US 11,785,345 B2
Electronic device, imaging device, and imaging element for obtaining exposure of each area of image
Koichi Gohara, Kawasaki (JP); and Satoshi Tsuchiya, Kawasaki (JP)
Assigned to NIKON CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by NIKON CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Jul. 22, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/935,291.
Application 16/935,291 is a division of application No. 15/926,466, filed on Mar. 20, 2018, granted, now 10,757,341.
Application 15/926,466 is a division of application No. 15/038,744, granted, now 9,961,271, issued on May 1, 2018, previously published as PCT/JP2014/081275, filed on Nov. 26, 2014.
Claims priority of application No. 2013-243946 (JP), filed on Nov. 26, 2013; and application No. 2014-007869 (JP), filed on Jan. 20, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2020/0351429 A1, Nov. 5, 2020
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04N 23/73 (2023.01); H01L 27/146 (2006.01); H04N 23/12 (2023.01); H04N 23/63 (2023.01); H04N 23/84 (2023.01); H04N 23/67 (2023.01); H04N 25/44 (2023.01); H04N 25/79 (2023.01); H04N 25/13 (2023.01)
CPC H04N 23/73 (2023.01) [H01L 27/1464 (2013.01); H01L 27/14621 (2013.01); H01L 27/14627 (2013.01); H01L 27/14634 (2013.01); H01L 27/14636 (2013.01); H01L 27/14645 (2013.01); H04N 23/12 (2023.01); H04N 23/63 (2023.01); H04N 23/673 (2023.01); H04N 23/84 (2023.01); H04N 25/134 (2023.01); H04N 25/44 (2023.01); H04N 25/79 (2023.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An imaging element comprising:
a first image capture region including a plurality of pixels;
a second image capture region including a plurality of pixels,
the imaging element being configured to set different image capture conditions in the first image capture region and in the second image capture region, respectively;
a first pixel that generates a signal to be used for setting an image capture condition in the first image capture region;
a second pixel that generates a signal to be used for setting an image capture condition in the second image capture region;
a third pixel that generates a signal to be used for setting the image capture condition in the first image capture region; and
a fourth pixel that generates a signal to be used for setting the image capture condition in the second image capture region, wherein
the first image capture region includes the first pixel and the third pixel;
the second image capture region includes the second pixel and the fourth pixel;
the first pixel and the second pixel receive light in a first color;
the third pixel and the fourth pixel receive light in a second color;
the image capture condition in the first image capture region is set based upon the signals output from the first pixel and the third pixel at a plurality of times, and the image capture condition in the second image capture region is set based upon the signals output from the second pixel and the fourth pixel at a plurality of times;
exposure time in the first image capture region is set when, among a signal that is generated by adding the signals output from the first pixel at the plurality of times and a signal that is generated by adding the signals output from the third pixel at the plurality of times, one of the signals becomes greater than a threshold; and
exposure time in the second image capture region is set when, among a signal that is generated by adding the signals output from the second pixel at the plurality of times and a signal that is generated by adding the signals output from the fourth pixel at the plurality of times, one of the signals becomes greater than the threshold.