Image sensor with improved micro-lens, related imaging method and electronic device

• US 10,484,627 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2018
• Issued: 11/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications Corporation Limited
• Original Assignee: Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications Corporation Limited
• Inventors: Zhou, Qiqun
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Luong T
• Application Number:
  US15/893,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20180316878A1
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14607 Geometry of the photosensitive area
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14621 Colour filter arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14627 Microlenses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/67 Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/71 Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/534 depending on the spectral component
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/611 Correction of chromatic aberration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/704 Pixels specially adapted for focusing, e.g. phase difference pixel sets

Abstract

The present disclosure discloses an image sensor, an imaging method, an imaging device and an electronic device. The image sensor includes an array of photosensitive units, an array of filter units and an array of micro lenses, in which the array of photosensitive units includes focusing photosensitive units and non-focusing photosensitive units. With the image sensor, when a current ambient luminous intensity is smaller than a preset intensity, the image sensor generates an image with the first output mode, and when the current ambient luminous intensity is greater than the preset intensity, the image sensor generates an image with the second output mode. In addition, when the image sensor is used to focus, phase focusing may be performed according to output values of two parts of photosensitive pixels.

Claims

1. An imaging method, comprising:

detecting a current ambient luminous intensity;

when the current ambient luminous intensity is smaller than a preset intensity, controlling an image sensor to enter a first output mode, wherein the image sensor has the first output mode and a second output mode, the image sensor comprises an array of photosensitive units, an array of filter units arranged on the array of photosensitive units, and an array of micro lenses arranged on the array of filter units, the array of photosensitive units comprises focusing photosensitive units and non-focusing photosensitive units;

under the first output mode, controlling the array of photosensitive units to enter a focusing mode;

obtaining output values of a part of photosensitive pixels in each focusing photosensitive unit as first output values;

obtaining output values of another part of photosensitive pixels in each focusing photosensitive unit as second output values;

performing focusing control according to the first output values and the second output values;

under the first output mode, controlling the array of photosensitive units to enter an imaging mode; and

controlling the array of photosensitive units to expose to generate an image under the first output mode.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein performing the focusing control according to the first output values and the second output values comprises:

generating a first phase value according to the first output values;

generating a second phase value according to the second output values; and

performing the focusing control according to the first phase value and the second phase value.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the focusing photosensitive units and each of the non-focusing photosensitive units both comprise M×

M photosensitive pixels, controlling the array of photosensitive units to expose to generate the image under the first output mode comprises;

controlling the focusing photosensitive units and the non-focusing photosensitive units to expose, and obtaining output values of the focusing photosensitive units and the non-focusing photosensitive units; and

adding output values of M×

M photosensitive pixels of a same focusing photosensitive unit and adding output values of M×

M photosensitive pixels of a same non-focusing photosensitive unit to obtain pixel values of the focusing photosensitive units and the non-focusing photosensitive units, so as to generate the image under the first output mode, where M is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

when the current ambient luminous intensity is greater than the preset intensity, controlling the image sensor to enter the second output mode;

under the second output mode, controlling the array of photosensitive units to enter the focusing mode;

obtaining output values of the part of photosensitive pixels in each focusing photosensitive unit as third output values;

obtaining output values of the another part of photosensitive pixels in each focusing photosensitive unit as fourth output values;

performing the focusing control according to the third output values and the fourth output values;

under the second output mode, controlling the array of photosensitive units to enter the imaging mode; and

controlling the array of photosensitive units to expose to generate an image under the second output mode.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein controlling the array of photosensitive units to expose to generate the image under the second output mode comprises:

controlling the array of photosensitive units to expose, and obtaining output values of the array of photosensitive units to obtain pixel values of the array of photosensitive units so as to generate the image under the second output mode, wherein the pixel values of the array of photosensitive units are obtained via an interpolation retrieving algorithm.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein obtaining the pixel values of the array of photosensitive units via the interpolation retrieving algorithm comprises:

determining whether a color of a current pixel is identical to that of an association pixel at a same position as the current pixel;

when the color of the current pixel is identical to that of the association pixel at the same position as the current pixel, determining a pixel value of the association pixel as a pixel value of the current pixel; and

when the color of the current pixel is different from that of the association pixel at the same position as the current pixel, determining the pixel value of the current pixel according to a pixel value of the association pixel based on an interpolation algorithm, wherein the array of photosensitive units comprises association pixel units, each association pixel unit has the same color as the current pixel and is adjacent to the current pixel.

7. An image sensor, comprising:

an array of photosensitive units;

an array of filter units, arranged on the array of photosensitive units; and

an array of micro lenses, arranged on the array of filter units;

wherein, the array of photosensitive units comprises focusing photosensitive units and non-focusing photosensitive units;

the array of micro lenses comprises first micro lenses and second micro lenses, one first micro lens covers one focusing photosensitive unit, N×

N second micro lenses cover one non-focusing photosensitive unit, where N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2; and

the array of micro lenses further comprises third micro lenses, one first micro lens covers N×

N third micro lenses, and the N×

N third micro lenses covers one focusing photosensitive unit.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein a shape of each of the first micro lens is different with that of each of the third micro lens.

9. The image sensor according to claim 7, wherein

a first group of first micro lenses is arranged along a horizontal center line of the image sensor;

and

a second group of first micro lenses is arranged along a vertical center line of the image sensor.

10. The image sensor according to claim 9, wherein a third group of first micro lenses is arranged along four boundary lines.

11. The image sensor according to claim 10, wherein densities of the first group of first micro lenses and the second group of first micro lenses are greater than densities of the third group of first micro lenses.

12. The image sensor according to claim 7, wherein each of the focusing photosensitive units and each of the non-focusing photosensitive units comprise M×

M photosensitive pixels, where M is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2.

13. An electronic device, comprising:

an image sensor, comprising;

an array of photosensitive units;

an array of filter units, arranged on the array of photosensitive units; and

an array of micro lenses, arranged on the array of filter units, wherein, the array of photosensitive units comprises focusing photosensitive units and non-focusing photosensitive units;

a detector, configured to detect a current ambient luminous intensity; and

a controller, configured to;

control the image sensor to enter the first output mode when the current ambient luminous intensity is smaller than a preset intensity;

control, under the first output mode, the array of photosensitive units to enter a focusing mode;

obtain output values of a part of photosensitive pixels in each focusing photosensitive unit as first output values;

obtain output values of another part of photosensitive pixels in each focusing photosensitive unit as second output values;

perform focusing control according to the first output values and the second output values;

control, under the first output mode, the array of photosensitive units to enter an imaging mode; and

control the array of photosensitive units to expose to generate an image under the first output mode.

14. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to:

generate a first phase value according to the first output values;

generate a second phase value according to the second output values; and

perform the focusing control according to the first phase value and the second phase value.

15. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to:

control the focusing photosensitive units and the non-focusing photosensitive units to expose, and obtain output values of the focusing photosensitive units and the non-focusing photosensitive units; and

add output values of M×

M photosensitive pixels of a same focusing photosensitive unit and adding output values of M×

M photosensitive pixels of a same non-focusing photosensitive unit to obtain pixel values of the focusing photosensitive units and the non-focusing photosensitive units, so as to generate the image under the first output mode, where M is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2.

16. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to:

when the current ambient luminous intensity is greater than the preset intensity, control the image sensor to enter the second output mode;

under the second output mode, control the array of photosensitive units to enter the focusing mode;

obtain output values of the part of photosensitive pixels in each focusing photosensitive unit as third output values;

obtain output values of the another part of photosensitive pixels in each focusing photosensitive unit as fourth output values;

perform the focusing control according to the third output values and the fourth output values;

under the second output mode, control the array of photosensitive units to enter the imaging mode; and

control the array of photosensitive units to expose to generate an image under the second output mode.

17. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to:

control the array of photosensitive units to expose, and obtain output values of the array of photosensitive units to obtain pixel values of the array of photosensitive units so as to generate the image under the second output mode, wherein the pixel values of the array of photosensitive units are obtained via an interpolation retrieving algorithm.

18. The electronic device according to claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to:

determine whether a color of a current pixel is identical to that of an association pixel at a same position as the current pixel;

when the color of the current pixel is identical to that of the association pixel at the same position as the current pixel, determine a pixel value of the association pixel as a pixel value of the current pixel; and

when the color of the current pixel is different from that of the association pixel at the same position as the current pixel, determine the pixel value of the current pixel according to a pixel value of the association pixel based on an interpolation algorithm, wherein the array of photosensitive units comprises association pixel units, each association pixel unit has the same color as the current pixel and is adjacent to the current pixel.