Abstract: An inter-line CCD(IT-CCD) capable of reading signals in two read modes, a field read mode and a frame read mode, is used to control, by a system control means, a CCD exposure and a signal read mode, a short-time exposure signal(Short signal) acquires an image by a field read and a long-time exposure signal(Long signal) acquires an image by a frame read, and these two images are synthesized by a signal synthesizing means to expand a dynamic range.

Abstract: An imaging system includes an imaging device which outputs a plurality of digital signals each of which indicating an amount of light irradiating on a corresponding one of a plurality of pixels arranged in two dimensions, a pre-processor which reduces an amount of data of the plurality of the digital signals output by the imaging device, a processor which processes digital signals, a memory which stores the digital signals, and a memory controller which stores the plurality of the digital signals output by the pre-processor in the memory and reads the plurality of the digital signals from the memory to output the plurality of the digital signals to the processor.

Abstract: An image capture device which can reduce low-frequency noise even circuitry of a small scale is provided. An image capture device includes: an acquisition section which is used to acquire sensitivity information concerning a sensitivity; an imager for generating first image data; a zoom section for changing a size of an image which is based on input image data, the zoom section outputting second image data which is obtained by reducing a size of an image represented by the first image data; and a noise suppression section for outputting third image data which is obtained by reducing noise in an image represented by the second image data. In accordance with the sensitivity information, the zoom section changes a zoom factor by which to reduce the size of the image represented by the first image data.

Abstract: A photographing apparatus includes: a synchronizing signal generation portion (6); an imaging portion (1) that is operated based on a synchronizing signal to pick up an image and generate image data; a trigger input portion (18) operable to input a trigger signal for commanding a start of a photographing operation; and a control portion (5) that controls the operation of the imaging portion based on the synchronizing signal and the trigger signal. The control portion controls synchronous processing that is performed in synchronization with the synchronizing signal to pickup a moving image. When the trigger signal is input, the control portion immediately stops the generation of the synchronizing signal by the synchronizing signal generation portion when the synchronous processing is not being performed, while the control portion initializes the synchronous processing and then stops the generation of the synchronizing signal when the synchronous processing is being performed.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a feature extracting portion that extracts a feature of a frequency characteristic of an input image, a correction amount calculating portion that calculates a correction amount of the frequency characteristic from the feature extracted by the feature extracting portion, and an image correcting portion that corrects the input image according to the correction amount calculated by the correction amount calculating portion. This configuration achieves imperviousness to frequency characteristics of a subject and makes it possible to correct image degradation properly so as to restore an image.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus for electrically correcting distortion of an input image to generate an output image, includes a correction processing section operable to sequentially read data of the input image for each pixel in an order of scanning, and perform distortion correction for each pixel of the output image using the read data of the pixel. The correction processing section outputs data of a pixel which distortion correction is completed, in an order different from an order of scanning the output image.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus has an optical zoom function, with which the image imaged on the imaging device (CCD) is enlarged and reduced by moving an optical system, and an electronic zoom function, with which the image data generated by the imaging device is electronically enlarged and reduced. In an imaging mode (pixel-number conversion mode) in which the image generated by the imaging device is recorded with the number of pixels lower than that of the imaging device, the imaging apparatus performs control so that only the electronic zoom is actuated when a total zoom magnification is not more than a predetermined value.

Abstract: An imaging system includes an imaging device which outputs a plurality of digital signals each of which indicating an amount of light irradiating on a corresponding one of a plurality of pixels arranged in two dimensions, a pre-processor which reduces an amount of data of the plurality of the digital signals output by the imaging device, a processor which processes digital signals, a memory which stores the digital signals, and a memory controller which stores the plurality of the digital signals output by the pre-processor in the memory and reads the plurality of the digital signals from the memory to output the plurality of the digital signals to the processor.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus is provided for reducing noise which is derived from random noise contained in a correction signal used for correcting an image data and is newly generated on correction of the image data. The imaging apparatus drives vertical transfer registers (302) with no signal charge from photoelectric transducers (301) read out to the vertical transfer registers (302) to obtain and store a correction signal into a field memory (7). The apparatus subtracts the correction signal from the image data by a subtractor (8).

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes: an image pickup portion for picking up a subject image to generate image data and reading out the generated one frame image data that is divided into plural fields; a storage portion for temporarily storing the image data obtained by performing predetermined processing on the image data that has been read out; and an image processing portion for generating record image data and auxiliary image data for a use other than recording, based on the image data that has been stored in the storage portion. The record image data is generated using image data of all of the fields of the one frame of the image data, and the auxiliary image data is generated using image data of a subset of the fields of the one frame of the image data. The variation of the amount of compressed data is reduced, the processing time is reduced, and the capacity requirement of the buffer memory is reduced.

Abstract: A pseudo signal may be sometimes generated while obtaining a luminance signal. An image signal processing apparatus comprises an image capturing element 1 which performs image capturing while utilizing a plurality types of color filters which are arranged based on repetition of a pattern determined in advance, a color change detecting part 15 which detects a color change regarding the result of the image capturing while considering the pattern, and an adder 19 and a core processing part 20 which generate a luminance signal regarding the result of the image capturing based on the result of color change detection.

Abstract: In an image pickup device, a signal mixer 7 mixes the image signals of different quantities of exposure outputted by an image sensor 4. A peak level detector 12 detects peak level of the mixed signal, and a peak level judge 13 decides whether the peak level is within a predetermined range or not. A controller 6 controls a ratio of the quantities of exposure for the image sensor 4 according to the decision by the peak level judge. Thus, the image pickup device has a good dynamic range in correspondence a dynamic range of an object, and an object image is reproduced well. Further, an iris device is also controlled appropriately when the dynamic range is controlled.

Abstract: A video camera which comprises a progressive scanning CCD, a camera signal processing part for converting an output from the progressive scanning CCD to a video signal adaptive to video display, and a driving means for driving the progressive scanning CCD, and which enables to enlarge dynamic range by synthesizing a first signal obtained by exposure during a first predetermined time and a second signal obtained by exposure during a predetermined time after the exposure time of the first signal by means of the progressive scanning CCD to enlarge luminance gradation characteristics on appearance further includes at least a separating portion for separating the first signal and the second signal which are output from the progressive scanning CCD at different timings, a signal synthesizing portion for synthesizing the first signal and the second signal to produce a synthesized signal, and a delay portion for receiving the first signal output from the separating portion and for delaying the first signal by a prede

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus includes a solid-state imaging device and a signal processing circuit. The solid-state imaging device includes: a plurality of photoelectric converting sections provided with color filters having different spectroscopic characteristics, and each converting light incident thereon into a charge and accumulating the charge, and a plurality of vertical charge transfer sections for vertically transferring the charge read from each of the photoelectric converting sections. A plurality of reading operations to read the charges accumulated in the photoelectric converting sections to the plurality of the vertical charge transfer sections are performed within a time duration for scanning an image for one image plane, and the charges read from the photoelectric converting sections are transferred through the vertical charge transfer section separately for each of the reading operations.

Abstract: An image mixing circuit usable in a video camera for mixing images with a continuous gradation characteristic in both the luminance signal and color signal is provided according to the present invention. A color separation circuit separates plural image signals into plural luminance signal components and plural color signal components. A control signal generation circuit then generates the control signal needed for image synthesis from the plural image signals. A luminance signal mixing circuit and a color signal mixing circuit then separately mix the respective luminance signal components and color signal components according to the control signal.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus includes a solid-state imaging device and a signal processing circuit. The solid-state imaging device includes: a plurality of photoelectric converting sections provided with color filters having different spectroscopic characteristics, and each converting light incident thereon into a charge and accumulating the charge, and a plurality of vertical charge transfer sections for vertically transferring the charge read from each of the photoelectric converting sections. A plurality of reading operations to read the charges accumulated in the photoelectric converting sections to the plurality of the vertical charge transfer sections are performed within a time duration for scanning an image for one image plane, and the charges read from the photoelectric converting sections are transferred through the vertical charge transfer section separately for each of the reading operations.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus having color separation filters is provided which produces a signal with reduced chrominance and luminance moire and thereby improves resolution, and the spectral characteristics of the color filters for the solid-state imaging apparatus are so set that when the spectral characteristic of each color filter is multiplied by a prescribed coefficient, the sum of four or two horizontally adjacent pixels becomes approximately equal between two vertically adjacent lines. A coefficient multiplying circuit multiplies an output signal from each color filter by the prescribed coefficient, and signal processing is performed.

Abstract: A solid state imaging apparatus includes two-dimensional frequency process which is applied to an output signal from each pixel of a progressive scan-type CCD. The CCD has an an arrangement of color separation filters without making carriers in the horizontal and vertical directions of the two-dimensional frequency to obtain chrominance signals with less moire in the horizontal and vertical directions of the two-dimensional frequency. A luminance signal with less moire in the horizontal and vertical directions of the two-dimensional frequency can be obtained by interpolating with the ratio of a chrominance signal with less moire.

Abstract: A white balance adjustment apparatus adjusts color component video signals of an aiming subject. The apparatus includes an amplifier for amplifying the color component video signals separately, a color temperature detector for detecting color temperature of the subject and for producing a color temperature signal, a memory for storing the color temperature signal and a selector for selecting either the color temperature signal currently produced by the color temperature detector or the color temperature signal previously stored in the memory.

Abstract: A solid state image pickup device having a high luminance signal resolution in both horizontal and vertical directions using only one CCD is realized. It is so arranged as to make light incident upon and passed through a fixed complementary color filter array subjected to a photoelectric conversion with an all-pixel concurrent readout photoelectric conversion means and fed to a luminance signal processing unit and a chrominance signal processing unit through an H memory unit to develop a luminance signal together with a first and a second chrominance signals at output terminals.