# US 12,114,087 B2 · Imaging apparatus and imaging method for performing first and second readouts during a vertical period > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,114,087 B2 - Document ID: US12114087B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/926,311 - Filed: 2021-04-06 - Published: 2023-07-06 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2020-05-25 - Assignees: Sony Group Corporation - Applicants: Sony Group Corporation - Inventors: Shinichi Fujii - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12114087B2 ## CPC - H04N 25/704: Pixels specially adapted for focusing, e.g. phase difference pixel sets - G02B 7/34: using different areas in a pupil plane - G03B 13/36: Autofocus systems - H04N 23/12: with one sensor only - H04N 23/60: Control of cameras or camera modules - H04N 23/672: {based on the phase difference signals} - H04N 23/73: by influencing the exposure time - H04N 25/441: by reading contiguous pixels from selected rows or columns of the array, e.g. interlaced scanning - H04N 25/445: by skipping some contiguous pixels within the read portion of the array - H04N 25/46: by combining or binning pixels - H04N 25/77: Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components - H04N 25/7795: {Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals} - H04N 25/78: Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D) ## Abstract An imaging apparatus includes an imaging element including photodiode divided pixels, and a control unit. The control unit performs control to execute first readout in which an addition value of a first pixel and a second pixel constituting a photodiode divided pixel is read out as a pixel value constituting an image and second readout of performing readout in which a value of the first pixel and a value of the second pixel used for phase difference detection can be obtained from a photodiode divided pixel that is not a readout target in the first readout. In this case, the first readout is performed after performing the second readout in one vertical period. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An imaging apparatus comprising: an imaging element including photodiode divided pixels; and a control unit that performs control to perform, with respect to first readout in which an addition value of a first pixel and a second pixel constituting the photodiode divided pixel is read out as a pixel value constituting an image and second readout of performing readout in which a value of the first pixel and a value of the second pixel used for phase difference detection can be obtained from the photodiode divided pixel that is not a readout target in the first readout, the first readout after performing the second readout in one vertical period. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs the second readout and the first readout as readout in the one vertical period in a case where an environment is determined as a bright environment by bright/dark determination. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein in a case where the environment is determined as a dark environment by the bright/dark determination, the control unit performs control to perform third readout in which, with respect to a pixel that is an image generation target, the pixel value constituting the image and the value of the first pixel and the value of the second pixel used for the phase difference detection can be obtained by reading out the addition value of the first pixel and the second pixel and reading out one value out of the first pixel and the second pixel, as readout in the one vertical period. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein in the third readout, the one value out of the first pixel and the second pixel and the addition value are read out as addition values of values of a plurality of photodiode divided pixels in a vertical direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the first readout, addition values of the first pixels and the second pixels of the PD divided pixels in (N−1) or less horizontal lines are added in a vertical direction and read out in a cycle of N horizontal lines, N being a natural number of three or more, and in the second readout, readout is performed in which the value of the first pixel and the value of the second pixel can be obtained from the PD divided pixel in a horizontal line for which readout is not performed in the first readout. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a value of N as a cycle of the horizontal lines is changed according to brightness. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the second readout, readout of the addition value of the first pixel and the second pixel and readout of one value out of the first pixel and the second pixel are performed. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the addition value obtained by the first readout is used for generating a live view image. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging element includes light shielding pixels that have a pupil division function by including: a light shielding unit that shields one beam of light of a pair of beams of light that has passed through a pair of partial regions, the partial regions being deviated in directions opposite to each other in a predetermined direction at an exit pupil; and a light receiving element that receives another beam of light, the control unit performs control to perform fourth readout in which the light shielding pixels are read out, and phase difference detection processing is performed by using values of the light shielding pixels obtained in the fourth readout. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The imaging apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the fourth readout is performed prior to the second readout as readout in the one vertical period. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The imaging apparatus according to claim 9, wherein focus control is performed by using a result with higher reliability out of a result of the phase difference detection processing based on the second readout and a result of the phase difference detection processing based on the fourth readout. ### Claim 12 An imaging method comprising, as an imaging method of an imaging apparatus that includes an imaging element including photodiode divided pixels, performing control to perform, with respect to first readout in which an addition value of a first pixel and a second pixel constituting the photodiode divided pixel is read out as a pixel value constituting an image and second readout of performing readout in which a value of the first pixel and a value of the second pixel used for phase difference detection can be obtained from the photodiode divided pixel that is not a readout target in the first readout, the first readout after performing the second readout in one vertical period.