# US 2014/0192248 A1 · Imaging apparatus and method for controlling same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0192248 A1 - Document ID: US20140192248A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/146,774 - Filed: 2014-01-03 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-07 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Takafumi Kishi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140192248A1 ## CPC - H04N 23/672: {based on the phase difference signals} - H04N 25/134: {based on three different wavelength filter elements} - H04N 25/704: Pixels specially adapted for focusing, e.g. phase difference pixel sets - H04N 25/778: comprising amplifiers shared between a plurality of pixels, i.e. at least one part of the amplifier must be on the sensor array itself - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An imaging apparatus includes an imaging element including a pixel portion having a plurality of photoelectric conversion units with respect to one micro lens and color filters which are regularly arranged for each micro lens. The imaging apparatus generates a first signal and a second signal for phase difference-type focus detection based on an output of the imaging element. Each of the first signal and the second signal consists of a plurality of unit signals, and the unit signal of each of the first signal and the second signal is a signal obtained by mixing image signals from the same combination of the color filters. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An imaging apparatus comprising: an imaging element comprising a pixel portion having a plurality of photoelectric conversion units with respect to one micro lens and color filters which are regularly arranged for each micro lens; a generating unit configured to generate a first signal and a second signal for phase difference-type focus detection based on an output of the imaging element, wherein each of the first signal and the second signal consists of a plurality of unit signals, and the unit signal of each of the first signal and the second signal is a signal obtained by mixing image signals from the same combination of the color filters. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging element comprises a plurality of photoelectric conversion units that are configured to generate an image signal by photoelectrically converting light fluxes passed through different divided regions of an exit pupil of an imaging optical system with respect to one micro lens. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the first signal and the second signal corresponds to a signal obtained by photoelectrically converting light fluxes passed through different divided regions of an exit pupil of an imaging optical system. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first signal is generated from a third signal output from the imaging element and the second signal output from the imaging element. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generating unit reads out two-dimensional first and second image signals in m rows and n columns from the imaging element, generates a third image signal in less than m rows by mixing image signals from pixel portions having different color filters for the read first image signal, and generates a fourth image signal in less than m rows by mixing image signals from pixel portions having different color filters for the read second image signal, and the generated third and fourth signals correspond to the first and second signals. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the generating unit averages or sums image signals from a plurality of pixel portions arranged in a row direction for each of the first and second image signals to thereby generate the third and fourth image signals in m/2 rows. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The imaging apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the generating unit averages or sums image signals from a plurality of pixel portions arranged in a column direction for each of the first and second image signals to thereby generate the third and fourth image signals in n/2 columns. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the generating unit mixes the image signals for each of the first and second image signals such that the pixel portions which output image signals, from which image signals adjacent to one another in the column direction are generated, included in each of the third and fourth image signals are overlapped with each other. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a control unit configured to perform phase difference-type focus detection using the first and second signals, wherein the control unit shifts the first and second signals in opposite directions on a column-by-column basis. ### Claim 10 A method for controlling an imaging apparatus comprising a pixel portion having a plurality of photoelectric conversion units with respect to one micro lens and color filters which are regularly arranged for each micro lens, the method comprising: generating a first signal and a second signal for phase difference-type focus detection based on an output of the imaging element, wherein each of the first signal and the second signal consists of a plurality of unit signals, and the unit signal of each of the first signal and the second signal is a signal obtained by mixing image signals from the same combination of the color filters.