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: For the video recording of a field illuminated by a lamp, especially a surgical lamp, where at least one light beam for illuminating the field emerges from a light exit area of a lamp housing in the direction of a predetermined housing axis, the optical axis of a video camera mounted with freedom to swivel a certain distance away from the exit point of the light beam is shifted automatically by a positioning element until the axis at least approximately intersects the light beam in the area of the illuminated field. The positioning element is driven by signals from a control unit. The video camera is preferably shifted in a stepwise manner. The distance to the illuminated field is determined by the fine focusing of the camera by the autofocus function, and then signals are transmitted from the control unit to the positioning element of the camera to compensate for the parallax between the optical axis of the camera and the light beam or beams emerging from the lamp.

Abstract: This invention is to decrease the sensor pitch, prevent saturation by external light, accurately determine skimming, simplify skimming determination, and prevent any difference in influence of the transfer efficiency between the ON and OFF states. For this purpose, a distance measuring apparatus includes a light projection section for projecting light to an object, a sensor array for receiving reflected light from the object, a first transfer section for transferring charges from the sensor array, and a ring-shaped second charge transfer section for integrating the charges from the first transfer section, wherein the first charge transfer section transfers charges in a light projection ON state and charges in a light projection OFF state at a timing, the transfer frequency of the second charge transfer section is twice that of the first charge transfer section, and the timing of the first charge transfer section has a phase different from that of the second charge transfer section.

Abstract: An image capturing device includes a user interface, a processor, and a memory. The memory includes a user-programmable non-volatile memory section that stores one or more non-volatile mode variables. The user interface is capable of receiving a mode input from a user and the processor is capable of overwriting a non-volatile mode variable value in the user-programmable non-volatile memory section in response to the mode input.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor, which has a two-dimensional matrix of a plurality of pixels used to sense the two-dimensional spatial distribution of radioactive rays, light rays, electrons, ions, or the like, is provided with an aperture that extends through a substrate at an image sensing unit on which the pixels are arranged, and a signal transfer path that connects signal transfer electrodes for reading images of the respective pixels kept clear of the aperture. Furthermore, the image sensing unit is divided into at least two regions by a boundary including the aperture, and these regions have individual signal read registers. With this structure, the image sensor serves as both an image sensor for sensing the two-dimensional distribution of radiation or the like, and an aperture for passing such radiation.