Image-capturing device and image sensor

Abstract

An image-capturing device includes an image sensor. The image sensor includes an upper layer pixel group and a lower layer pixel group that receives the light fluxes from the subject that have passed through each pixel in the upper layer pixel group. The lower layer pixel group includes fourth, fifth and sixth pixels having fourth, fifth and sixth spectral sensitivities, respectively, that are complementary to first, second, and third spectral sensitivities, respectively, of the upper layer pixel group, being arranged in a two-dimensional pattern. Positions of first, second and third pixels in the upper layer pixel group and positions of the fourth, fifth and sixth pixels in the lower layer pixel group are determined such that the fourth, fifth and sixth pixels receive light fluxes that pass through the first, second and third pixels, respectively.

1 . An image sensor comprising:
 first, second, and third pixels that each have a photoelectric converter that converts light of a first wavelength to an electric charge; and   fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh pixels that each have a photoelectric converter that converts light of a second wavelength, different from the first wavelength, to an electric charge, wherein:   the first pixel, the fourth pixel, the fifth pixel, and the second pixel are arranged in order in a first direction;   the first pixel, the sixth pixel, the seventh pixel, and the third pixel are arranged in order in a second direction crossing the first direction; and   (i) a signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the fourth pixel, (ii) a signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the fifth pixel, (iii) a signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the sixth pixel, and (iv) a signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the seventh pixel are used for image data generation.   
     
     
         2 . The image sensor of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an eighth pixel that has a photoelectric converter that converts light that has been transmitted through the first pixel to an electric charge;   a ninth pixel that has a photoelectric converter that converts light that has been transmitted through the second pixel to an electric charge;   a tenth pixel that has a photoelectric converter that converts light that has been transmitted through the fourth pixel to an electric charge; and   an eleventh pixel that has a photoelectric converter that converts light that has been transmitted through the fifth pixel to an electric charge,   wherein the eighth pixel, the tenth pixel, the eleventh pixel, and the ninth pixel are arranged in order in the first direction.   
     
     
         3 . The image sensor of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the photoelectric converter of the eighth pixel converts to an electric charge light that is of a color complementary to the light of the first wavelength.   
     
     
         4 . The image sensor of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first microlens; and   a second microlens, wherein   the photoelectric converter of the first pixel and the photoelectric converter of the fourth pixel convert light that has been transmitted through the first microlens to electric charges, and   the photoelectric converter of the second pixel and the photoelectric converter of the fifth pixel convert light that has been transmitted through the second microlens to electric charges.   
     
     
         5 . The image sensor of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the fourth pixel and the signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the fifth pixel are added and output.   
     
     
         6 . The image sensor of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the signals output from the fourth pixel, the fifth pixel, the sixth pixel, and the seventh pixel are used for correction of a signal output from the first pixel, the second pixel, or the third pixel.   
     
     
         7 . An image-capturing device, comprising:
 the image sensor of  claim 1 , and   a generator that generates the image data based on a signal output by the image sensor.   
     
     
         8 . The image-capturing device of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the generator generates the image data by interpolating at least one of (i) the signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the fourth pixel, (ii) the signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the fifth pixel, (iii) the signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the sixth pixel, and (iv) the signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the seventh pixel by using at least one of (i) a signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the first pixel, (ii) a signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the second pixel, and (iii) a signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the third pixel.   
     
     
         9 . The image sensor of  claim 1 ,
 wherein a signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the first pixel, a signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the second pixel, and a signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the third pixel are used for image data generation.   
     
     
         10 . An image-capturing device comprising:
 an image sensor that includes:
 first, second, and third pixels that each have a photoelectric converter that converts to an electric charge light of a first wavelength having been transmitted through an imaging optical system; and 
 fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh pixels that each have a photoelectric converter that converts to an electric charge light of a second wavelength, different from the first wavelength, having been transmitted through the imaging optical system, wherein 
 the first pixel, the fourth pixel, the fifth pixel, and the second pixel are arranged in order in a first direction, and 
 the first pixel, the sixth pixel, the seventh pixel, and the third pixel are arranged in order in a second direction crossing the first direction; and 
   a controller that performs focus detection of the imaging optical system based on the following:
 (i) a signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the fourth pixel and a signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the fifth pixel, and 
 (ii) a signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the sixth pixel and a signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the seventh pixel. 
   
     
     
         11 . The image-capturing device of  claim 10 ,
 wherein the controller detects a deviation amount between a position at which an image is formed by the imaging optical system and a position of the image sensor based on at least one of the following:   (i) the signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the fourth pixel and the signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the fifth pixel, and   (ii) the signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the sixth pixel and the signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the seventh pixel.   
     
     
         12 . The image-capturing device of  claim 10 ,
 wherein the controller includes a microcomputer.   
     
     
         13 . An image sensor comprising:
 first, second, and third pixels that each have a photoelectric converter that converts light of a first wavelength to an electric charge;   fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh pixels that each have a photoelectric converter that converts light of a second wavelength, different from the first wavelength, to an electric charge;   a first microlens; and   a second microlens, wherein:   the first pixel, the fourth pixel, the fifth pixel, and the second pixel are arranged in order in a first direction;   the first pixel, the sixth pixel, the seventh pixel, and the third pixel are arranged in order in a second direction crossing the first direction;   the photoelectric converter of the first pixel and the photoelectric converter of the fourth pixel convert light that has been transmitted through the first microlens to electric charges; and   the photoelectric converter of the second pixel and the photoelectric converter of the fifth pixel convert light that has been transmitted through the second microlens to electric charges.   
     
     
         14 . An image sensor comprising:
 first, second, and third pixels that each have a photoelectric converter that converts light of a first wavelength to an electric charge;   fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh pixels that each have a photoelectric converter that converts light of a second wavelength, different from the first wavelength, to an electric charge, wherein:   the first pixel, the fourth pixel, the fifth pixel, and the second pixel are arranged in order in a first direction;   the first pixel, the sixth pixel, the seventh pixel, and the third pixel are arranged in order in a second direction crossing the first direction; and   (i) a signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the fourth pixel, (ii) a signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the fifth pixel, (iii) a signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the sixth pixel, and (iv) a signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the seventh pixel are used for focus detection.   
     
     
         15 . The image sensor of  claim 14 , wherein
 (i) a signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the first pixel, (ii) a signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the second pixel, and (iii) a signal based on the electric charge converted by the photoelectric converter of the third pixel are used for focus detection.   
     
     
         16 . An image-capturing device comprising:
 the image sensor of  claim 14 .