# US 12,120,441 B2 · Image capturing apparatus which improves focus detection accuracy by using an image sensor having a pupil division function > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,120,441 B2 - Document ID: US12120441B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/963,269 - Filed: 2022-10-11 - Published: 2023-04-20 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2021-10-15 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Tomonaga Iwahara; Daiki Yamamoto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12120441B2 ## CPC - H04N 25/78: Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters - H04N 25/44: by partially reading an SSIS array - H04N 25/704: Pixels specially adapted for focusing, e.g. phase difference pixel sets - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An image capturing apparatus comprises a pixel array in which a plurality of column output lines including a first column output line and a second column output line are arranged for each column; and a readout circuit configured to read out signals from the pixels via the column output lines, wherein the readout circuit performs a first read-out scan of reading out signals via the first column output line from a first pixel group of the pixel array, and a second read-out scan of reading out signals via the second column output line from a second pixel group, and the readout circuit reads out a phase-difference signal of a horizontal direction by the first read-out scan, and reads out a phase-difference signal of a vertical direction by the second read-out scan. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image capturing apparatus comprising: a pixel array in which pixels are arranged in a matrix and in which a plurality of column output lines including a first column output line and a second column output line are arranged for each column of the pixels of a plurality of pixel columns; and a readout circuit configured to read out signals from the pixels via the plurality of column output lines, wherein the readout circuit performs a first read-out scan of reading out signals via the first column output line from a first pixel group of the pixel array, and a second read-out scan of reading out signals via the second column output line from a second pixel group different from the first pixel group of the pixel array, and the readout circuit reads out a phase-difference signal of a horizontal direction by the first read-out scan, and reads out a phase-difference signal of a vertical direction by the second read-out scan. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the readout circuit reads out both the phase-difference signal of the horizontal direction and a phase-difference signal of a vertical direction by the first read-out scan, and reads out the phase-difference signal of the vertical direction by the second read-out scan. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the readout circuit reads out both the phase-difference signal of the horizontal direction and a phase-difference signal of a vertical direction by the first read-out scan, and reads out both a phase-difference signal of a horizontal direction and the phase-difference signal of the vertical direction by the second read-out scan. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the readout circuit further reads out an image signal by the first read-out scan. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the readout circuit further reads out an image signal by the second read-out scan. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one processor or circuit configured to function as a focus adjusting unit configured to perform focus adjustment by combining the phase-difference signal of the horizontal direction or a phase-difference signal of a vertical direction that are read out by the first read-out scan, with at least one phase-difference signal of an equal pupil-divided direction of a phase-difference signal of a horizontal direction or the phase-difference signal of the vertical direction that are read out by the second read-out scan. ### Claim 7 An image capturing apparatus comprising: a pixel array in which pixels are arranged in a matrix and in which a plurality of column output lines including a first column output line and a second column output line are arranged for each column of the pixels of a plurality of pixel columns; and a readout circuit configured to read out signals from the pixels via the plurality of column output lines, wherein the readout circuit performs a first read-out scan of reading out signals via the first column output line from a first pixel group of the pixel array, and a second read-out scan of reading out signals via the second column output line from a second pixel group different from the first pixel group of the pixel array, and the readout circuit reads out an image signal by the first read-out scan, and reads out a phase-difference signal by the second read-out scan. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The image capturing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the readout circuit reads out both an image signal and the phase-difference signal by the first read-out scan. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The image capturing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the readout circuit reads out the phase-difference signal of a vertical direction by the second read-out scan. ### Claim 10 An image capturing apparatus comprising: a pixel array in which pixels are arranged in a matrix and in which a plurality of column output lines including a first column output line and a second column output line are arranged for each column of the pixels of a plurality of pixel columns; and a readout circuit configured to read out signals from the pixels via the plurality of column output lines, wherein the readout circuit performs a first read-out scan of reading out signals via the first column output line from a first pixel group of the pixel array, and a second read-out scan of reading out signals via the second column output line from a second pixel group different from the first pixel group of the pixel array, and the readout circuit reads out a phase-difference signal by the first read-out scan, and reads out a photometric signal by the second read-out scan. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The image capturing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the readout circuit reads out the phase-difference signal of a horizontal direction by the first read-out scan. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The image capturing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the readout circuit reads out the phase-difference signal of a vertical direction by the first read-out scan. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The image capturing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the readout circuit reads out an image signal together with the phase-difference signal by the first read-out scan.