Abstract: The number of terminals for a timing signal generating device and the vertical drive device for a solid-state image pickup element is to be reduced, and at the same time the circuit dimensions of the timing signal generating device and the vertical drive device which are increased by the reduction in the number of terminals are to be kept to the minimum. A timing signal generating circuit is provided with a time-division multiplexing circuit, and this time-division multiplexing circuit subjects timing signals vertical transfer pulses and timing signals for read pulses to time-division multiplexing. On the other hand, a vertical driver is provided with a demultiplexing circuit, and the demultiplexing circuit separates four-bit signals subjected to time-division multiplexing into the original timing signals and timing signals. This enables the number of terminals (the number of signal lines) of the timing signal generating circuit and the time-division multiplexing circuit to be reduced.

Abstract: A connection structure including an IC chip, a substrate disposed with a conductive layer, and a heat-radiating mechanism that is mounted on the substrate, disposed between the IC chip and the substrate, and dissipates heat of the IC chip, wherein terminals of the IC chip are electrically connected to the conductive layer via the heat-radiating mechanism.

Abstract: In a digital camera that captures object light through a CCD and creates an image signal, a CPU and a bias controller set an overflow drain voltage when smear is read by a vertical drive section to an overflow drain voltage lower than an overflow drain voltage when a still picture is read. With the above arrangement, there are provided a read controller for an image pick-up device, which can read out a sufficiently large amount of saturated charges from the image pick-up device by suppressing a decrease in an amount of saturated charges even if a voltage fluctuation occurs due to smear read-out, and an image pick-up apparatus that can obtain an image of excellent quality.

Abstract: A digital camera that captures object light by a CCD to create an image signal includes a read controller that controls reading of light signals from at least two fields of the CCD, in which a field, from which a light signal received by an R-sensor sensitive to red light is read, is separated from a field from which a light signal received by a B-sensor sensitive to blue light is read. The read controller includes: a color temperature discriminating section that discriminates a color temperature based on the light signals received from the CCD; and a read sequence controller that causes a light signal to be read first from the R-sensor when a color temperature is low and causes a light signal to be read first from the B-sensor when the color temperature is high according to a result of discrimination of the color temperature discriminating section.

Abstract: A timing signal generating device capable of generating different kinds of signals is disclosed. A first, a second and a third data setting circuit each generate a particular kind of set data for generating corresponding timing signals. The set data are selectively set in a timing pulse generating circuit at the time of start-up of a camera or similar system, which includes the device, or in accordance with the operation mode of the system. The timing pulse generating circuit generates timing signals based on the set data. The timing signals are fed to a solid-state image pickup section and a signal processing section, causing them to operate in accordance with the timing signals.

Abstract: To provide a three-dimensional molding technique capable of generating a three-dimensional molded article in short time. In a three-dimensional molding apparatus, a powder material is allowed to drop via an opening while moving a thin layer formation section in the +X direction, thereby forming a powder layer on a molding stage. With respect to a selected region in the powder layer, a binder of ultraviolet-ray hardening resin is discharged from a head section. Then, the powder layer is irradiated with ultraviolet rays from an ultraviolet irradiation section, making the ultraviolet-ray hardening resin applied on the powder layer harden to thereby bind the powder material. By repeating this operation with respect to the powder layer which is sequentially formed, a three-dimensional molded article is formed.

Abstract: In a 3D product forming apparatus, a nozzle head includes nozzles that respectively jet binders colored in yellow, magenta, cyan, and a nozzle that jets a binder colored in white. A powder layer can be formed on a product forming stage, and the binders are jetted onto the formed powder layer from the nozzle head. At a predetermined region in the powder layer, the powder is bound by the binders. The binders are jetted each time when a powder layer is laminated in forming a plurality of successively laminated powder layers, thereby to form a 3D product on the product forming stage. This allows the product to be colored as well in the product forming process. As a result, 3D products colored in various colors can be created in a short time and at a low cost.

Abstract: Disclosed is a horizontal transfer line in which first horizontal transfer pulses are applied to transfer electrodes via a commonly connected electrode line, second horizontal transfer pulses are applied to transfer electrodes via a commonly connected electrode line, and final horizontal transfer pulses are applied to a final transfer electrode via an electrode line independent of the above-mentioned electrode lines. Since the independent electrode line is independent of the other electrode lines, amount of capacitance produced in equivalent terms is reduced. The final transfer pulses exhibit a steep characteristic, thereby improving transfer efficiency. The input/output characteristic of the horizontal transfer line is improved as a result.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging element capable of acquiring an image signal having high resolution and a wide dynamic range is provided, while suppressing an occurrence of an artificial color and an occurrence of color moiré.

Abstract: In a 3D product forming apparatus, a nozzle head includes nozzles that respectively jet binders colored in yellow, magenta, cyan, and a nozzle that jets a binder colored in white. A powder layer can be formed on a product forming stage, and the binders are jetted onto the formed powder layer from the nozzle head. At a predetermined region in the powder layer, the powder is bound by the binders. The binders are jetted each time when a powder layer is laminated in forming a plurality of successively laminated powder layers, thereby to form a 3D product on the product forming stage. This allows the product to be colored as well in the product forming process. As a result, 3D products colored in various colors can be created in a short time and at a low cost.

Abstract: A measurement system is provided in which optimum measurement is conducted depending on an environmental change and movement of an object. The measurement system for measuring an object based on images obtained by plural cameras includes a positional control portion for controlling positions of the cameras to change photographing directions of the cameras, a two-dimensional measurement portion for conducting two-dimensional measurement of the object based on the image of the object, the image being obtained by at least one of the cameras, a stereoscopic measurement portion for conducting stereoscopic measurement of the object based on the images of the object, the images being obtained by the cameras, and a switching portion for switching between the two-dimensional measurement portion and the stereoscopic measurement portion to perform an operation.

Abstract: Intentionally defective pixels, whose number exceeds a storage capacity of a memory for defect correction, are formed in a predetermined pattern in an image pickup device. There is a plurality of patterns of the defective pixels, each being unique to each camera (image pickup device). An ID of the camera for specifying the pattern is read and defect pattern data corresponding to the ID of the camera is retrieved. Image data is read and the intentionally defective pixels are corrected based on the retrieved defect pattern data. Since the number of the intentionally defective pixels exceeds the storage capacity of the memory for defect correction, the image data cannot be reproduced in a normal manner when the defect pattern data corresponding to the pattern of the intentionally defective pixels cannot be retrieved. Thus, the image pickup device of the camera cannot be used in another image pickup apparatus by a third party.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup apparatus includes photo-sensors arranged in the directions of row and column and each corresponding to a particular pixel included in an imaging frame. Each photo-sensor is made up of a higher- and a lower-sensitivity photosensitive cell for photoelectrically transducing incident light to electric signal charges. A corrector executes shading correction on an image signal derived from the higher-sensitivity photosensitive cell in accordance with the shading characteristic of the higher sensitivity photosensitive cell, and on an image signal derived from the lower-sensitivity photosensitive cell in accordance with the shading characteristic of the lower-sensitivity photosensitive cell.

Abstract: An electronic flash device and a camera which can smoothly display a video even though preliminary emission for red-eye reduction in photographing the video are obtained. A timing generator generates a preliminary emission signal such that preliminary emission for red-eye reduction by a light emitting tube is performed in a period of operation of an electronic shutter arranged in an interline CCD to input the preliminary emission signal to a trigger circuit. The timing generator sets a period in which the preliminary emission signal is set at an active level as a period corresponding to a cycle between the edge of a pulse of a transfer gate signal serving as for transferring signal charges from a light-receiving element of the CCD to a vertical transfer path and the edge of a pulse of an overflow drain signal representing a timing at which excess charges are drained by an overflow drain of the CCD.

Abstract: A connection structure including an IC chip, a substrate disposed with a conductive layer, and a heat-radiating mechanism that is mounted on the substrate, disposed between the IC chip and the substrate, and dissipates heat of the IC chip, wherein terminals of the IC chip are electrically connected to the conductive layer via the heat-radiating mechanism.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup apparatus includes a timing signal generator for generating timing signals. Particular gates formed in each of photosensitive cells arranged in an image pickup section are driven independently or simultaneously in response to the timing signals. In an independent drive mode, outputs each having particular sensitivity are obtained from the different photosensitive regions of the individual cell by one time of exposure, covering a range of sensitivity as broad as one achievable with repeated photometry. This reduces the number of times of photometry for determining adequate exposure. In a simultaneous drive mode, outputs are produced in the usual manner. An exposure value calculator converts the resulting image signals to values having a predetermined format while an exposure parameter determining section determines exposure parameters if those values are adequate.

Abstract: A timing pulse generating apparatus generates a variety of timing pulses used for acquiring image signals from a solid-state imaging device. A horizontal-ROM stores pattern data representing timing pulses for one period first generated in a horizontal scanning period and repeat times of the timing pulses for one period in the horizontal scanning period. Appropriate pattern data is read from the horizontal-ROM and set in a horizontal-register. A timing pulse generating circuit generates timing pulses in accordance with a count value of a horizontal-counter and the pattern data set in the horizontal-register. Thus, the amount of the pattern data is small even if the repeat times of the timing pulses for one period in the horizontal scanning period are large.

Abstract: The present invention provides an imaging element that can prevent misappropriation by a third party, an imaging device disposed with the imaging element, and a method of deterring misappropriation of the imaging element. In a CCD (imaging element) disposed with plural photodiodes for breaking down an image into plural pixels to generate image information representing the image and an OB portion (optical black portion) that shields a partial region of a light-receiving region corresponding to the plural photodiodes in order to determine an output level when the image is black, an opening for guiding light to the photodiodes is disposed at a predetermined position in the OB portion.

Abstract: Voltage signals outputted from a CCD are subjected to correlated double sampling processing by a correlated double sampling circuit (CDS), after which digital gain processing is carried out at a gain control amplifier (GCA). A gain difference between G color signals and R/B color signals outputted from the CCD is caused by a difference between a G exposure duration tG and an R/B exposure duration tR/B. When the value of a ratio between the tG and the tR/B falls below a predetermined value, the GCA applies digital gain for compensating for the gain difference by multiplying respective signal values of R, G and B by gain correction coefficients as follows: (gain compensation coefficient &agr;)=(G exposure duration tG)/(R/B exposure duration tR/B)=(G exposure duration tG)/((G exposure duration tG)+(exposure duration difference &Dgr;t)).

Abstract: In a solid-state image pickup apparatus, a solid-state image sensor includes a color filter having filter segments arranged in a pattern, photosensitive cells for photoelectrically transducing light transmitted through the filter segments to generate corresponding signal charges, vertical transfer devices for vertically transferring the signal charges, a horizontal transfer device for transferring the signal charges input from the vertical transfer devices in the horizontal direction, and a charge holding circuit intervening between the vertical and horizontal transfer devices for temporarily storing the signal charges. A signal charge thinning circuit omits signal charges whose color pattern, which is generated by mixing signal charges having the same color attribute in the direction of row in the filter pattern to thereby horizontally thin the signal charges, is different in positional relation from the filter pattern.