Abstract: An analog line store comprises a bank of storage capacitors n in number, an n:1 read multiplexer for sequentially sampling from the n storage capacitors as part of a read-then-write operation, a 1:n write multiplexer for sequentially sampling to the n storage capacitors as a further part of the read-then-write operation, and a scanning register for generating control signals for the write multiplexer and the read multiplexer. The storage capacitors have similar capacitances that are substantially invariant with change in stored charge. Such an analog line store is integrated together with a solid-state imager array to provide for the cancellation of fixed pattern noise from the imager video output signal.

Abstract: A camera apparatus comprising focusing means for optically focusing a beam of light from an object, imaging means for converting an optical image produced by the focusing means into electrical or physicochemical information and issuing or recording the information as an image, means for detecting fluctuations of the apparatus to issue a fluctuation detecting signal, means responsive to the fluctuation detecting signal for issuing an image fluctuation control signal, and means responsive to the image fluctuation control signal for suppressing fluctuations of the image due to the fluctuations of the apparatus.

Abstract: A video camera is comprised of an aperture correcting signal generating circuit for generating an aperture correcting signal from a video signal of a picked-up image, and a nonlinear processing circuit for comparing the video signal with a reference voltage modulated by the aperture correcting signal and compressing the video signal at its high brightness portion higher than the reference voltage when the video signal is higher than the reference voltage.

Abstract: A video camera apparatus having a solid state imager for generating video signals and a black level balance adjusting circuit for automatically adjusting black levels of the video signals. The video camera apparatus comprises an incident light control device, an electronic shutter control circuit, a comparator and a processor. The incident light control device controls the amount of light incident to the solid state imager. The electronic shutter control circuit varies the mode of the solid state imager between at least a first mode and a second mode. The effective accumulating period of the solid state imager in the first mode is different from the corresponding period in the second mode. The comparator compares the voltage level of the video signal obtained in the first mode with that obtained in the second mode.

Abstract: A strobe control method is provided for use in an image pick-up system which performs pseudo-frame photography by staggering, for a prescribed short period of time, the timings at which the photoelectric transducers of a first field and the photoelectric transducers of a second field are cleared in solid-state electronic image sensing devices, and staggering, between the first and second fields and for the aforementioned prescribed short period of time, the timings at which electric charges are read from these photoelectric transducers. The strobe control method includes steps of controlling strobe-light emission in such a manner that the start timing of strobe-light emission occurs after the processing for clearing both fields, and forcibly stopping strobe-light emission for a requisite period of time before charge readout timing of the first field.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus for a television and a depth-of-field control apparatus used in the same. Image signals corresponding to a plurality of picture images different in focal point or length position are obtained by a mechanism for changing a focal point or length position to produce a new image signal by composing these image signals through a composition circuit, and motion information of an object is obtained by a circuit for detecting a moving portion in the object to control the image composition by the motion information. The focal point or length position is moved in synchronism with an integer multiple of a vertical scanning period of the television. The image signals corresponding to the plurality of picture images different in focal point or length position are obtained within one vertical scanning period determined by the system of the television. The amount of movement of the focal point or length position is controlled in conjunction with a value of a lens aperture of the camera lens.

Abstract: Image signals of moving subjects which are imaged by a slit camera, and time information generated by a time information generator after it has been reset by a start trigger signal, are successively stored in and erased from a large-storage-capacity memory on a first-in, first-out basis. After elapse of a predetermined time period after a record trigger signal has been supplied from a record trigger generator, a storage time control circuit controls the memory to stop storing and erasing the image signals and the time information, and keeps the image signals and the time information stored which have been stored before the memory stops storing and erasing the image signals and the time information. The image information of the subjects and the time information associated with the image information can be stored in the memory within a storage time that depends on the storage capacity of the memory.

Abstract: A video camera equipped with an image sensor for producing an analog video signal, an A-D converter for converting the analog video signal to a digital video signal in a manner that any component thereof above a predetermined luminance level is clipped, and a flare correcting circuit for removing any flare component superposed on the digital video signal.

Abstract: A streak camera having improved time resolving capacity in the femtosecond regime. The streak camera uses magnetic and/or electric fields in such a way as to minimize the adverse effects of angular distribution and energy distribution of photoelectrons simultaneously emitted from a photocathode in response to the impinging of light thereon.

Abstract: A frame transfer image sensor having a lateral overflow drain and a structure for controlling the charge transfer to the drain during charge collection to improve exposure latitude.

Abstract: The present invention is an integrated imaging device capable of providing preprocessed images. An image processing unit receives command and control signals to perform selected image or signal processing operations before outputting the image. The imaging array uses either a full or linear array of photodetectors to capture an image of pixel charges. A plurality of pixel storage registers store the pixel charges and allow internal signal processing before transferring the image via an output register to an outside receiving device. A transfer register allows for transferring the pixel charges to a frame storage register. A dump drain permits is included for dumping unwanted data before transfer to the frame storage register. The array uses Si detectors or platinum silicide (PtSi) Schottky barrier detectors (or both) and is capable of both infrared and visual imaging.

Abstract: An image sensor has blocks of light-receiving elements which are switched by respective associated thin-film transistors. Charges generated in the light-receiving elements are transferred to respective common signal lines through a matrix wiring on a block basis. Capacitor forming lines are formed above the common signal lines in a crossed relationship through an interposed insulating layer to provide a capacitance substantially equal to a source-gate overlap capacitance of each thin-film switching transistor. A voltage signal in an inverse phase relation to a gate control signal is applied to the capacitor forming lines to cancel out coupling of the gate control signal to the potential of the common signal lines.

Abstract: In a multi-function digital CCD camera according to the present invention, the image signal outputted from the solid-state image pick-up device is inputted into a signal processing circuit where the signal is shaped into an image signal. The image signal from the signal processing circuit is inputted into the image quality changeover circuit having a plurality of signal processing paths, each with a peculiar signal processing characteristic. In the image quality changeover circuit, the plurality of signal processing paths are combined based on a control signal from the image quality selective circuit. The image signal obtained from respective signal processing paths are inputted into the image composition circuit. The signal obtained from the image composition circuit is inputted into the color encoder where the signal is encoded into a camera output video signal.

Abstract: An exposure control apparatus includes a control amount converting table for storing data on a gain control amount associated with data on a detected quantity of incident light. On the basis of an output from the control amount converting table, light quantity gains of light quantity variable means, such as an iris, a shutter, an AGC amplifier, and so forth, are set. The level of a quantity of incident light coming through these light quantity variable means is detected, and the detected data is fed to correcting means. The correcting means corrects an error between data on the control amount of the light quantity gain output from the control amount converting table and an actual light quantity gain of the light quantity variable means. An output from the correcting means is fed to the control amount converting table.

Abstract: A method and system for generating high resolution photogrammetric images from a CCD camera. The method of the invention includes the steps of a) acquiring sequential images of terrain from a moving vehicle with a partially masked CCD camera having n uniformly staggered registers exposed at any given time; b) establishing the position of said vehicle; and c) processing the output of said camera to obtain a database of improved resolution data. Thus, an illustrative and more efficient system and method are provided for generating high resolution photogrammetric image data from a CCD camera.

Abstract: An image pickup device which, in placing a phase type optical low pass filter in front of a taking lens, is able to cope with the varying focal distances of the taking lens only by a single piece of phase type optical low pass filter and which is also able to obtain a large quantity of information to be used for focusing detection in the auto focusing (AF) operation. The image pickup device is composed of a taking lens having a variable focal distance, a solid state image pickup element on which an object light image is formed through the taking lens, a phase type optical low pass filter which is disposed in front of the taking lens in a freely rotatable manner, and a device for rotating the phase type optical low pass filter according to the focal distances of the taking lens so as to be able to remove a given spatial frequency component corresponding to the pixel pitch of the solid state image pickup element.

Abstract: A motion detector includes a flicker compensating circuit for removing flicker components from a video signal, and a motion vector detecting circuit for detecting a motion vector in response to an output signal from the flicker compensating circuit. An image stabilizing system includes a flicker compensating circuit for removing flicker components from a video signal, a motion vector detecting circuit for detecting a motion vector in response to an output signal from the flicker compensating circuit, and a motion compensating circuit for removing motion components from the video signal in response to the motion vector detected by the motion vector detecting circuit.

Abstract: The electronic imaging apparatus comprises an imaging lens system for forming an image of an object at magnifications different between an x-z section and y-z section when the object is placed on a z-axis, an imaging optical system, an image sensor having a photoelectric converting surface substantially perpendicular to the z-axis for receiving the image of the object, and a video signal processing circuit capable of changing a difference in expansion/contraction ratio between a scanning direction and the direction perpendicular thereto for reproducing an image of object on the basis of output signals from the image sensor and is capable of generating video signals for displaying an image substantially similar to the object. This electronic imaging apparatus permits obtaining a very clear reproduced image which is substantially similar to the object.

Abstract: An automatic focus control device capable of obtaining an accurate in-focus state of a subject having less high-frequency components is provided. A luminance signal of the video signal of the subject is first differentiated by a combination of a delay circuit (27) and a difference forming circuit (26). The differentiated luminance signals are accumulated by an accumulator (31), and a clock pulses CL are counted by a counter (32) during the periods when the differentiated luminance signals exceed a predetermined value. The accumulated value is then divided by the clock count at a divider (33) to obain a focus control signal which is fed to a microcomputer (35). The microcomputer causes a lens (11) to move in accordance with this focus control signal so that an optimum in-focus state of the subject is obtained.

Abstract: In an electronic still camera apparatus wherein an image of an object is incident on an image pickup surface of a CCD through an optical lens, the object image passed the optical lens is divided into a portion entering the CCD and a portion entering a two-dimensional PSD. The two-dimensional PSD detects a center of gravity of a light distribution of the object image, and a detection signal is supplied to a deviation detector comprising a sample-hold circuit and a differential amplifier. The deviation detector stores the detection signal at the time of start of image pickup, and the differential amplifier compares the stored signal and a detection signal output from the PSD during image pickup. A deviation detection signal corresponding to the comparison result is output.