US 12,294,796 B2
Phase detection auto focus with horizontal/vertical quad phase detection
Rui Wang, San Jose, CA (US); Chengcheng Xu, Santa Clara, CA (US); Lihang Fan, Sunnyvale, CA (US); and Eiichi Funatsu, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 3, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/295,207.
Prior Publication US 2024/0334085 A1, Oct. 3, 2024
Int. Cl. H04N 5/335 (2011.01); G02B 5/20 (2006.01); H04N 25/13 (2023.01); H04N 25/44 (2023.01); H04N 25/704 (2023.01); H04N 25/78 (2023.01)
CPC H04N 25/704 (2023.01) [G02B 5/201 (2013.01); H04N 25/134 (2023.01); H04N 25/44 (2023.01); H04N 25/78 (2023.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An imaging device, comprising:
a pixel array including:
a plurality of 2×2 pixel circuits arranged in rows and columns of the pixel array, wherein each 2×2 pixel circuit includes 4 photodiodes; and
a plurality of bitlines coupled to the plurality of 2×2 pixel circuits; and
a color filter array disposed over the photodiodes of the pixel array, wherein the color filter array comprises:
a plurality of color filters having a first color;
a plurality of color filters having a second color; and
a plurality of color filters having a third color, wherein the photodiodes of each one of the plurality of 2×2 pixel circuits are covered by one of the plurality of the color filters having the first color, the plurality of the color filters having the second color, and the plurality of the color filters having the third color,
wherein the photodiodes covered by the color filters having the first color and the photodiodes covered by the color filters having the second color are configured to provide non-phase detection (non-PD) information for the pixel array,
wherein the photodiodes covered by the color filters having the third color are configured to provide phase detection (PD) information for the pixel array,
wherein half of the plurality of 2×2 pixel circuits have the photodiodes covered by the color filters having the third color,
wherein the photodiodes covered by the color filters having the third color in a first half of the 2×2 pixel circuits are configured to provide horizontal PD information for the pixel array, and
wherein the photodiodes covered by the color filters having the third color in a second half of the 2×2 pixel circuits are configured to provide vertical PD information for the pixel array.