specific subject image from the image data of the plurality of frames set as the combining target, and generates the combined image data as the second image data by combining the extracted specific subject image data of the plurality of frames. ### Claim 12 An operation method of an imaging element incorporating a memory, the operation method comprising: reading out image data obtained by imaging using a photoelectric conversion element from the photoelectric conversion element at a first frame rate; storing the image data read out from the photoelectric conversion element in the memory; processing the image data; outputting the processed image data at a second frame rate; detecting first image data indicating a specific image from the image data stored in the memory; generating second image data that is image data different from the detected first image data in the image data of a plurality of frames; and outputting the generated second image data, wherein the second frame rate is a frame rate lower than the first frame rate, and wherein the second image data is generated by adjusting a gain of the image data different from the first image data such that the second image data has an exposure amount that is greater than or equal to a predetermined exposure amount. ### Claim 13 An operation method of an imaging element incorporating a memory, the operation method comprising: reading out image data obtained by imaging using a photoelectric conversion element from the photoelectric conversion element at a first frame rate; storing the image data read out from the photoelectric conversion element in the memory; processing the image data; outputting the processed image data at a second frame rate; detecting first image data indicating a specific image from the image data stored in the memory; generating second image data based on image data different from the detected first image data in the image data of a plurality of frames, and that is combined image data obtained by combining image data of a number of frames and of which an added exposure amount is greater than or equal to a first predetermined exposure amount; and outputting the generated second image data, wherein the second frame rate is a frame rate lower than the first frame rate, wherein each image indicated by the image data of the plurality of frames set as a combining target includes a specific subject image indicating a specific subject of which a misregistration amount is less than or equal to a predetermined value between frames, and wherein the second image data is generated by extracting specific subject image data of a plurality of frames of the first predetermined exposure amount or greater indicating an image including the specific subject image from the image data of the plurality of frames set as the combining target, and generating the combined image data as the second image data by combining the extracted specific subject image data of the plurality of frames. ### Claim 14 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program executable by a computer applied to an imaging element incorporating a memory to perform a process comprising: reading out image data obtained by imaging using a photoelectric conversion element from the photoelectric conversion element at a first frame rate; storing the image data read out from the photoelectric conversion element in the memory; processing the image data; outputting the processed image data at a second frame rate; detecting first image data indicating a specific image from the image data stored in the memory; generating second image data that is image data different from the detected first image data in the image data of a plurality of frames; and outputting the generated second image data, wherein the second frame rate is a frame rate lower than the first frame rate, and wherein the second image data is generated by adjusting a gain of the image data different from the first image data such that the second image data has an exposure amount that is greater than or equal to a predetermined exposure amount. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program executable by a computer applied to an imaging element incorporating a memory to perform a process comprising: reading out image data obtained by imaging using a photoelectric conversion element from the photoelectric conversion element at a first frame rate; storing the image data read out from the photoelectric conversion element in the memory; processing the image data; outputting the processed image data at a second frame rate; detecting first image data indicating a specific image from the image data stored in the memory; generating second image data based on image data different from the detected first image data in the image data of a plurality of frames, and that is combined image data obtained by combining image data of a number of frames and of which an added exposure amount is greater than or equal to a first predetermined exposure amount; and outputting the generated second image data, wherein the second frame rate is a frame rate lower than the first frame rate, wherein each image indicated by the image data of the plurality of frames set as a combining target includes a specific subject image indicating a specific subject of which a misregistration amount is less than or equal to a predetermined value between frames, and wherein the second image data is generated by extracting specific subject image data of a plurality of frames of the first predetermined exposure amount or greater indicating an image including the specific subject image from the image data of the plurality of frames set as the combining target, and generating the combined image data as the second image data by combining the extracted specific subject image data of the plurality of frames.