Photoelectric conversion device, movable apparatus, control method, and storage medium

A photoelectric conversion device comprising:

• a photoelectric conversion unit emitting pulses corresponding to photons;
• a counter counting the number of the pulses;
• a plurality of pixels each including a memory storing a count value of the counter;
• one or more memories storing instructions;
• and
• one or more processors executing the instructions to:
• generate an image signal on the basis of a difference between count values of the counter at the start and end of an accumulation period,
• output first to (N−1)th (N≥2) image signals generated during first to (N−1)th accumulation periods during a period from the end of the first accumulation period to the end of the Nth accumulation period, wherein the first to Nth accumulation periods are within one full frame period and each of the first to (N−1)th accumulation periods is shorter than the Nth accumulation period,
• generate a synthetic image signal by synthesizing two or more image signals having different accumulation periods among the first to Nth image signals, and
• equally divide the accumulation period of one full frame into N accumulation periods and output N image signals, and
• wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to use an image having a continuous accumulation period of 11 ms or longer among the first to Nth image signals as a target image for additional averaging when an image signal having a short accumulation period is generated by additionally averaging the first to Nth image signals.

A movable apparatus comprising:

• a photoelectric conversion unit emitting pulses corresponding to photons;
• a counter counting the number of the pulses;
• a plurality of pixels each including a memory storing a count value of the counter;
• one or more memories storing instructions;
• and
• one or more processors executing the instructions to
• generate an image signal on the basis of a difference between count values of the counter at the start and end of an accumulation period,
• output first to (N−1)th (N≥2) image signals generated during first to (N−1)th accumulation periods during a period from the end of the first accumulation period to the end of the Nth accumulation period, wherein the first to Nth accumulation periods are within one full frame period and each of the first to (N−1)th accumulation periods is shorter than the Nth accumulation period,
• equally divide the accumulation period of one full frame into N accumulation periods and output N image signals,
• generate a synthetic image signal by synthesizing two or more image signals having different accumulation periods among the first to Nth image signals
• wherein the one or more processors further execute the instructions to generate an image signal having a short accumulation period by additionally averaging the first to Nth image signals when an image signal having a shorter accumulation period than the Nth image signal is generated, and
• perform movement control for controlling movement of the movable apparatus.

A method of controlling a photoelectric conversion device including

• a photoelectric conversion unit emitting pulses corresponding photons,
• a counter counting the number of the pulses, and
• a plurality of pixels each including a memory storing a count value of the counter,
• wherein the method comprises:
• generating an image signal on the basis of a difference between count values of the counter at the start and end of an accumulation period;
• outputting first to (N−1)th (N≥2) image signals generated during first to (N−1)th accumulation periods during a period from the end of the first accumulation period to the end of the Nth accumulation period, wherein the first to Nth accumulation periods are within one full frame period and each of the first to (N−1)th accumulation periods is shorter than the Nth accumulation period;
• equally dividing the accumulation period of one full frame into N accumulation periods and output N image signals, and
• generating a synthetic image signal by synthesizing two or more image signals having different accumulation periods among the first to Nth image signals, and
• generating an image signal having a short accumulation period by additionally averaging the first to Nth image signals when an image signal having a shorter accumulation period than the Nth image signal is generated.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program including instructions for executing the following processes:

• in order to control a photoelectric conversion device including
• a photoelectric conversion unit emitting pulses corresponding to photons,
• a counter counting the number of pulses, and
• a plurality of pixels each including a memory storing a count value of the counter,
• generating an image signal on the basis of a difference between count values of the counter at the start and end of an accumulation period;
• outputting first to (N−1)th (N≥2) image signals generated during first to (N−1)th accumulation periods to be output during a period from the end of the first accumulation period to the end of the Nth accumulation period, wherein the first to Nth accumulation periods are within one full frame period and each of the first to (N−1)th accumulation periods is shorter than the Nth accumulation period;
• equally dividing the accumulation period of one full frame into N accumulation periods and output N image signals;
• generating a synthetic image signal by synthesizing two or more image signals having different accumulation periods among the first to Nth image signals;
• and
• generating an image signal having a short accumulation period by additionally averaging the first to Nth image signals when an image signal having a shorter accumulation period than the Nth image signal is generated.