Abstract: In a method for measuring a condition for exposing, at a predetermined energy quantity, a pattern formed on a mask onto a photosensitive substrate on which a resist image is formed on the surface thereof by using an exposing device, first patterns formed at a plurality of positions on the mask are successively exposed onto a plurality of partial regions on the photosensitive substrate while changing said exposure condition. Second patterns are, with overlapping, exposed onto at least a portion of the latent image of said first patterns formed in said partial regions due to said process while changing the exposure condition. A predetermined state where the resist image is formed on the resist layer after the development is detected so that the exposure condition is measured in accordance with the state.

Abstract: In an electronic still camera having a solid-state image pickup device and a mechanical shutter, the interval from the start of charge accumulation to the start of charge readout for odd and even fields may be different, resulting in flicker or line crawl effects. To overcome this problem, the intervals are made the same by detecting the level of a reference signal synchronized with the operation of the shutter, determining whether the levels are the same when the shutter is opened and when the shutter is closed, and, if they are not the same, preventing the application of transfer gate signals to the image pickup device for a predetermined period.

Abstract: An electronic still camera includes a photo-taking lens, color temperature detector for detecting the color temperature of the outside of the camera including an object, an image pickup for accumulating therein charges according to the incident light from the object passed through the photo-taking lens, a regulator for regulating the picture signal from the image pickup on the basis of the output of the color temperature detector, a recorder means for recording the picture signal passed through the regulator on a recording medium, a device for producing a luminance signal from the output of the color temperature detector, and a computer for calculating the charge accumulating time of the image pickup for the light from the photo-taking lens on the basis of the luminance signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for making a video signal includes a solid state image pickup device having a plurality of first charge accumulation type photoelectric converting elements corresponding to the odd fields of the video signal, a plurality of second charge accumulation type photoelectric converting elements corresponding to the even field of the video signal, vertical transfer means, horizontal transfer means, first terminal means and second terminal means; output means for putting out a vertical blanking signal indicative of the vertical blanking period of the video signal, a first transfer pulse and a second transfer pulse; input means for alternately inputting the first and second transfer pulses to the first and second terminal means during each vertical blanking period and a generator for putting out a first driving pulse and a second driving pulse of a longer period than the first driving pulse to the vertical transfer means.

Abstract: A solid state image pick-up device in which a light-receiving portion of MOS diode structure for accumulating therein charges corresponding to the intensity of light is formed on a substrate includes discharging means for discharging the accumulated charges into the substrate, and control means for controlling the discharging means in accordance with the exposure time of the solid state image pick-up device.

Abstract: A solid-state area imaging device for generating an output indicative of an intensity distribution of light received at a predetermined plane is so constructed that the undesired charges of light-receiver photodiodes and the undesired charges of a vertical transfer section are drained collectively. This construction realizes a solid-state area imaging device having a high picture element density and capable of ensuring a high resolution and more particularly a high-efficiency solid-state area imaging device having interline transfer CCD means and well suited for use with electronic shutter equipped electronic still picture cameras or variable shutter speed video cameras.

Abstract: An electronic still camera is provided with an interline-transfer CCD having a light-receiving section and a vertical transfer section, and a shutter for intercepting the incoming light. The light-receiving section of the interline-transfer CCD transfers the signal charges at least twice to the vertical transfer section during an open-close operation of the shutter for exposure.

Abstract: A MOS solid-state image pickup device having vertical overflow drains is capable of increasing the dynamic range for the brightness of a scene to be picked up. An electronic still picture camera is constructed by the image pickup device in combination with shutter means capable of simultaneously controlling the exposure of the whole area of the image pickup surface of the image pickup device and control means for varying the potential at the potential well of the image pickup device during the exposure time and thereby providing an increased dynamic range characteristic for a picture output signal.

Abstract: A still picture signal conversion apparatus converts a still picture signal reproduced in the form of an electric signal from a video tape or disk, still picture video camera or the like to a low-velocity narrow-band signal suited for use in a facsimile system utilizing the ordinary telephone circuit or a hard copying apparatus and performs the desired trimming operation on the signal when delivering the same. A selected portion of each horizontal scan line is taken out as a sampled digital picture signal and the number of the horizontal picture elements is compensated for by the method of sampling frequency adjustment or weighted interpolation. To effect the vertical trimming, the digital picture signal is stored temporarily every horizontal scan line in a plurality of memories so that portion of the signal to be retained by the trimming is selectively read out and the deficient number of scan lines is compensated for by the method of weighted interpolation.

Abstract: There is disclosed a solid-state area imaging apparatus suitable for photographing a still picture. The apparatus comprises a plurality of vertical transfer electrodes and a pair of horizontal read CCDs, and the vertical transfer electrodes are vertically continuously arranged such that each electrode alternately crosses vertically adjoining two of a plurality of imaginary horizontal scanning lines thereby providing a plurality of photosensitive elements distributed in a checkered pattern on the imaging surface of the apparatus. This distribution of the photosensitive elements has the effect of applying the video signal to all the horizontal scanning lines. Thus, by using the existing integrated circuit technique, it is possible to realize a solid-state area imaging apparatus whose vertical resolution of reproduced still pictures is two times the vertical resolution obtained previously.

Abstract: A solid-state area imaging device for electronic still picture cameras which is so designed that when a playbacked picture is viewed on a television receiver of the interlaced scanning type, its vertical resolution is improved up to about that of the ordinary broadcast received picture. In the solid-state area imaging device, the signal charges from a large number of photosensitive elements arranged into a two-dimensional array are transmitted to two horizontal transferring CCDs, whereby the odd field signal charges are taken from one of the horizontal transferring CCDs and the even field signal charges are taken from the other horizontal transferring CCD independently of each other.