Image sensor system with an automatic focus function
AssigneeSemiconductor Components Industries, LLC
InventorsBrian Anthony VAARTSTRA, Nathan Wayne CHAPMAN
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An imaging system may include at least two image sensors. Each image sensor may have a respective lens module that is configured to focus light on the image sensor. One of the image sensors may be a monochrome sensor, while another image sensor may be a color sensor. The monochrome sensor may include phase detection pixels while the color sensor may not include phase detection pixels. The imaging system may include processing circuitry that is configured to adjust the lens modules for both the monochrome and color sensors based on the data from the phase detection pixels.
Claims26
An imaging system comprising:
- a first image sensor that includes imaging pixels and phase detection pixels;
- a first lens module that is configured to focus light on the first image sensor;
- a second image sensor that does not include phase detection pixels;
- a second lens module that is configured to focus light on the second image sensor;
- and
- processing circuitry that is configured to adjust the second lens module based on phase detection data from the phase detection pixels.
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A method of operating an imaging system, wherein the imaging system includes at least one monochrome sensor and at least one color sensor, and wherein the at least one monochrome sensor includes phase detection pixels, the method comprising:
- with the phase detection pixels, generating phase detection pixel data;
- based on the phase detection pixel data, adjusting a first lens, wherein the first lens is positioned above the at least one color sensor;
- and
- based on the phase detection pixel data, adjusting a second lens, wherein the second lens is positioned above the at least one monochrome sensor.
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An imaging system comprising:
- a monochrome image sensor, wherein the monochrome image sensor includes phase detection pixels and imaging pixels, wherein the phase detection pixels comprise first and second phase detection pixels covered by a first microlens, and wherein each imaging pixel of the imaging pixels is covered by a respective single microlens;
- a first lens module that is configured to focus light on the monochrome image sensor;
- a color image sensor, wherein the color image sensor includes imaging pixels, wherein the color image sensor does not include phase detection pixels, wherein the color image sensor comprise a color filter array with a plurality of color filter elements, and wherein the plurality of color filter elements includes at least color filter elements of a first color and color filter elements of a second color that is different than the first color;
- a second lens module that is configured to focus light on the color image sensor;
- and
- processing circuitry that is configured to receive data from the monochrome image sensor and color image sensor and adjust the second lens module based on the data received from the phase detection pixels of the monochrome image sensor.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.