Photoelectric conversion apparatus having measurement circuits, imaging apparatus, control method, and storage medium
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorSatoshi Okamoto
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a pixel including a photoelectric conversion circuit configured to output a signal corresponding to photon incidence. The photoelectric conversion apparatus further includes a first measurement circuit, an addition circuit, and a second measurement circuit. The first measurement circuit is configured to measure the signal output from the pixel. The addition circuit is configured to add measured values of a plurality of the first measurement circuits. The second measurement circuit is configured to measure a time from when each of the plurality of first measurement circuits starts measuring the signal to when the measured values added by the addition circuit reach a first threshold value.
Claims15
A photoelectric conversion apparatus including a pixel of a plurality of pixels having groups of pixels in partial pixel areas, each pixel including a photoelectric conversion circuit configured to output a signal corresponding to photon incidence, the photoelectric conversion apparatus comprising:
- a first measurement circuit configured to measure the signal output from the pixel;
- an addition circuit configured to add measured values of a plurality of the first measurement circuits;
- and
- a second measurement circuit configured to measure a time from when each of the plurality of first measurement circuits starts measuring the signal to when the measured values added by the addition circuit reach a first threshold value,
- wherein the second measurement circuit is provided for each partial pixel area including a plurality of the pixels having different spectral sensitivity, and
- wherein the plurality of first measurement circuits is respectively provided for the plurality of pixels included in the partial pixel area.
A method for controlling a photoelectric conversion apparatus including a pixel of a plurality of pixels having groups of pixels in partial pixel areas, each pixel including a photoelectric conversion circuit configured to output a signal corresponding to photon incidence, the photoelectric conversion apparatus including a first measurement circuit configured to measure the signal output from the pixel, the method comprising:
- adding measured values of a plurality of the first measurement circuits;
- and
- measuring, by a second measurement circuit, a time from when each of the plurality of first measurement circuits starts measuring the signal to when the added measured values reach a first threshold value,
- wherein the second measurement circuit is provided for each partial pixel area including a plurality of the pixels having different spectral sensitivity, and
- wherein the plurality of first measurement circuits is respectively provided for the plurality of pixels included in the partial pixel area.
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to perform a method for controlling a photoelectric conversion apparatus including a pixel of a plurality of pixels having groups of pixels in partial pixel areas, each pixel including a photoelectric conversion circuit configured to output a signal corresponding to photon incidence, the photoelectric conversion apparatus including a first measurement circuit configured to measure the signal output from the pixel, the method comprising:
- adding measured values of a plurality of the first measurement circuits;
- and
- measuring, by a second measurement circuit, a time from when each of the plurality of first measurement circuits starts measuring the signal to when the added measured values reach a first threshold value,
- wherein the second measurement circuit is provided for each partial pixel area including a plurality of the pixels having different spectral sensitivity, and
- wherein the plurality of first measurement circuits is respectively provided for the plurality of pixels included in the partial pixel area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.