Abstract: An image pickup device having an electron multiplying-charge coupled device includes a control unit for controlling an electron multiplication factor of the electron multiplying-charge coupled device; an obtaining unit for obtaining signals output from predetermined pixels of the electron multiplying-charge coupled device; and an averaging unit for performing an inter-line averaging process of the signals obtained by the obtaining unit. The device further includes a suppression unit for performing low-level and high-level suppressions on the signal averaged by the averaging unit based on the electron multiplication factor of the electron multiplication factor control unit; an acquisition unit for acquiring image signals output from the pixels other than the predetermined pixels of the electron multiplying-charge coupled device; and a subtractor for subtracting the signal suppressed by the suppression unit from the image signals acquired by the acquisition unit.

Abstract: A solid-state image-capturing device which has built in an image-capturing area including a light receiving element provided on a semiconductor substrate, a substrate bias circuit, and a clamp circuit for receiving output of the substrate bias circuit and applying the output of the substrate bias circuit to the semiconductor substrate in accordance with a substrate pulse, comprises a substrate bias control circuit for controlling so as to reduce an electric current of the clamp circuit during a predetermined period.

Abstract: A method of reducing noise in an image including steps for obtaining a first value for a target pixel, obtaining a respective second value for each neighboring pixel surrounding the target pixel and having the same color as the target pixel, for each neighboring pixel, comparing a difference between said first value and said second value to a threshold value, and replacing the first value with an average value obtained from the first value and at all second values from the neighboring pixels which have an associated difference which is less than or equal to the threshold value based on a result of the comparing step.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus 1A includes an electron multiplying solid-state image pickup device which has an electron multiplier section for multiplying charge signals generated in respective pixels; a multiplication gain setting part 41 for setting a multiplication gain in the electron multiplier section; a standard deviation calculator 34 for calculating a noise standard deviation of a noise image acquired under a predetermined condition by the image pickup device; a reference standard deviation storage 35 storing a reference standard deviation, and a standard deviation comparator 36 for comparing the noise standard deviation and the reference standard deviation and outputting an obtained comparison result. At the time of gain adjustment, the multiplication gain setting part 41 adjusts the multiplication gain based on the comparison result by the standard deviation comparator 36.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing digital video processing of electromagnetic waves in IR or other electromagnetic waves spectra; derived from adjacent or separate bands (or sub-bands) representing a channel of electromagnetic wave intensities; that is processed for equipment radiometric corrections (calibration), adverse environmental elements or substance calibrations, channel filtering in real time and dynamic pixel to pixel time.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device comprises: a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements formed in a surface portion of the semiconductor substrate in the form of a two-dimensional array so as to comprise a plurality of sets, each comprising a subset of the photoelectric conversion elements arranged in one direction; charge transfer paths each formed at a side portion of the subset of the photoelectric conversion elements to cause a signal charge of the photoelectric conversion elements be read out when a readout pulse is applied and cause the signal charge which has been read out to be transferred when a transfer pulse is applied; and an electrically conductive light shielding film which is laminated on a surface of the semiconductor substrate through an insulating layer and has openings immediately above each of the photoelectric conversion elements.

Abstract: A system that extracts text from an image includes a capture device that captures the image having a low resolution. An image segmentation subsystem partitions the image into image segments. An image restoration subsystem generates a resolution-expanded image from the image segments and negates degradation effects of the low-resolution image by transforming the image segments from a first domain to a second domain and deconvolving the transformed image segments in the second domain to determine parameters of the low-resolution image. A text recognition subsystem transforms the restored image data into computer readable text data based on the determined parameters.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a solid-state imaging device that enables miniaturization of camera while maintaining the level of electrostatic damage resistance in the solid-state imaging device, and includes: an imaging unit 100 that transfers signal charge generated by performing photoelectric conversion on incident light, converts the signal charge into an electric signal, and outputs the electric signal as an image signal; and a peripheral circuit portion 110 which includes: a signal electrode pad 111; a power supply electrode pad 112; and a protection circuit 113 that has diodes 320 and 330 placed in opposition, and that discharges static electricity entering from the exterior, to the power supply electrode pad 112.

Abstract: When a signal is read from a CCD solid-state image pickup element, the CCD solid-state image pickup element is driven with at least two driving voltages so that high-speed reading is performed with generation of noise due to interference between the driving voltages reduced. The CCD solid-state image includes a charge storage section between a vertical transfer register and a horizontal transfer register. By performing the transfer of charge in the direction of columns during an effective transfer period of the transfer in the direction of rows, signal charge of one row generated by a light receiving sensor is transferred to the charge storage section, and by performing the transfer outside the effective transfer period in the transfer in the direction of the row, the signal charge of one row transferred to the charge storage section is transferred to the horizontal transfer register.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for correcting vertical line streaks in an interline or full-frame CCD. The method includes the step of subtracting an overscan row from each row of a previous image or from each row of a next image, such that each row of the final image contains the same readout smear effect and such that readout overscan rows contain the same smear information as each row of the final image. The method is also described for use with frame transfer CCDs.

Abstract: An Active Random Field is presented, in which a Markov Random Field (MRF) or a Conditional Random Field (CRF) is trained together with a fast inference algorithm using pairs of input and desired output and a benchmark error measure.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image capturing apparatus which enables a desired image quality to be maintained regardless of transfer efficiency of a CCD image capturing element. R, G and B signals (CCD-RAW data) are acquired from the CCD image capturing element. In addition, various information, namely transfer efficiency of the CCD image capturing element, camera sensitivity upon photography, drive frequency of the CCD image capturing element, WB gains of the acquired R, G and B signals, pixel count, internal temperature of camera or temperature of the CCD image capturing element, and CCD color filter array of the CCD image capturing element are acquired. Signal processing on the acquired R, G and B signals is changed according to the acquired information in order to suppress image quality deterioration due to transfer efficiency degradation.

Abstract: A light sensing array has a plurality of electrically isolated photosensors, each photosensor having a first terminal and a second terminal, each of the terminals of each photosensor being isolated from the terminals of the other photosensors, wherein each photosensor responds to an incident light level by producing a charge difference between the first and second terminal. There is a differential circuit selectively coupled to the first and second terminals of one of the photo sensors for producing an output signal related to the charge difference between the first and second terminals.

Abstract: A method for driving a charge-transfer type solid-state image pick-up device, wherein the charge-transfer type solid-state image pick-up device comprises: high sensitivity photoelectric conversion elements for executing photoelectric conversion with relatively high sensitivity; low sensitivity photoelectric conversion elements for executing photoelectric conversion with relatively low sensitivity; and vertical transfer channels for transferring signal charges from said high sensitivity photoelectric conversion elements and said low sensitivity photoelectric conversion elements, the method comprising a charge transfer step of individually reading/transferring first signal charges from said high sensitivity photoelectric conversion elements and second signal charges from said low sensitivity photoelectric conversion elements onto said vertical transfer channels, without executing a high speed charge transfer operation for the vertical transfer channels after exposure of said solid-state image pick-up device.

Abstract: In an image pickup apparatus including an image pickup device configured by a plurality of pixels having different photoelectric conversion characteristics on each side of the inflection point of the photoelectric conversion characteristic, prior to the image picking-up for recording, resetting the image pickup device twice by using different voltages with the image pickup device being light shielded, generating inflection point data showing an infection point by using imaged data obtained after reset operation, and afterward correcting the inflection points variation by using the inflection point data can correct the variation of the photoelectric conversion characteristic in a substantially real time. And it can provide a less expensive and high image quality image pickup apparatus and a method for taking a high quality image.

Abstract: In a method for correcting a picked-up image signal of an image pickup apparatus including: a solid-state imaging device comprising a plurality of pixels which are arranged in a two-dimensional array form in a surface portion of a semiconductor substrate, and an amplifier which is provided at the semiconductor substrate, and which amplifies signals that are detected by the pixels in accordance with an amount of incident light; and an image signal processing section which processes a signal output from the amplifier, each of the pixels senses light emission produced when the amplifier operates, through the semiconductor substrate to obtain a signal amount as a correction amount, and the correction amount is subtracted from a detection signal amount of the pixel which is output from the amplifier, to correct the detection amount.

Abstract: A charge transfer implemented by a transfer section for transferring charges stored in image sensor elements along one direction on a surface where the image sensor elements are disposed is halted for a predetermined length of time. The charges are transferred from the transfer section without reading the charges from the image sensor elements after the charge transfer is halted for the predetermined length of time. A position where a defect is generated in an image pickup sensor is identified based on signal levels of the transferred charges. A defective signal level of the image pickup sensor generated on a line including the defect-generating position and in parallel with the one direction is corrected. As a result of the foregoing process, a display failure is precisely corrected.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting a failed reset in a pixel are described. First, a reset proxy signal that is received. Second, a reset reference signal is received. The reset proxy signal and the reset reference signal are compared. Based on the comparison, a reset status signal is generated. The reset status signal indicates that a failed reset has been detected or that a failed reset has not been detected.

Abstract: A CCD solid-state imaging device is provided and includes: a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of photodiodes arranged in a two-dimensional array; a plurality of vertical charge transfer paths, each reading a signal charge from the photo diodes, wherein electron multiplication of the signal charge is performed in each of the vertical transfer paths; and a storage section that stores data indicating a multiplication factor of the electron multiplication, the multiplication factor being detected at each place of the vertical transfer paths in which the electron multiplication is performed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for correcting linear shift parallax error in multi-array image systems. Average pixel cell signal values for pixel cells within a summing window of each column or row of at least two sub-arrays are computed during read-out. The images of the sub-arrays are correlated based on the averages, then shifted based on a result of the correlation function to correct the exhibited parallax error. The summation, correlation, and shifting can be performed by a pixel pipeline processing circuit.

Abstract: A structure and method for fabricating imagers that detect light from the backside of the wafer. The structure may have less complex focusing, reduced crosstalk, tighter pixel packing density, increased quantum efficiency, and wafer-level packaging. The fabrication of the imager includes forming an imaging device on a silicon wafer, adhering an interconnect wafer to the device wafer, forming interconnects on the interconnect wafer, etching away the substrate of the device wafer, and patterning additional layers such as nitrides, color filter arrays, and lenses on the backside of the device wafer.

Abstract: A pixel of an image sensor includes only two signal lines per pixel, a pinned photodiode for sensing light, a floating base bipolar transistor, and no reset and address transistors. The floating base bipolar transistor provides the pixel with a gain, which can increase pixel sensitivity and reduce noise. The pixel also incorporates a vertical blooming control structure for an efficient blooming suppression. The output terminals of the pixel are coupled to a common column output line terminated by a special current sensing correlated double sampling circuit, which is used for subtraction of emitter leakage current. Based on this structure, the pixel has high sensitivity, high response uniformity, low noise, reduced size, and efficient layout.

Abstract: An image sensor comprising a plurality of pixels arranged in at least two sub-arrays; first and second delay areas respectively connected to each sub-array for respectively receiving charge from the sub-array; wherein a pitch of the first delay area is different from the second delay area and at least two readout mechanisms for respectively receiving the charge from the delay areas, wherein a same line from the first and second sub-arrays is received by each delay area at substantially the same time.

Abstract: An image sensor including a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arranged in a main scanning direction, a plurality of switching elements connected to respective ones of the photoelectric conversion elements, individually, and a controller for generating a clock signal to control the switching elements. The photoelectric conversion elements are divided into plural groups, each including a predetermined number (N) of the photoelectric conversion elements. The outputs from the photoelectric conversion elements in one group are read out simultaneously in response to the clock signal generated from the controller, thereby attaining a high speed reading of a document.

Abstract: In a solid-state image capturing device including a pixel array arranged in a row direction and a column direction orthogonal thereto, and a vertical register having a plurality of transfer electrodes which serves to read signal charges Qa, Qb, . . . generated by light receipt of each of pixels A, B, . . . and to sequentially transfer the signal charge in the column direction upon receipt of a transfer pulse, an electric potential well for a smear charge is generated and an unnecessary charge q in the vertical register is collected into the electric potential well for a smear charge before the signal charge is read from the pixels A, B, . . . onto the vertical register (a timing t707), an electric potential well for signal charge transfer is then generated and the signal charges Qa, Qb, . . . are read from the pixels A, B, . . .

Abstract: A technique of achieving optimal noise suppression with respect to a video signal whose noise amount differs according to brightness is disclosed, and according to the technique, a low-luminance detecting section 18 detects a video signal of a relatively low luminance, a suppression amount setting section 19 generates a noise suppression amount which becomes larger as the luminance of the video signal becomes lower, and a noise suppressing circuit 17 suppresses noise with the noise suppression amount generated by the suppression amount setting section with respect to the video signal of a relatively low luminance detected by the low-luminance detecting section.

Abstract: An image sensing system is disclosed. The image sensing system includes a signal determination unit which recognizes a saturated region of an image obtained by photoelectric conversion where the signal level is saturated, and a desaturated region where the signal level is not saturated, and determines whether an inner region serving as a desaturated region surrounded by the saturated region exists.

Abstract: In an image reading apparatus using a solid state image pickup element, a smear amount and the total received light amount at whole image taking region of the CCD linear sensor when a light source is turned on without film, are measured and calculated. Using a ratio of the total received light amount when a light source is turned on without film to the one at the time of image reading, a smear correction data of each line is calculated for correction processing.

Abstract: An image-sensing device has pixel areas for outputting CCD signals of plural channels, and an adjusting portion for adjusting a level of each channel of the CCD signals outputted from the pixel area. A first channel CCD signal is provided from a pixel area 11a, a horizontal OB area 15a, a slide shift area 12a, and an HCCD 13a. A second channel CCD signal is provided from a pixel area 11b, a horizontal OB area 15b, a slide shift area 12b, and an HCCD 13b. Both of the first and second CCD signals are supplied to the adjusting portion with a reference signal added. The adjusting portion controls CCD signal of each channel by making the level of reference signal the same. The variation of the shift efficiency of electric charge in the border of pixel areas 11a and 11b for each channel, and in the slide shift areas 13a and 13b can be compensated.

Abstract: An adaptive white defect correction method and an image-pickup apparatus implementing the method. Pixel data on lines located above and below a white defect pixel are judged according to a predetermined algorithm to determine which of a plurality of previously supposed kinds of pattern most resembles an image obtained near a white defect pixel. On the basis of a result of the determination, suitable interpolation data is generated. As for the determination of the image pattern, a pair of two pixels are selected from pixels on the lines located above and below the white defect pixel, and processing of determining whether there is correlation between pixel values of the selected pixels is repetitively executed until a image pattern near the white defect pixel is determined.

Abstract: Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a digital camera includes: a digital imaging array including a plurality of pixels, and image processing circuitry to process the digital pixel output signals produced by the imaging array. The imaging processing circuitry is adapted to process saturated digital pixel output signals differently from non-saturated digital pixel output signals. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, at least one integrated circuit includes image processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is adapted to process digital pixel output signals produced by a digital imaging array. The image processing circuitry is further adapted to process saturated digital pixel output signals differently from non-saturated digital pixel output signals.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device has a differential output configuration for an output stage thereof and an IC in a next stage has a differential amplifier configuration for an input stage thereof. An output buffer unit buffers and outputs a digital signal from a horizontal bus line. At this time, in addition to the normal video signal, the output buffer unit generates an inverted output of the normal video signal. The normal video signal and the inverted output are outputted from a video signal output terminal and an inverted video signal output terminal, respectively, to the outside of a chip. Further, a clock, which is supplied from a timing generator to the output buffer unit, is also buffered and outputted to the outside together with an inverted clock A differential amplifier is used in an input stage of an IC in a next stage, whereby even signals having blunter waveforms can be recognized.

Abstract: The driving device of a solid-state imaging device comprises a driving unit for driving the solid-state imaging device in either an addition driving mode in which a plurality of pixels are added and read as a single pixel or a non-addition driving mode, and a substrate bias voltage supply for applying a bias voltage to the substrate of the solid-state imaging device according to the driving mode. The substrate bias voltage is set according to the number of pixels added in the addition driving mode so that the overflow level of the charge accumulating portion may be lower in the addition driving mode than in the normal driving mode. This suppresses the input of excess charges to the horizontal transfer path even in the addition driving mode, thereby preventing the generation of horizontal streak noise.

Abstract: The invention applies to the binning procedure of data, which is measured with a CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) sensor unit. There is created a solution for measurement of radiation, in which a good signal-to-noise value is achieved, and still it is possible to exploit standard CCD units. This is achieved by selecting the binning areas on the basis of position of defected pixels (461, 462) in a CCD unit (411). One idea is to determine the locations of the defected pixels and to use this information for determining pixel groups that form the super pixels. In a preferable embodiment super pixels (A1–A5, B1–B5, C1–C5, D1–D5, E1–E5) are first determined using a selected binning factor, and those super pixels that would be affected by defected pixels are then reduced into one or more smaller super pixels (B2i–E2i, B2k–E2k, C4i–E4i), which are not affected by the defects.

Abstract: A charge coupled device (CCD) circuit employing substrate electrical bounce compensation circuitry that is particularly useful in a cinematography digital image capture cameras. An exemplary CCD circuit comprises a CCD array having a substrate that is coupled to an output node. The output of the CCD array (substrate) is coupled to a gate input of a reset field effect transistor (FET). The output node is coupled to a source input of the reset FET. The output of the CCD array is coupled to the substrate bounce compensation circuit which provides a video pedestal reference signal for the reset FET. The substrate bounce compensation circuit includes a capacitor that capacitively coupled the output of the CCD array to the drain of the reset FET, and a resistor that resistively couples the drain of the reset FET to a reset drain bias capacitor.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device has a discharge gate and a discharge drain provided adjacent to a connection of a vertical CCD and a horizontal CCD so that charges accumulated for an arbitrary pixel can be completely depleted. Data can be read at an arbitrary decimation rate only by changing a drive condition of the discharge gate. An arbitrary decimation rate can be achieved and a frame rate, resolution or the like can easily changed while vertical transfer electrodes can keep the same wiring structure as in a still mode (normal reading) without making a complicated wiring structure of vertical transfer electrodes such as the prior art. Therefore, this solid-state image pickup device can achieve an arbitrary decimation rate and easily change a frame rate, resolution or the like only by changing drive conditions without making a complicated wiring structure of vertical transfer electrodes.

Abstract: An image sensor that has a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor senses the temperature of a pixel array of the image sensor. The sensed temperature is used to scale a dark frame image generated by the pixel array. The scaled dark frame image is subtracted from a light image frame generated by the pixel array. The scaled dark image frame compensates for temperature variations in the pixel array. The scaled dark image frame may be generated by multiplying the dark frame by a scale factor(s). The scale factor may be computed from an equation or determined from a look-up table. The equation or look-up table may compensate for thermal gradients across the pixel.

Abstract: A defective pixel detecting method and an image-pickup apparatus having a plurality of solid-state image-pickup devices each receiving respective one of spectral lights obtained by separating light incident to the image-pickup apparatus, generating, for each spectral light, a value relating to an inspected defective pixel on an associated solid-state image-pickup device located at a corresponding same image-pickup point among the plurality of solid-state image-pickup devices based on a signal level produced from the inspected pixel and signal levels produced from a plurality of pixels of the associated solid-state image-pickup device in the vicinity of the inspected pixel, and determining the solid-state image-pickup device that generated a defective pixel based on the values obtained with respect to the plurality of solid-state image-pickup devices.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus (200) for a charge coupled device including analog front end circuitry having optical black and offset correction, whereby the offset and optical black correction circuit is programmable. The present invention includes a first circuit (202, 204, 206, 208, 210) to sample the incoming optical black signal output from a CCD. This first circuit includes a correlated double sampler (202) coupled to a first programmable gain amplifier (204). An adder (206) connects between the first programmable gain amplifier (204) and a second gain amplifier (208) for adding in the optical black offset to the optical black signal input from the CCD. A second circuit (212, 214) includes a reverse programmable gain amplifier (212) connected to the output of the second programmable gain amplifier (208) to amplify the optical black level inversely proportional to the gain from the second programmable gain amplifier (208).

Abstract: An CMOS active pixel sensor (APS) imaging system include circuitry to compensate for different analog offset levels from the CMOS pixel array. More specifically, the compensation is performed in the analog (charge) domain. A digital correction value, which may be measured as part of the operation or testing of the CMOS APS system, is provided to a offset correction block circuit, to generate an analog electrical signal. The analog electrical signal is supplied to a sample-and-hold circuit including a charge amplifier. The signal read from the pixel array, after conditioning through an analog signal chain, is also supplied to the charge amplifier, which has a linear transfer function and outputs the compensated signal.

Abstract: A circuit for processing charge detecting signals transferred to a floating diffusion amplifier from a charge coupled device includes a first node connected to the floating diffusion amplifier; a first enhancement type FET connected in series between a first fixed-voltage supply line for supplying a first fixed voltage and an output terminal, where the first enhancement type FET has a first gate connected to the first node; and a second enhancement type FET connected in series between a second fixed-voltage supply line for supplying a second fixed voltage and the output terminal, where the second enhancement type FET has a second gate supplied with a third fixed voltage which is different in potential from the second fixed voltage.

Abstract: An offset correction circuit which enables a designer to control the correction range irrespective of the amplification sought to be achieved to the image component of the input signal. The offset correction further enables the designer to perform offset correction to a low resolution. Both range and resolution can potentially be attained using only two stages thereby minimizing power consumption and also minimizing introduction of any undesirable components.

Abstract: An amplification type solid-state imaging device includes a pixel region including a plurality of amplification type photo-electric conversion elements arranged in a matrix array, vertical signal lines for transmitting a pixel signal and a reference signal for each pixel, a plurality of horizontal signal lines, a horizontal scanning circuit for transmitting signal pairs each including the pixel signal and the reference signal to the plurality of horizontal signal lines, a selection switch for sequentially switching the plurality of horizontal signal lines and for leading the plurality of horizontal signal lines into a common signal line, and a differential signal detection circuit in the common signal line for providing a differential signal between the pixel signal and the reference signal.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for reducing smear in electronic images utilizes estimated smear signals to remove components in the image signals of the electronic images that are attributable to the smear. The estimated smear signals correspond to the smear components of the image signals. The estimated smear signals are generated by collecting electrical charges in an electronic image sensor after an exposure period. The estimated smear signals may be generated in sequence to the acquisition of the image signals. Alternatively, the estimated smear signals may be generated in parallel to the acquisition of the image signals.

Abstract: An image sensor testing system is described. The system includes a differencing element, first and second comparators, and a counter. The differencing element is arranged to provide a difference value between a given pixel value and a pixel stream value. The first comparator operates to compare the difference value with at least one tolerance value. The counter is configured to increment a count when the difference value exceeds at least one tolerance value. The second comparator is configured to indicate a sensor as having failed if the count exceeds at least one threshold value.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus for a charge coupled device including analog front end circuitry having optical black and offset correction, whereby the an offset and optical black correction circuit has a digitally programmable bandwidth is disclosed herein. The image processing apparatus includes a sampling circuit to sample the incoming optical black signal output from a CCD. The sampled signal is filtered through an analog-to-digital converter for processing by a digital detector circuit which detects the average optical black level of the sampled signal. The sum of the channel offset and optical black level present at the output of the digital detector circuit as a digital error signal is averaged for a given number of lines and optical black cells per line by a digital averager included within the digital detector circuit. Moreover, calibration logic digitally calibrates the channel to obtain a user programmed ADC output which corresponds to that average.

Abstract: From horizontal and vertical coordinate values HC and VC of a pixel, a distance operation unit calculates a distance value RV indicating the distance from an optical-axis position to the pixel. A correction-data operation unit receives the distance value RV, and calculates correction data CD for the pixel by referring to an approximation function indicating relation between distance values and correction data. The approximation function is divided into a plurality of segments, and in each segment represented by a quadratic function defined by a predetermined number of sample points.

Abstract: Defective sweep occurs when strong light enters, i.e., a quantity of input light increases, and smear and blooming components increase during an exposure period because a quantity of unnecessary charge to be swept during a sweep-out transfer period of a first field side exceeds a quantity of charge to be handled. The inventive image pickup system solves the above-mentioned problem by setting the sweep-out transfer period of the first field side to be longer than the sweep-out transfer period of a second field in a digital still camera which controls an exposure time by using a mechanical shutter in using as an image pickup device, a solid-state image pickup device which carries out the sweep-out transfer of transferring and sweeping charges within a vertical transfer section quickly more than transfer speed in transferring the signal charges read out from a sensor section to the vertical transfer section before reading out the signal charges from the sensor section to the vertical transfer section.

Abstract: The reduced signal-to-noise ratio of colored pixels that results from a lower conversion efficiency is eliminated by utilizing a programmable gain amplifier which individually applies a gain to the output of each colored pixel so that the maximum signal level of each colored pixel is matched to the maximum input range of an A/D converter.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a CCD for accumulating an image signal by an n-times long-time-accumulation (n is an integer of “1” or more); a timing control circuit for controlling to read out the image signal accumulated in the CCD according to the n-times long-time-accumulation; a memory for storing the read-out image signal for one frame period or more; and a recursive noise reduction circuit for performing a noise reduction process on the basis of the image signal read out from the CCD and the one-frame-period-or-more delayed image signal read out from the memory. In case of the 2n-times long-time-accumulation, in a vertical scanning period in which the image signal is output from the CCD, the image signal from the recursive noise reduction circuit is written to the memory.