Abstract: An image pickup apparatus has only a few line memories (5, 6, 7), a change-over switch (4, 104) for selectively supplying input signals to the line memories and a selector (8, 108) for selectively taking data stored in the line memories and stores data of a desired part of the picture to be enlarged or reformed in accordance with a predetermined procedure, and interpolation of the stored data of the scanning lines is sequentially performed, thereby enlarging or reforming the desired part of the picuture without lowering quality of the image.

Abstract: In an image pick up apparatus having an image pick up device (1), an amplifier (2), a vertical contour compensation circuit (500), a gamma correction circuit (8), a horizontal contour compensation circuit (9), a color operation circuit (200), and an encoder (10), pixel compensation circuits (100, 100') are provided for reducing modulation components are caused by a color filter during saturation in an image pick up device (1). Horizontal low-pass circuits (7a, 7b) combined with clippers (24a, 24b) are provided in the vertical contour compensation circuit (500) to reduce a modulation components caused by such compensation in the pixel compensation circuits (100, 100').

Abstract: A light signal control circuit for an image pick-up apparatus detects a substantially peak value of image pick-up signals by a first level detection circuit, detects a substantially average value of the image pick-up signals by a second level detection circuit, determine a brightness condition of an object by a decision circuit, weights the outputs of the first level detection circuit and the second level detection circuit by a weighting circuit, and controls the amount of light reaching an image pick-up apparatus in accordance with an output of the weighting circuit. Optimum light control corresponding to the brightness condition of the object is attained by controlling the weighting operation in accordance with an output of the decision circuit.

Abstract: A defect correction apparatus includes a memory having information of image failure of a solid state imaging device, a coincidence detection circuit for detecting a position of pixel having a failure at the time of image pick up, and a failure correction circuit. The failure correction circuit includes structure for producing plural signals for correction of signals of pixels around the pixel having the failure, and structure for selecting an optimum one from the produced plural signals, for correction responding to condition of the image and signals of the pixel therearound, and to use the selected optimum signal for correction by switching for the signal of the failure pixel.

Abstract: In a color imaging apparatus having a single chip solid state state sensor and an n color filter matrix, n color signals are used by an operation circuit in a first signal processing mode to generate chrominance signals and a luminance signal. When one of the n color signals reaches a saturation level, the operation circuit utilizes the remaining n-1 color signals. When a second color signal reaches the saturation level, a compensation signal is generated from a particular non-saturated color signal and the operation circuit utilizes the remaining n-2 non-saturated signals, including the particular non-saturated signal, and the compensation signal to produce the chrominance signals and the luminance signal. Compensation signals are generated from the particular signal until the particular color signal saturates. The particular color signal saturates last.

Abstract: A solid state color imaging apparatus includes a solid state image sensor having a plurality of picture elements regularly disposed in a two dimensional pattern along a plurality of horizontal lines. Each horizontal line includes a plurality of picture elements disposed in repetition at a predetermined pitch wherein light incident thereon is converted to a proportional electrical signal. A color filter placed over the picture elements has a plurality of filter elements disposed in regular repetition in horizontal rows and vertical columns. The filter elements are the same kind in each horizontal row scanned sequentially and only the combination is different. When the electric signals are read out from the imaging sensor, each horizontal row of filter elements spatially modulate at least two primary color lights. The mean value of the read out signals is equal and the modulated color signal is the color difference signal.

Abstract: Solid state imaging apparatus comprises a plurality of photoelectric elements disposed in arrays, where picture elements of odd number horizontal lines and those of even number horizontal lines are disposed shifted each other by half picture element pitch, and substantially vertical stripe shaped color filter elements are disposed repeating in horizontal direction with 11/2 pitches of the picture element, thus spatial phase of the color filter elements between neighboring horizontal lines of the picture elements differs by 180.degree., thereby enabling more effective utilization of the vertical correlation of the image.