Abstract: Flicker which occurs when a television camera images an object under illumination of a flickering light source such as fluorescent lamp is minimized without causing sensitivity of a photoelectric conversion element and hence the camera to be degraded under a non-flickering light source. The television camera includes an automatic iris control device, an automatic gain control circuit, a microcomputer, a photoelectric conversion element and an integration circuit for integrating output signal of the photoelectric conversion element for each field period. The microcomputer sets a signal storage time of the photoelectric conversion element to a value by which flicker noise can be restricted when flicker is detected on the basis of a change of an output signal of the integration circuit and sets it to another value when a change of light source is detected on the basis of a change of iris value and gain.

Abstract: The present invention provides for designation of a prescribed area within an image as an initial extracting area, extraction of an area which fulfills the conditions determined according to the characteristics of the specific image from an image signal of an image, generation of comparative area signal presenting an area slightly larger than the extracted area which is necessary for fulfilling the conditions from the area extracting signal of the designated initial extracting area, comparison of the comparative area signal that has been generated with the candidate area signal through which the initial extracting signal of the initial extracting area is converted into an area extracting signal, and extraction of an image signal within the area determined by the new area extracting signal.

Abstract: A white balance adjusting device for video camera performs white balance control at high speed for an image which does not include a white colored portion under artificial illumination outside blackbody radiation while maintaining stability for usual illumination condition. An iris detector for detecting an iris value of an iris mechanism a, fluorescent light detector for determining whether or not an illumination source is a fluorescent lamp and correction apparatus responsive to an output of the fluorescent light detector to correct said white balance control signal suitably are provided.

Abstract: A video camera apparatus including a control circuit for producing an inverse number of .alpha./.beta. as control data based on an inputted arbitrary zooming ratio of .beta./.alpha.; a sensor for outputting a sensor read signal which has been enlarged by arbitrary magnification in a vertical direction; a sensor drive circuit for driving said solid-state imaging element so as to output a sensor read signal which has been enlarged in the vertical direction by an arbitrary image enlarging magnification of .beta./.alpha.

Abstract: A white balance controller for an image pickup apparatus having an image pickup for providing an output indicative of an image, a color separator responsive to the output of the image pickup for producing a luminance signal and a plurality of color signals therefrom, gain controllers for controlling a gain of at least two color signals of the plurality of color signals separated by the color separator, and a color difference signal generator for generating color difference signals from at least one of a color signal and luminance signal. The white balance controller includes white/achromatic detection for detecting at least one of a white and achromatic portion within an image picked up by the image pickup in accordance with a least the color difference signals, and an abnormality detector for detecting an abnormality of white balance within the picked up image.

Abstract: Operational amplifiers detect deviations from white in pictures picked up based on color-difference signals and generate white balance control signals, respectively. The data that correspond to the generated white balance control signals are held at counters. The data that should be held at the counters are updated successively according to a synchronization signal which is applied successively to the counters. Gains of variable gain amplifiers (3r, 3b) that amplify red and blue color signals are controlled, respectively, based on the data held at the counters. A color temperature detection circuit detects a difference between a level of white balance control signal and a level expressed by the data held at the counter and generates a color temperature variation detection signal when the difference exceeding a predetermined level exists.

Abstract: A signal processor for a video camera, comprising a solid-state image sensor having a light sensitive part with a two-dimensional array of a plurality of pixels corresponding to first, second, third and fourth color signals, and outputting line sequential signals where first point sequential signals composed of the first and second color signals and second point sequential signals composed of the third and fourth color signals are alternately repeated during horizontal scan periods in a television system; means for individually separating the first, second, third and fourth signals included in the line sequential output signals of the solid-state image sensor, and then outputting the separated signals per horizontal scan period; and means for producing three primary color signals R, G, B by calculating the first, second, third and fourth color signals.

Abstract: A video imaging apparatus changes an area of an imaging element (CCD or MOS type) from which a signal is read out as a TV signal. A normal transfer speed is used to read out the signal from the area as the TV signal and a high transfer speed is used to read out a signal from other area so that smooth movement of an image can be attained.Further, when movement of a video camera occurs, the movement can be judged by observation through a view finder, that is, which partial area of the whole area of the imaging element is produced as the TV signal can be recognized.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus is provided with a first adder which outputs a sum signal by adding a first luminance signal produced from the signals of odd-numbered lines of a solid-state image sensor and a second luminance signal produced from the signals of even-numbered lines of the solid-state image sensor, a first subtracter which outputs a difference signal by subtracting the first luminance signal from the second luinance signal, a noise reducer which reduces noise in the difference signal, a second adder which outputs a third luminance signal by adding the difference signal with its noise reduced to the sum signal, and a second subtracter which outputs a fourth luminance signal by subtracting the difference signal with its noise reduced from the sum signal. A frame still picture is formed from the third luminance signal and fourth luminance signal.

Abstract: In an imager including a sensor of solid state type having photo-elements arranged with a matrix configuration wherein electrical signals are read out from the photo-elements in two-row-at-a-time, the electrical signals are read out from 1st and 2nd rows for the 1st scan line of a display picture, from 3rd and 4th rows for the 2nd scan line, and so forth. In order to obtain a zoomed up picture of an area of a part of the matrix configuration of the photo-elements, there is provided a memory having storage locations whose number is equal to that of the photo-elements in the area to be zoomed up, each location being capable of storing the electrical signal from each photo-element and a circuit for reading out the memory row by row. The circuit reads locations in 1st and 2nd rows for the 1st scan line, in 2nd and 3rd rows for the 2nd scan line, and so forth.

Abstract: A video camera comprises an image sensor for converting a projected light image into an electrical signal, an exposure time setting circuit for setting the exposure time for the image sensor to either one of a normal exposure time and an exposure time longer than the normal exposure time, and an automatic gain control circuit including a variable gain amplifier for amplifying a video signal read out from the image sensor and a detector for detecting an output signal level of the variable gain amplifier and supplying a gain control signal based on the result of detection to the variable gain amplifier. The automatic gain control circuit is controlled so as to make the response speed of the automatic gain control circuit, when the exposure time is set to an exposure time longer than the normal exposure time, lower than that preset when the exposure time is set to the normal exposure time.

Abstract: In an apparatus reading out picture data from an imaging device to store the data once in a memory and reading out the data again from the memory so that the video signal may be processed for reproduction, the period during which the picture data is read out from the imaging device is regulated to be varied according to luminance of an object, and to be longer than a field period, whereby a good reproduced picture with reduced noise is obtained.

Abstract: The read out of a signal from an imaging device is conducted during a voltage read out mode, and resetting of a signal output line is carried out each time a signal of a plurality of pixels is read out. Signal charge is accumulated on the signal output line, and is then read out. The accumulated signal is differenced or differentiated at a later stage to reproduce an original signal.

Abstract: In an imager, an image sensor has a pn junction at which positive and negative carriers are created in accordance with a quantity of light incident to the pn junction. One type of the positive and negative carriers is read out as an image signal and as soon as the other type is created, it is delivered out of the image sensor. A photometric circuit connected to the image sensor calculates a quantity of the incident light on the basis of the other type of carriers delivered from the image sensor and generates an incident light quantity signal. In accordance with the incident light quantity signal, an incident light quantity adjusting signal generator and an incident light quantity adjuster adjust the quantity of the light incident to the image sensor to an optimum value to thereby obtain proper exposure.

Abstract: In a CCD delay line having an input stage and a transfer stage, a signal charge produced at the input stage and transferred to the transfer stage is decreased at a region of the transfer stage which is near the input stage. Since the signal charge to be transferred is decreased, power consumption in the transfer stage is decreased. Because a noise charge mixed with the signal charge at the input stage is also decreased by this decrease for signal charge, the S/N ratio is not decreased.

Abstract: A MOS solid-state imaging device comprises photo-electric conversion elements (pixels) two-dimensionally arranged in row and column directions, horizontal signal lines arranged one for each horizontal row of pixels, and switches for connecting the vertically adjacent pixels. The switches are parallelly controlled by vertical gate pulses. Thus, mixed signals of the upper and lower pixels are sequentially and horizontally scanned and signals are alternately read from the two horizontal signal lines.

Abstract: A solid-state image pick-up device is provided which will not have a waveform of the picture element signals adversely influenced by a start pulse of the read out. The device includes photoelectric converting elements arranged in a two dimensional array and a shift register for generating horizontal scan pulses in response to a start pulse and clock pulses. The scan pulses are provided to means for sequentially reading out picture element signals from the photoelectric converting elements. A clock pulse generator responsive to the start pulse is also provided which generates clock pulses to the shift register after a lapse of a predetermined period following the start pulse. The period is selected to avoid an adverse influence on the waveform of the picture element signals by the start pulse.

Abstract: A color video camera using a solid-state image pickup device having filters of the complementary color system consisting of a filter to transmit the light of all colors, a filter to transmit the yellow light, a filter to transmit the cyan light, and a filter to transmit the green light can obtain color signals having no color aliasing by selecting the conditions of the arithmetic operating processes of the signals corresponding to the respective filters. In these conditions, assuming that the signals corresponding to the four kinds of filters are represented by W, Ye, Cy and G in correspondence to the colors of the respective filters, a red signal and a blue signal are produced by the arithmetic operations represented by the following expressions:R=.alpha.W-.beta.Cy+.gamma.Ye-.delta.GB=.alpha.'W+.beta.'Cy-.gamma.'Ye-.delta.'Gwherein the respective arithmetic operational ratios .alpha., .beta., .gamma., .delta., .alpha.', .beta.', .gamma.', and .delta.

Abstract: A color video camera uses an infrared cut-off filter, a complementary filter and a solid state image pick-up device. The infrared cut-off filter cuts off near infrared light of image above a wavelength .lambda.c, which is set in the range of 670 nm.ltoreq..lambda.c.ltoreq.780 nm. A color sampling/generating circuit has a matrix circuit connected to the solid state image pick-up device for providing a first luminance signal, a second luminance signal, a red channel signal and a blue channel signal. The second luminance signal is used for producing a red color difference signal and a blue color difference signal by using the red channel signal and the blue channel signal in a processing circuit. In the matrix circuit, matrix coefficients for producing the second luminance signal are set to reduce the red component of the second luminance signal.

Abstract: This invention relates to an area imaging device having an array of picture elements formed of photodiodes and insulated-gate MOSTs which is vertically scanned by a shift register and horizontally scanned by a charge transfer device (CTD). The solid-state imaging device according to this invention has a transfer MOST provided between a vertical signal output line and a horizontal switch MOST, a resetting MOST connected to the junction between said transfer MOST and the horizontal switch MOST, and a mechanism for setting the vertical signal line at a reference potential just before signal transfer. The transfer MOST connected between the junction of the horizontal switch MOST and the resetting MOST and the vertical signal line is a double-gate MOST formed of a series connection of a transfer gate and another transfer gate. Therefore, the charges under the gate of the transfer MOST can be removed for fixed noise to be greatly reduced.