US 12,069,384 B2
Image capture devices having phase detection auto-focus pixels
Xiangli Li, Palo Alto, CA (US); Gilad Michael, Cupertino, CA (US); and Lilong Shi, Cupertino, CA (US)
Assigned to Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed by Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 15, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/945,636.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/247,734, filed on Sep. 23, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0090827 A1, Mar. 23, 2023
Int. Cl. H04N 25/13 (2023.01); G06T 3/4015 (2024.01); H01L 27/146 (2006.01); H04N 25/704 (2023.01)
CPC H04N 25/135 (2023.01) [G06T 3/4015 (2013.01); H01L 27/14645 (2013.01); H04N 25/704 (2023.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
15. A method of operating an image sensor, the image sensor including an array of pixels, the array of pixels including 4×4 subsets of pixels disposed under respective Bayer pattern color filters, and each 4×4 subset of pixels including a 2×2 subset of red pixels disposed under a 2×2 on-chip lens (OCL), a 2×2 subset of blue pixels, and first and second 2×2 subsets of green pixels, the method comprising:
exposing the array of pixels to light during an integration period;
for each 4×4 subset of pixels,
binning charges of the 2×2 subset of red pixels to generate a binned red value;
binning charges of the 2×2 subset of blue pixels to generate a binned blue value;
interpolating green values of the first and second 2×2 subsets of green pixels to determine at least a first interpolated green value corresponding to the binned red value and at least a second interpolated green value corresponding to the binned blue value; and
interpolating the binned red value and the binned blue value to generate interpolated red values and interpolated blue values; and
combining the binned red value, the interpolated red values, the binned blue value, the interpolated blue values, the first and second subsets of green values, the at least first interpolated green value, and the at least second interpolated green value.