Abstract: A photographing lens focuses and forms incident light from a photographed body as an image on an image pickup face. An image pickup element photoelectrically converts the incident light focused and formed as an image by the photographing lens and converts the incident light to an image signal. A first control section obtains a first image signal by reading the image signal from each of pixels of a first area in all image pickup areas of the image pickup element. A second control section obtains a second image signal by reading the image signal from each of pixels of a second area smaller than the first area in all the image pickup areas of the image pickup element. A display section displays the first image signal obtained by the first control section. A third control section controls a level of the first image signal obtained by the first control section and a level of the second image signal obtained by the second control section such that these levels are substantially equal to each other.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for driving a solid state image pickup device. The method and apparatus include setting a first signal charging period and a second signal charging period during one frame or field of a video signal for each one of a plurality of unit pixels. The second signal charging period is shorter than the first signal charging period. A first signal charge is produced during the first signal charging period and a second signal charge is produced during the second signal charging period. It is judged whether the first signal charge is saturated or not saturated. Then based on this judgment an input light amount is determined. The input light amount is determined using only the second signal charge when the first signal charge is saturated. The input light amount is determined using only the first signal charge when the first signal charge is not satrated.

Abstract: The photosensitive device implements charge coupling and accumulation for analyzing a light signal. A sensor has an image zone M rows and N columns of photosensitive sites for receiving a light signal during successive acquisition periods, a transfer zone of P rows and N columns of non-photosensitive sites for receiving, in each site of a first row, the sum of the charges in a respective column of the image zone at the end of each successive sampling period. It also has a storage zone of P rows an N columns in which each column is adjacent to a respective column of the transfer zone and each site is arranged to receive charges contained in an adjacent site of the transfer zone and to accumulate it. The sensor is clocked for a sequence.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for expanding the dynamic range of an optical imager, comprising individually controlling the integration time of each pixel of a sensor array, and providing a corresponding scaling factor for the electrical output of each individual pixel during the frame time. The integration time of each pixel is controlled as a function of light intensity received by each individual pixel, by resetting the pixel after a predetermined threshold for the output signal, has been reached.

Abstract: A method for measuring the temperature of a scene using a detector having at least one reference pixel, with an integratable sampling circuit associated with each pixel. Initially, an ambient reference temperature is observed with the reference pixel(s) to provide a parameter, generally voltage, indicative of that temperature to provide a constant voltage output indicating that temperature by varying the sampling circuit integration time. Each non-reference pixel is exposed to different scene and ambient temperatures and the integration time for each set of data for each pixel is recorded. For each pixel, an equation is provided relating integration time to pixel voltage when the ambient temperature and the scene temperature are the same to correct for offsets and an equation is provided relating integration time and offset corrected pixel value to the difference between the ambient temperature and the scene temperature when the ambient temperature and scene temperature differ for correction of responsivity.

Abstract: A solid state imaging device includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arranged in an imaging area of a semiconductor substrate. Above each of the photoelectric conversion elements, a light-gathering microlens for gathering light on the photoelectric conversion element is disposed. Further, a microlens for shape inspection having the same shape as that of the light-gathering microlens is disposed outside the imaging area. A base pattern for inspection is disposed below the microlens for shape inspection. The shape of the microlens for shape inspection is inspected through observing an image of the base pattern through the microlens for shape inspection. A result of this inspection applies as it is to the light-gathering microlenses.

Abstract: In a CCD solid-state imaging device, a wider dynamic range is available without producing fixed pattern noise. A solid-state imaging device is comprised of: an imaging portion for photoelectrically converting incident light to thereby produce a signal charge of a high sensitivity and a signal charge of a low sensitivity; a horizontal transfer register arranged adjacent to the imaging portion, for transferring the signal charges and having an output gate at a terminal portion thereof, which clips the signal charge of the high sensitivity; a charge detecting portion arranged adjacent to the output gate, for detecting the signal charge transferred from the horizontal transfer register; and a bias applying circuit for applying a bias voltage to the output gate so as to set a clip level for clipping the signal charge of the high sensitivity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for driving a solid state image pickup device. The method and apparatus include setting a first signal charging period and a second signal charging period during one frame or field of a video signal for each one of a plurality of unit pixels. The second signal charging period is shorter than the first signal charging period. A first signal charge is produced during the first signal charging period and a second signal charge is produced during the second signal charging period. It is judged whether the first signal charge is saturated or not saturated. Then based on this judgement an input light amount is determined. The input light amount is determined using only the second signal charge when the first signal charge is saturated. The input light amount is determined using only the first signal charge when the first signal charge is not saturated.

Abstract: There is provided a distance measuring apparatus in a lens-shutter type camera provided with a photographic lens, a focal length of the photographic lens being variable.

Abstract: A charged coupled device is disclosed including an asymmetrical split with independent control over the regions on opposite sides of the split. The charge coupled device is configurable for use in multiline or kinetic spectroscopy, and includes two separate horizontal registers with optional charge dump regions for improving efficiency.

Abstract: An integrated image processing system includes an array of cells arranged in rows and columns. Each cell corresponds to a pixel of an image and includes a photosensitive element for detecting the luminous intensity of its respective pixel and for generating a value. A first switch controls the transfer of the value from a respective photosensitive element to the corresponding capacitor, which stores the value. A second switch couples each of the cells in parallel to a common line. A control circuit receives the values from each cell on the common line and generates a signal for regulating the switching time interval of the first switch.

Abstract: The image sensing device adapted to compose an appropriate single picture from a plurality of pictures of different exposures obtained from the same subject, wherein the camera operation is controlled using as a reference the signal of one of said plurality of pictures of different exposures.

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 photometric circuit performs photometry on an object field using an accumulating photometric element, such as, for example, a CCD. An accumulation controller controls the photometric circuit. An abnormality sensor determines whether an abnormality, such as, for example, the inversion effect of the photometric output of the photometric circuit has occurred. The accumulation controller sets the accumulation time of the photometric element for the next round of photometry to a minimum value, for example, when it has been determined by the abnormality sensor that an abnormality has occurred. This allows the photometric circuit to return to normal operation as quickly as possible.

Abstract: In a frequency dividing circuit, a VD pulse is generated as a vertical synchronization signal on the basis of the bus clock inputted from an external circuit, while in the gate circuit, integral circuit, gate circuit and hold circuit, the frequency of bus clock is detected on the basis of the VD pulse. Moreover, in the PWM circuit, when the frequency of the bus clock is high or low, a shutter drive pulse having the width shorter or longer than that in the related art is generated, respectively. The electronic shutter driver closes the electronic shutter of the CCD imager (charges generated in the CCD imager are discharged) for the period corresponding to the shutter drive pulse. Thereby, the discharging period in the CCD imager is fixed to a constant period without relation to the frequency of the bus clock. Accordingly, an image having adequate luminance can be obtained by the so-called multi-scan type image sensing device.

Abstract: A focus detecting apparatus includes a first object distance measuring zone located above a center portion of the finder field of view, second and third object distance measuring zones located on opposite sides of the center portion of the finder field of view, first, second and third automatic focusing optical systems for converging luminous fluxes of objects to be photographed in first, second and third object distance measuring sensors on which the luminous fluxes of the objects in the first, second and third object distance measuring zones are converged by the associated first, second and third automatic focusing optical systems.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of inspecting the same are described. The semiconductor device does not need voltage adjustment of an external driver circuit, since it contains a voltage generator to inspect and memorize the best value of voltage by controlling from outside. The voltage generator has a plurality of capacitors whose electrodes of one side are connected to a common node, a potential changing circuit to change the potential to which the other electrodes of these capacitors are connected respectively, and a buffer amplifier whose input power is the voltage generated in the common node. The output power of the buffer amplifier is connected to a semiconductor integrated circuit. The potential changing circuit is provided to change the potential to which the electrode of each capacitor is connected to a source potential or to a ground potential depending on the connection of the fuse connected between the source and each of the capacitors.

Abstract: In order to realize focus detection using distance measurement areas more than the prior art without increasing the circuit scale, an accumulation control device has an AF sensor driving device SDR, which has i accumulation controllers that are fewer than the number j of photoelectric conversion element arrays and independently perform accumulation control of photoelectric conversion element arrays SNS-1A and SNS-1B to SNS-jA and SNS-jB in units of arrays in accordance with accumulation monitor signals, and a multiplexer DETMPX for selectively switching the accumulation monitor signals to be supplied from the photoelectric conversion element arrays to the accumulation controllers via signal lines BMON1 to BMONi. Photoelectric conversion element arrays equal to the number i of accumulation controllers are selected from the j photoelectric conversion element arrays, and accumulation control is done using only the accumulation control signals output from the selected photoelectric conversion element arrays.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a video camera which comprises an image sensing device for sensing an incident light to generate charges and supplying an output signal corresponding to the charges, the output signal comprising a recurrent vertical scanning period and a recurrent vertical blanking period, the vertical scanning period including a plurality of horizontal scanning periods, a comparator for comparing a level of the output signal with a reference level to generate a compared output signal, a circuit for generating a first clock pulse having the same frequency as a horizontal scanning period, a circuit for generating a second clock pulse having a frequency higher than that of the first clock pulse, and an exposure time controlling circuit for receiving the compared output signal and controlling an exposure time of the image sensing device in synchronism with the first clock pulse according to the compared output signal when the exposure time is within the vertical scanning period, and the expos

Abstract: When binary image data is outputted from a FIFO buffer, a first black pixel counting circuit counts black pixels in a 3.times.3 matrix having a target pixel at its center to produce a count value BK2. Similarly, a second black pixel counting circuit counts black pixels in a 17.times.9 matrix to produce a count value BK1. Based on the count values BK1 and BK2, a value indicating the dot diameter is outputted from the output value table while a look-up table and the output value table are sequentially referred to. Setting is so made that the dot diameter becomes smaller as the count values BK1 and BK2 decrease.

Abstract: A photometric apparatus is capable of obtaining a precise photometric value without any saturation of a photometric output value even when measuring a light intensity of a flicker light source. The photometric apparatus has a photometric portion for measuring the field by use of a charge type photometric device, and a charge time determining portion for determining a value of a next charge time of the photometric device on the basis of an output value of the photometric portion and a value of the charge time at that time. The charge time determining portion determines the value of the next charge time so that a photometric output value in the next photometric process approximates a predetermined target value.

Abstract: A pixel signal generating device is provided with a color filter having a matrix arrangement, in which color filter elements for passing magenta light, green light, yellow light and cyan light are arranged in a regular manner. A first exposure is performed without radiating an electronic flash, and Ye- and Cy-signals are inputted into a second image memory. A second exposure is performed while radiating the electronic flash, and Mg- and G-signals are inputted into a first image memory. Without discharging electric charges accumulated on the CCD, a third exposure is performed without radiating the electronic flash, and Ye- and Cy-signals are generated. The Ye- and Cy-signals obtained by the first exposure and stored in the second image memory are subtracted from the Ye- and Cy-signals of the second and third exposure to form one image.

Abstract: A solid-state focal-plane imaging system comprises an N.times.N array of high gain, low-noise unit cells, each unit cell being connected to a different one of photovoltaic detector diodes, one for each unit cell, interspersed in the array for ultralow level image detection and a plurality of digital counters coupled to the outputs of the unit cell by a multiplexer (either a separate counter for each unit cell or a row of N of counters time shared with N rows of digital counters). Each unit cell includes two self-biasing cascode amplifiers in cascade for a high charge-to-voltage conversion gain (>1 mV/e.sup.-) and an electronic switch to reset input capacitance to a reference potential in order to be able to discriminate detection of an incident photon by the photoelectron (e.sup.-) generated in the detector diode at the input of the first cascode amplifier in order to count incident photons individually in a digital counter connected to the output of the second cascode amplifier.

Abstract: A control circuit for a solid state image sensing device which is capable of reading out signal charges in a field storage system and frame storage system and is provided with an electronic shutter for controlling a signal charge storage time in accordance with a shutter pulse for discharging the charges. A time lag is provided between timings of readout gate pulses in each field period for pixels of odd and even rows in a field storage system. A storage time adjusting circuit is provided for correcting the time lag between the signal charge storage times for the pixels in the even and odd rows when the signal charges are read out in the frame storage system. Thus, it is possible to prevent generation of flicker causes by a change in signal charge storage time due to the time lag in each field period between the readout gate pulses for the even field and the odd field in reading out the signal charges in the frame storage system.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus for focusing a light onto an image to generate an electric signal representing thus focused light image with a broader dynamic range includes an image pickup device, an image pickup device controller, and an accumulating charge selector. The image pickup device control controller controls an amount of electric charge that image pickup device can accumulate therein. The accumulating charge selector switches the image pickup deice to a first accumulative electric charge amount level and to a second accumulative electric charge amount level greater than said first accumulative electric charge amount level within said imaging period.

Abstract: An accumulation-type light receiving element photoelectrically converts light from the subject field and outputs an electric signal on the basis of the brightness. An accumulation time setting component sets the accumulation time of the light receiving element and an accumulation operation component carries out accumulation in the light receiving element on the basis of the information from the accumulation time setting component. A photometric value input component inputs the photometry output from the light receiving element. A brightness value calculating component calculates the brightness value of the subject field on the basis of the outputs of the accumulation time setting component and the photometric value input component and further corrects the accumulation time of the light receiving element that has been input from the accumulation time setting component.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a solid state imager device in which an electronic shutter function is provided and charges never overflow a light receiving portion even when the light with a high intensity enters thereinto and to provide the driving method thereof. In the solid state imager device and the driving method, an electronic shutter operation is conducted by sweeping out the charges in the light receiving portion by applying a predetermined voltage to a substrate, and the voltage application period is within a horizontal blanking period when an effective exposure period of the electronic shutter exceeds a vertical blanking period and the voltage application period covers an effective horizontal scanning period when the effective exposure period is within the vertical blanking period.

Abstract: A method for determining a charge/voltage conversion ratio of a solid state image pickup element with an electronic shutter function which is capable of transferring signal charge accumulated in a photosensitive portion to a substrate. A voltage of a predetermined first level is applied to the substrate to measure an output voltage at an output portion, and then a voltage of a second level higher than that of the first level is applied to the substrate to measure a current flowing through the substrate, thereby obtaining a charge/voltage conversion ratio in accordance with a ratio between the measured output voltage and the measured current.

Abstract: The present invention improves the scanning speed (i.e., the line exposure time) of an image scanner that is operated at a lower than normal resolution. The image scanner contains a charge coupled device (CCD) that stores a plurality of pixel charges. Before digitizing the pixel charges, the present invention combines two or more of these pixel charges. Thus, the effective resolution of the CCD can be divided by a designated amount, thus reducing processing time and keeping signal levels nearly constant.

Abstract: A CCD linear imager signal processor is dynamically controlled on a pixel-by-pixel and line-by-line basis by means of programmably variable control word bit maps to control the number of range and size of blocks of imaging pixel data that are accumulated to vary the imaging resolution and the format of the imaging process.

Abstract: A CCD linear imager is dynamically controlled on a pixel-by-pixel basis by a line-related map of control words stored in memory with individual control words addressed by a pixel counter operating in synchronism with processing of each imaging pixel in the CCD. Multiple control word maps may be stored in memory for programmed selection "on the fly" to vary the operating control of the CCD on a line-by-line basis.

Abstract: The present invention is directed toward an image sensor array comprising a plurality of pixels. Each pixel includes a photodiode and a CCD channel region. An overflow drain region is provided adjacent the CCD channel region for extraction of excess charges. An insulated gate read-out transfer electrode is further provided above the CCD channel region and a portion of the substrate between the CCD channel region and the photodiode. Three different potentials are applied to the read-out transfer electrode for respectively storing charge in the photodiode, extracting excess charge from the photodiode while allowing signal charge to remain in the photodiode, and reading out signal charge from the photodiode.

Abstract: A signal converting device receives input data obtained by continuously scanning data for a predetermined period along one of i axes X1, X2 . . . Xi of an imaginary i-dimensional spatial coordinate system, where the data exists in given space-time regions a1, a2 . . . ai extending along these axes. The device processes the data in a given sub time-space region Nj included in any time-space region aj (where j=1, 2 . . . i) at a magnification specific to a given sub time-space region Mj (1.ltoreq.j.ltoreq.i). As a result, the device outputs new data existing in the sub time-space region Mj. The region Mj is identical to the sub time-space region Nj, or exists outside the time-space region aj.

Abstract: An FIT or IT solid-state imaging device comprising a p-type Si substrate in which n-type regions forming storage diode portions, signal read-out portions, n-type CCD channels, and p.sup.

Abstract: An image pick-up device driving apparatus including an image pick-up device having a light receiver which converts an image of an object to be taken to electrical signal charges to be accumulated, and a signal transfer device which transfers the accumulated signal charges, and a controller for controlling the image pick-up device to prevent unnecessary electrical charges accumulated by the light receiver from leaking into the signal transfer device before the electrical charges accumulated in the light receiver and transferred to the signal transfer device are read.

Abstract: In the exposure control circuit of an image input device according to the present invention, the rays of light from the subject pass through a diaphragm adjusting the amount of light and undergoes photoelectric conversion at a CCD imaging element. The image signal read from the CCD imaging element is accumulated more than once at an accumulating circuit. The luminance of the subject is detected at a luminance detector. Based on the detected luminance, a condition setting circuit sets the amount of incident light, exposure time, and the number of additions to suitable values. With those suitable settings, the amount of light through the diaphragm, the exposure time of the CCD imaging element, and the number of accumulations by the accumulating circuit are controlled so as to enable the subject to be photographed under the best condition.

Abstract: An image pick-up device driving apparatus including an image pick-up device having a light receiver which converts an image of an object to be taken to electrical signal charges to be accumulated, and a signal transfer device which transfers the accumulated signal charges, and a controller for controlling the image pick-up device to prevent unnecessary electrical charges accumulated by the light receiver from leaking into the signal transfer device before the electrical charges accumulated in the light receiver and transferred to the signal transfer device are read.