Patent ID: 9716823
Date: 2017-07-25
CPC Classifications: H04N

Claim:
1. A method of driving an image pickup apparatus, the image pickup apparatus comprising: a plurality of microlenses; a plurality of image pickup rows, in each of which a plurality of image pickup pixels are arranged, each of the plurality of image pickup pixels comprising a photoelectric conversion element that is arranged correspondingly to one of the plurality of microlenses, and being configured to output a signal for generating an image; a distance measurement row, in which a plurality of focus detection pixels are arranged, each of the plurality of focus detection pixels comprising a photoelectric conversion element that is arranged correspondingly to one of the plurality of microlenses and that has a smaller light receiving area than the photoelectric conversion element included in the image pickup pixel, and being configured to output a focus detection signal; and a plurality of signal processing units, to each of which signals of the plurality of focus detection pixels and the plurality of image pickup pixels are output, the method comprising: performing a first operation of reading signals from the plurality of image pickup rows to the plurality of signal processing units; performing, before or after the first operation, a second operation of reading signals from the distance measurement row to the plurality of signal processing units; controlling the plurality of signal processing units to be in an operating state in one of the first operation and the second operation; controlling a part of the plurality of signal processing units to be in an operation-restricted state in another of the first operation and the second operation, wherein the method of driving an image pickup apparatus; adding signals of image pickup pixels in a plurality of columns together in the first operation; controlling, in the first operation, one of the plurality of signal processing units that processes the added signals to be in the operating state, and controlling another of the plurality of signal processing units to be in the operation-restricted state; and controlling the another of the plurality of signal processing units to be in the operating state in the second operation.