# US 12,604,115 B2 · Photoelectric conversion device, movable apparatus, control method, and storage medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,604,115 B2 - Document ID: US12604115B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/800,186 - Filed: 2024-08-12 - Published: 2025-03-06 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2023-08-29 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Yuya Kurata - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12604115B2 ## CPC - H04N 25/773: comprising photon counting circuits, e.g. single photon detection [SPD] or single photon avalanche diodes [SPAD] - G01S 17/86: Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders - G01S 17/931: of land vehicles - H04N 25/771: comprising storage means other than floating diffusion - H04N 25/772: comprising A/D, V/T, V/F, I/T or I/F converters - H04N 25/7795: {Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals} - H04N 25/79: Arrangements of circuitry being divided between different or multiple substrates, chips or circuit boards, e.g. stacked image sensors - H04N 25/705: Pixels for depth measurement, e.g. RGBZ - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES ## Abstract A signal is generated based on a difference between count values for a counter between a start time and an end time of an accumulation period in a photoelectric conversion unit; control is performed such that a signal that is generated during a first accumulation period that is shorter than a second accumulation period is output during a time from an end of the first accumulation period until an end of the second accumulation period wherein one full frame period includes the first accumulation period and the second accumulation period that is longer than the first accumulation period; it is made possible to set, in a sensor unit consisting of the plurality of pixels, a first pixel region having at least the first accumulation period and the second accumulation period, and a second pixel region having at least the second accumulation period; and the first pixel region and the second pixel region are set based on at least one type of information from among characteristic information relating to characteristics of a photoelectric conversion device, installation information relating to an installation state of the photoelectric conversion device, and environmental information relating to a surrounding environment of the photoelectric conversion device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A photoelectric conversion device comprising: an optical system; a plurality of pixels each of which is configured to include a photoelectric conversion unit that generates pulses in response to photons, a counter configured to count a number of the pulses, and a memory configured to store a count value for the counter; one or more memories storing instructions; and one or more processors executing the instructions to: generate a signal based on a difference between count values for the counter between a start time and an end time of an accumulation period in the photoelectric conversion unit; perform control such that a signal that is generated during a first accumulation period that is shorter than a second accumulation period is output during a time from an end of the first accumulation period until an end of the second accumulation period wherein one full frame period includes the first accumulation period and the second accumulation period that is longer than the first accumulation period; make it possible to set, in a sensor unit including the plurality of pixels, a first pixel region having at least the first accumulation period and the second accumulation period, and a second pixel region having at least the second accumulation period; and set the first pixel region and the second pixel region based on at least one type of information from among characteristic information relating to characteristics of a photoelectric conversion device, installation information relating to an installation state of the photoelectric conversion device, and environmental information relating to a surrounding environment of the photoelectric conversion device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the first accumulation period and the second accumulation period overlap. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 2, wherein the first accumulation period and the second accumulation period start at the same time. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 2, wherein the end time of the second accumulation period coincides with the end time of the full frame period. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to recognize a subject based on a signal that is generated during at least the first accumulation period. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 5, wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to recognize the subject further based on a signal that is generated during the second accumulation period. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit configured to display a signal that is generated during at least the second accumulation period as an image. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit comprises an avalanche photodiode. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors further executes the instructions to set at least one of a position, size, and accumulation period of the first pixel region or the second pixel region based on at least one from among the characteristic information, the installation information, and the environmental information. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic information comprises at least one of optical characteristic information of the optical system, resolution information of the sensor unit, and a pixel size of the sensor unit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the installation information comprises at least one of a height, an angle, and a direction in which the photoelectric conversion device is installed. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to set the first pixel region or the second pixel region according to distance information to a subject. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to set a length of at least one of the first accumulation period and the second accumulation period based on luminance information for a signal that is generated during at least one of the first accumulation period and the second accumulation period. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to control whether or not to execute predetermined processing according to luminance information for a signal generated during at least one of the first accumulation period and the second accumulation period. ### Claim 15 A movable apparatus comprising: an optical system; a plurality of pixels each of which is configured to include a photoelectric conversion unit that generates pulses in response to photons, a counter configured to count a number of the pulses, and a memory configured to store a count value for the counter; one or more memories storing instructions; and one or more processors executing the instructions to: generate a signal based on a difference between count values for the counter between a start time and an end time of an accumulation period in the photoelectric conversion unit; perform control such that a signal that is generated during a first accumulation period that is shorter than a second accumulation period is output during a time from an end of the first accumulation period until an end of the second accumulation period wherein one full frame period includes the first accumulation period and the second accumulation period that is longer than the first accumulation period; make it possible to set, in a sensor unit consisting of the plurality of pixels, a first pixel region having at least the first accumulation period and the second accumulation period, and a second pixel region having at least the second accumulation period; set the first pixel region and the second pixel region based on at least one type of information from among characteristic information relating to characteristics of a photoelectric conversion device, installation information relating to an installation state of the photoelectric conversion device, and environmental information relating to a surrounding environment of the photoelectric conversion device; control operations of the movable apparatus; and set the first pixel region or the second pixel region according to the control of the movable apparatus. ### Claim 16 A control method for controlling a photoelectric conversion device comprising an optical system, a plurality of pixels each of which is configured to include a photoelectric conversion unit that generates pulses in response to photons, a counter configured to count a number of the pulses, and a memory configured to store a count value for the counter, the method comprising: generating a signal based on a difference between count values for the counter between a start time and an end time of an accumulation period in the photoelectric conversion unit; performing control such that a signal that is generated during a first accumulation period that is shorter than a second accumulation period is output during a time from an end of the first accumulation period until an end of the second accumulation period, wherein one full frame period includes the first accumulation period and the second accumulation period that is longer than the first accumulation period; making it possible to set, in a sensor unit consisting of the plurality of pixels, a first pixel region having at least the first accumulation period and the second accumulation period, and a second pixel region having at least the second accumulation period; and setting the first pixel region and the second pixel region based on at least one type of information from among characteristic information relating to characteristics of a photoelectric conversion device, installation information relating to an installation state of the photoelectric conversion device, and environmental information relating to a surrounding environment of the photoelectric conversion device. ### Claim 17 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium configured to store a computer program comprising instructions for executing following processes: in order to control a photoelectric conversion device comprising an optical system, a plurality of pixels each of which is configured to include a photoelectric conversion unit that generates pulses in response to photons, a counter configured to count a number of the pulses, and a memory configured to store a count value for the counter, generating a signal based on a difference between count values for the counter between a start time and an end time of an accumulation period in the photoelectric conversion unit; performing control such that a signal that is generated during a first accumulation period that is shorter than a second accumulation period is output during a time from an end of the first accumulation period until an end of the second accumulation period, wherein one full frame period includes the first accumulation period and the second accumulation period that is longer than the first accumulation period; making it possible to set, in a sensor unit consisting of the plurality of pixels, a first pixel region having at least the first accumulation period and the second accumulation period, and a second pixel region having at least the second accumulation period; and setting the first pixel region and the second pixel region based on at least one type of information from among characteristic information relating to characteristics of a photoelectric conversion device, installation information relating to an installation state of the photoelectric conversion device, and environmental information relating to a surrounding environment of the photoelectric conversion device.