Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device in which a plurality of optoelectric transducing elements are vertically and horizontally arranged into a matrix array, groups of optoelectric transducing elements arrayed in first rows serve as picture elements having a red spectral characteristic, groups of optoelectric transducing elements arrayed in second rows serve as picture elements having a blue spectral characteristic, and vertical charge transfer paths and groups of picture elements arrayed in the column direction are alternately arranged.

Abstract: A solid state pickup system having improved color reproducibility characteristics involves using additional photodetector elements to produce color signals including wavelength components in areas of negative stimulus values. These color signals are subtracted from conventionally produced color signals, such conventionally produced color signals being incapable of representing the negative stimulus values. The algebraic difference between the color signals resulting from the subtraction operation results in a color signal adequately represented in a wider range of wavelength characteristics, including the negative stimulus values, thus greatly improving color reproducibility.

Abstract: The invention provides an image forming medium and method, and a recording and playback apparatus in which signals can be recorded on the medium sequentially, similar to a magnetic tape or the like, or simultaneously two dimensionally, similar to a photographic film. The recording medium includes a laminate formed on the surface of a semiconductor substrate having a conductive layer on the undersurface thereof. The laminate is formed of an oxide film, a nitrided film, a photoconductive semiconductor layer and a transparent conductive layer. For recording, an optical image is directed onto the transparent conductive layer while applying a predetermined potential between the transparent conductive layer and the conductive layer.

Abstract: A solid pickup apparatus comprises a photo sensitive portion comprising photosensitive means and photosensitive transfer means for receiving a light including image information and generating respectively first signal charges and second signal charges therein corresponding to the image informations, the photosensitive transfer means mutually transferring the first and second signal charges, gate means for controlling the flow of said first signal charges of said photosensitive means to said photosensitive transfer means under transfer device control, drive control means for controlling the transference of the first and second signal charges in said photosensitive transfer means, and color filters covering the photosensitive portion.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device for an electronic camera or the like in which the total picture-taking time is reduced by reducing the time required for performing photometric measurements, which are a necessary preliminary to the actual photographing operation. The light detecting elements of the pickup device are read out for purposes of the photometric measurements at a rate an integer multiple of the rate employed for the ordinary photographing operation.

Abstract: A solid state imaging device comprises a transparent electrode, a photoconductive layer, and a plurality of scanning circuits for consecutively selecting signals in the photoconductive layer. The photoconductive layer is formed of amorphous semiconductor comprising amorphous silicon as the major component and further containing an element serving to lower the capture level within the energy gap and a trace amount of chalcogen element as a chemical modifier.

Abstract: A still picture recording and reproduction apparatus in which a still picture imaged on a frame transfer CCD is recorded on a rotary magnetic disk and then read for display on a TV using interlace scanning with A-fields and B-fields, corresponding to odd and even numbered lines are separately read and then time expanded. The time expansion may be performed on reproducing from the magnetic disk or performed on recording on separate tracks of the disk in which case one of the fields is time delayed to make the two types of fields to be in phase.

Abstract: A phase difference detector of the type capable of distinguishing a focused state by detecting relative positions of a pair of optical images obtained from an object, comprises sensor means adapted to photoelectrically convert the pair of optical images and to output a first analog electrical signal corresponding to one of the optical images and a second analog electrical signal corresponding to the other optical image, the signals being generated by the photoelectric conversion, at a predetermined period and in a non-destructive manner, and analog arithmetic means for subjecting the pair of analog electrical signals output from the sensor means to a correlative arithmetic operation.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device with charge coupled devices in an interline transfer system has an improved charge transfer electrode structure. Charge transfer electrodes do not overlap, but rather are separated from adjacent charge transfer electrodes by an extremely small distance, preferably about 0.2 .mu.m. Processes for forming such an improved solid-state image pickup device are also disclosed.

Abstract: A solid pickup apparatus comprises a photo sensitive portion comprising photosensitive means and photosensitive transfer means for receiving a light including image information and generating respectively first signal charges and second signal charges therein corresponding to the image informations, the photosensitive transfer means mutually transferring the first and second signal charges, gate means for controlling the flow of said first signal charges of said photosensitive means to said photosensitive transfer means under transfer device control, drive control means for controlling the transference of the first and second signal charges in said photosensitive transfer means, and color filters covering the photosensitive portion.

Abstract: A method for compensating changes which would otherwise be produced in a video output signal when the shutter speed exceeds a certain value, even though the same light level of the received image is maintained on the image pickup. In one embodiment, the shutter speed and/or aperture setting are adjusted to compensate. The amplification factor of the output video signal can also be adjusted. In other embodiments, gamma correction is effected separately for each primary color signal to compensate for the changes which affect the color signals in different amounts as the shutter speed is increased.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup unit in which two neighboring horizontal lines are paired for scanning. In the vertical transfer, the photocharge signals on the two lines are transferred to different horizontal CCDs, which concurrently shift out their contents. One of the two horizontal lines is used exclusively for a luminance signal and the other for two color signals. The horizontal line used for color signals has alternating color filters. A switch is used to separate the two color signals resulting from these alternating color filters.

Abstract: A color picture solid-state pickup element comprising a solid-state image sensor and a colored matrix microfilter. The image sensor has photo elements arranged in a matrix. The horizontal lines are paired into scanning lines. The scanning lines alternate between two fields, one field being read after the other. The microfilter has rows of uniform colors, with a row covering one horizontal line. Every other row is of a first primary or complementary color. The remaining rows alternate between two other primary or complementary colors.

Abstract: A solid image pickup element for use in interlaced scanning in which at least two lines of photo-elements are simultaneously read in one interlaced scanning line. The lines are algebraically combined to reproduce the color signals and different groups of lines are read for different interlace fields.

Abstract: A method for reading out signal charges in a solid-state image pickup unit providing either an improved resolution for a constant vertical integration density or a reduced vertical integration density while maintaining the same resolution. The photoelectric conversion elements of the unit are arranged in a matrix of rows and columns with m rows of photoelectric conversion elements being assigned to each scanning line. Signal charges generated in the photoelectric conversion elements during exposure are transferred to a vertical transfer section in the order of the m-th row to the first row in each scanning line, and then the charges are transferred to a horizontal charge transfer section using a four-phase driving method.

Abstract: An image sensor in which charge is transferred from an array of photosensing elements to a plurality of vertical CCDs arranged between columns of the photosensing element. The CCD channels are all gated near their ends by a first MOS electrode. Thereafter, separately controlled second MOS electrode inject the current in the channels into the substrate, from which it can be read. Preferably, the first MOS electrode has a tooth shape with the second MOS electrode in a staggered arrangement near the tooth side to reduce cross-channel interference. Also preferably, the substrate around the second electrodes is isolated.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device includes a semiconductor substrate and at least a layer of photosensitive semiconductor having a semiconductor material in which photocarriers are excited with a light incident thereto. The photosensitive semiconductor layer is disposed above one principal surface of the semiconductor substrate and has such a thickness as to allow a portion of the incident light to pass therethrough to the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate and photosensitive semiconductor layer forms an array of photosensitive areas associated with pixels of a picture.

Abstract: An electronic still camera wherein midway through an exposure the charge signals impressed by incident light on an imaging section are transferred to a storage array while the exposure continues. Corresponding signals on the imaging array and the storage arrays are differenced to form error signals which are added to or subtracted from the two original signals before they are combined.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a solid-state image pickup device having an array of photosensitive cells formed in a photoconductive layer on a semiconductor substrate, an optical system for focusing an image of an object on the cell array, an optical shutter for introducing light incident to the optical system to the cell array for a desired exposure time period, a read circuit for sequentially reading out video signals from the photosensitive cells, a storage unit for temporarily storing the video signals read out by the read circuit, an operational unit for reading out the stored picture element signals from the storage unit to form color-separated component video signals, and a control unit for controlling the read circuit, the storage unit, and the operational unit in response to the shutter.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device includes a semiconductor structure, a photosensitive cell array formed on the semiconductor structure and having a plurality of photosensitive cells, and a shift register formed on the semiconductor structure for selectively driving a plurality of photosensitive cells of the cell array to cause pixel signals to be produced therefrom. The shift register includes a plurality of register stages associated with the cell array, and two sets of an initiator circuit and a terminator circuit, each set being arranged at the ends of the plurality of register stages. Interconnections between the plurality of register stages, and selective connections between the two sets of the initiator and terminator circuits and the first and last stages of the plurality of register stages are formed in manufacturing processes on the semiconductor structure in accordance with a direction in which the shift register is to be driven in shifting operation.