Abstract: An image pickup device for generating three pulses 120 degrees out of phase with one another and having the same period, to clamp, sample and hold, and reset an image signal output from an image pickup element. The pulse width of the sample and hold pulse is less than one third of the period. The image signal is read from the image pickup element using three transfer pulses 120 degrees out of phase with one another and having the same period. Each of the transfer pulses is less in width than one third of the period, and also serves as a timing signal for sampling and holding the image signal. In one embodiment, the image pickup device may have three read-out devices for reading out three horizontal lines at one time (not, however, in phase), with a separate train of transfer pulses being used for each of the three lines.

Abstract: An image sensor wherein the charges stored in a pickup unit of image sensing means are excluded and thereafter substantialy storage of charges is performed, is driven to improve the efficiency of charge exclusion and avoid blooming while storing the charges to be excluded and excluding the stored charges.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image pickup apparatus in which a phase control gradually shifts the phase of an image signal produced from an image pickup relative to the phase of a vertical synchronization signal. An inhibit device is provided to inhibit the portion of the image signal which corresponds to the phase difference relative to the synchronization signal. Thus a special effect of "scrolling" is obtained. A level control is provided to control the signal level of the image signal so that the signal at the input of the inhibit device is maintained at a proper level.

Abstract: A signal processing apparatus comprising: first automatic gain controls for automatically controlling gains of a plurality of chrominance signals and outputting the result to a process circuit; circuitry for dot-sequencing the chrominance signals before the first automatic gain controls; and second automatic gain controls for automatically controlling the gain of signals which had been dot-sequenced, wherein a video signal is obtained from the outputs of the first and second automatic gain controls. An image pickup apparatus for use in this signal processing apparatus is also provided.

Abstract: An image sensing apparatus performs either follow-up type color balance adjustment in which a color balance is adjusted according to the color component ratio of the external light and setting type white balance adjustment in which a color balance is adjusted according to the chrominance signal component ratio of an image pick-up signal. The apparatus is capable of always adequentely carrying out color balance by switching the two types of balance adjustment functions from one over to the other in conformity with any of varied conditions.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and a system for picking up an image by means of electrical charge generation and accumulation. In the disclosed method and system, to shorten the actual or substantial charge integration period, the charges are once cleared off as unwanted charges from the imaging part of an image pickup element before reading out of the wanted charges from the pickup element. The image pickup element further has a signal erasure part for erasing the excess charges generated at the imaging part. This erasure part, according the disclosed method and the system, is operated before the clearing off of the unwanted charges as well as after the clearing off of the unwanted charges. Thus, it is possible to prevent the unwanted charges from overflowing and affecting the wanted charges to be read out but also possible to reduce the stored quantity of the unwanted charges to be eliminated.

Abstract: In a solid-state image pickup device having two modes, viz., the first accumulating mode, in which a variation of a dark current of each pixel of the solid-state image pickup device is large, and the second accumulating mode, in which a variation of a dark current is relatively small, when the dark current increases, the driving mode is switched to the second accumulating mode from the first accumulating mode.

Abstract: A video signal processing apparatus comprises a driving circuit arranged to drive an image sensor in an interlacing manner; a delay device for delaying an output signal of the image sensor; a processing circuit which is provided for at least one of the odd-number field and even-number field portions of the output signal of the image sensor and is arranged to correlatively process the signal delayed by the delay device and the signal delayed by via the delay device; and a contour signal forming circuit arranged to perform contour correction on the video signal by using a delayed signal of the delay device. The signal processing apparatus is capable of correcting a disorder in the barycenter of sensitivity as well as profile correction with simple arrangement.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus in which a flux of light which enters through an iris to form an optical image is received by an image pickup element, the accumulating time of this image pickup element is changed, thereby converting the optical image which is obtained for a desired period of time into an electrical signal. In this apparatus, for example, the gain of the iris or signal processing system of the electrical signal is changed to control the electrical signal to a predetermined level irrespective of the noise component which is generated when the accumulating time is changed, to eliminate adverse effects of undrained excess charge in the pickup unit.

Abstract: An image pickup-and apparatus comprising a pickup element including arranged non-destructively readable photoelectric conversion elements and an input device for inputting electric charges to the individual photoelectric conversion elements. The apparatus is capable of controlling signal charges stored in a non-destructive manner in the conversion elements.