Abstract: An image sensor includes a plurality of pixels for converting incident photons into electrical charge; an overflow drain to draw off excess charge from at one or more of the pixels; a mechanism for summing charge from two or more of the pixels; a first network of resistive devices generating a first overflow drain voltage where at least one of the resistive devices has, in parallel, a fuse that can be opened in response to an external stimulus to provide the optimum overflow drain voltage for pixel anti-blooming protection and saturation signal level for when a plurality of pixels are summed together; and a second network of resistive devices connected to the first network of resistive devices generating a second overflow drain voltage where the second overflow drain voltage is a fraction of the first overflow drain voltage and the second overflow drain voltage provides the optimum overflow drain voltage for pixel anti-blooming and saturation signal level for when none or substantially none of the plurality o

Abstract: A method for capturing a sequence of images, the method includes the steps of capturing a first image on an image sensor having a plurality of photosensitive areas having a first portion of photosensitive areas and a second portion of photosensitive areas; transferring the first portion of the first captured image to a first plurality of storage mechanisms; capturing a second image on the image sensor; transferring the second portion of the second captured image to a second plurality of the storage mechanisms; capturing a third image on the image sensor; reading out the first portion of the first captured image from the first plurality of storage mechanisms and reading out the second portion of the second captured image from the second plurality of storage mechanisms; and reading out the third image.

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: A CCD-based solid state image sensing (imaging) device and a driving method, enabling three-color still or video image signal charge processing without requiring a frame memory buffer. By using horizontal electrodes to selectively assert predetermined vertical-driving signals of the vertical CCDs, the vertical CCDs receive and vertically transmit the image signals (charges) of active pairs of vertically adjacent rows. Each active pair of adjacent rows is separated by (at least) two (a pair of) inactive adjacent rows, and the image signal (charges) of the active pair of adjacent rows represent all three colors (R, G, B) of one line (or one field) of real-image pixels. A horizontal CCD receives the selected image signals (charges) for each active row among the active pairs of rows, and outputs the image signals (charges) for each active row by conventional horizontal transmission to an interpolator adapted to continuously output three-color pixel signals (e.g., digital signals), e.g.

Abstract: An automatic exposure (AE) sensor includes a line-selecting circuit for line selection between horizontal lines and vertical lines, in addition to components of a typical AE sensor. The line-selecting circuit temporally filters a SYNC pulse for notifying a subsequent circuit about a pulse timing of an imaging signal to select a line to be read out and to cause the subsequent circuit to change an active pixel region. The number of selected lines is determined by an external input. The active pixel region is reduced when the AE sensor is incorporated in a device having a low performance CPU, thereby reducing load on the CPU. The active pixel region is increased when the AE sensor is incorporated in a device having a high performance CPU, thereby effectively using the CPU performance to achieve higher density control.

Abstract: A signal processing apparatus processes an image signal outputted from an image sensing device which has a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements covered with a color filter and which can be driven in a first reading method of separately reading signals from the respective photoelectric conversion elements and a second reading method of adding signals generated by the photoelectric conversion elements by at least two signals corresponding to the photoelectric conversion elements of a same color then outputting the added signals. The signal processing apparatus comprises a switch that switches between the first reading method and the second reading method, and a correction unit that passes signals inputted from the image sensing device without correcting positions of barycenters of the inputted signals when the first reading method is set, and corrects positions of barycenters of the inputted signals when the second reading method is set.

Abstract: A plurality of low-sensitivity pixels 10 and a plurality of high-sensitivity pixels 20 are arranged like a tetragonal grid respectively, and are provided in positions shifted by ½ of an array pitch from each other in a row direction X and a column direction Y. The detected charges of the low-sensitivity pixel 10 and the high-sensitivity pixel 20 are transferred in the column direction Y by a vertical transfer section 31. The charges of the low-sensitivity pixel 10 and the high-sensitivity pixel 20 which are adjacent to each other in the column direction are transferred through the vertical transfer sections 31 which are different from each other.

Abstract: A CCD has transferring gates to which gate pulses for transferring only pixel information of pairs of two adjoining lines with intervals of a plurality of lines to vertical transferring routes are applied when the image signals with the low definition are produced. Thus, a frame rate can be maintained high and reduced image signals without untrue colors can be obtained.

Abstract: An image sensor includes at least first and second photo-sensitive regions; a color filter array having at least two different colors that selectively absorb specific bands of wavelengths, and the two colors respectively span portions of predetermined photo-sensitive regions; and wherein the two photo sensitive regions are doped so that electrons that are released at two different depths in the substrate are collected in two separate regions of the photo sensitive regions so that, when wavelengths of light pass through the color filter array, light is absorbed by the photo sensitive regions which photo sensitive regions consequently releases electrons at two different depths of the photo sensitive regions and are stored in first and second separate regions; at least two charge-coupled devices adjacent the first photo sensitive regions; and a first transfer gate associated with the first photo sensitive region that selectively passes charge at first and second levels which, when at the first level, causes the

Abstract: A solid-state imaging element contains a plurality of photoelectric converting regions, vertical transfer portions, a horizontal transfer portion, and an output portion. These photoelectric converting regions are arranged on a surface of a semiconductor substrate along a row direction, and a column direction perpendicular to the row direction. The photoelectric converting regions are subdivided into main regions “m” having relatively wide light-receiving areas, and sub-regions “s” having relatively narrow light-receiving areas. These main areas “m” and sub-areas “s” produce signal electron charges corresponding to light having predetermined spectral sensitivities, and then store the produced signal electron charges. A partial photoelectric converting region within the photoelectric converting regions corresponds to different color light with respect to the main region “m” and the subregion “s.

Abstract: An electric camera includes an image sensing device with a light receiving surface having N vertically arranged pixels and an arbitrary number of pixels arranged horizontally, N being equal to or more than three times the number of effective scanning lines M of a display screen of a television system, a driver to drive the image sensing device to vertically mix or cull signal charges accumulated in individual pixels of every K pixels to produce a number of lines of output signals which corresponds to the number of effective scanning lines M. The image sensing device can vertically mix or cull appropriate numbers of pixels, and the driver drives the image sensing device in at least two modes. The driver changes the number of pixels to be cyclically mixed or culled according to input information from a switch provided inside or outside the camera which requests a view angle change.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved pixel readout circuit that compensates for common mode noise during a read out operation. This is accomplished by using a differential readout of the signal and reset value from the desired pixel compared with the reset value from a reference pixel. In this manner common mode noise can be offset and therefore minimized. In one embodiment of the invention, the reference pixel is the nearest neighbor pixel in the same row. In another embodiment, the reference pixel is the nearest neighboring pixel in a different row.

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.

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: There is provided an electronic camera comprising an imaging element which photo-electrically converts an object field light, a timing generator including an internal register in which timing of a drive signal used to operate the imaging element can be programmed, a power supply control portion which supplies a second voltage to the imaging element when a predetermined time has elapsed after supply of a first voltage to the timing generator, and a control portion which starts at least program setting in the internal register of the timing generator after elapse of a time that the timing generator requires to operate stably at the first voltage and before elapse of a time that the imaging element requires to operate stably at the second voltage.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor for a solid-state image pickup apparatus includes photosensitive cells each having a photosensitive area divided into a main region and a subregion. The subregion is extended to include the position of a virtual pixel. A light-screening layer is formed with optical openings corresponding to the main and subregions, so that light is incident not only to the main region or actual pixel but also to the subregion at the position of the virtual pixel. Spatial information is therefore available even at the position of the virtual pixel in the form of a signal charge.

Abstract: The invention provides a signal charge-coupled device (CCD) sensing apparatus, including at least one first CCD shift register, one first photo sensor set, and one second photo sensor set. The first CCD shift register includes a plurality of first CCD components and a plurality of second CCD components. The first photo sensor set includes multiple first photo sensors for receiving a first light signal and generating multiple first corresponding charge signals. The first charge signals can be received by the first CCD components. On the other hand, the second photo sensor set includes multiple second photo sensors for receiving a second light signal and generating multiple second corresponding charge signals. The second charge signals can be received by the second CCD components. The CCD sensing apparatus can acquire higher scanned image quality under high resolution.

Abstract: A compact, energy efficient image sensor which enables transfer of images to an external system is made compact in size and low in power consumption comprises an image sensor control circuit 20 which operates to drive a CCD image sensor 4 and stores horizontal lines of image data in a line memory 30. An HREF signal is raised in association with the storing operation. The external system monitors the HREF and supplies an external clock EXCLK to an image sensor 2 during an H level period according to its convenience. A memory control circuit 34 sequentially outputs image data from the line memory 30 to a data bus 10 in pixel units and in synchronization with the EXCLK.

Abstract: A Charge Coupled Device (CCD) camera and a method for controlling the same. When a photographing command is input from the input unit by operation of user, the controller controls the iris drive unit so as to open and close the iris periodically for a preset time. Also, the control reads electric signals accumulated in the CCD imaging unit according to fields by light incident according to the opening of the iris, and then stores the read CCD data in the memory according to fields. Then, each CCD datum read from the CCD imaging unit is stored in the memory in the raw datum state without addition of an adjacent datum. Next, the controller generates a second odd field and a second even field by adding offset values, according to fields, to each CCD signal of the raw data state stored in the memory, and then forms a still image by combining the second odd field and the second even field.

Abstract: A sigma-delta modulation sensing circuit and an analog-to-digital converter for an imager that eliminate the erroneous conversion of non-zero analog voltages to zero digital voltages is provided. The sensing circuit includes an offset branch that allows input of an offset voltage that is at least as large as a negative channel-specific offset found in a pixel signal voltage. The sensing circuit also includes a regulation branch based on a reference voltage common across multiple columns of an imager. The regulation branch has an adjustable resistance that is modulated during the sensing operation, which creates an adjustment current that is applied during the sensing operation to a reset signal. The sensing circuit and analog-to-digital converter generate digital code based on the difference between the reset voltage and the summed offset and pixel signal voltage.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device comprises, on a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of sensor sections for storing a signal charge commensurate with a quantity of reception light, a charge transfer section for transferring and outputting the signal charge of the sensor sections, and an output section for converting the signal charge transferred by the charge transfer section into an imaging signal for output. A current controller is provided to cut off or reduce a current flowing to the output section in a signal storage period of the sensor section. This cuts off or reduces the current flowing to the output section in a signal storage period of the sensor section, and hence suppresses the amount of the current flowing to the output section in the signal storage period. Thus, wasteful consumption power is greatly reduced.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device includes photoelectric converters in row-column matrix configuration, VCCDs, one for each column, a color filter disposed above each converter to form a color filter array including layouts each including n rows, and a drive circuit for conducting readout treating (m*n) rows as one set, and selecting from the sets a plurality of units symmetrically distributed. Electric charge is read from the plural units. A first readout operation reads electric charge from a first group of rows having asymmetric distribution. A j-row transfer operation transfers the electric charge for j rows. A second readout operation reads electric charge from a second group of rows having asymmetric distribution at positions to which the electric charges are transferred by the j-row transfer operation. The electric charges are added in the VCCDs.

Abstract: For preventing the blooming phenomenon, there is provided an image pickup apparatus comprising a solid-state image pickup device adapted for a first readout method in which plural pixels are added to be read and a second readout method in which plural pixels are not added; and a circuit for applying a predetermined substrate voltage common to the first and second readout methods in an exposure period of the solid-state image pickup device and applying a predetermined substrate voltage corresponding to each readout method of the solid-state image pickup device in a period from the end of exposure of the solid-state image pickup device to the start of transfer to the signal transfer channel.

Abstract: Two types of image signals are obtained from a solid-state image pickup device in a frame transfer system and subject to signal processing so as to extend the dynamic range. Two types of mutually different image signals are obtained from a solid-state image pickup device (11). The two types of image signals obtained through time division are matched in timing by a line memory (16). An arithmetic circuit (20) multiplies image data D1 with ratio R of storage times and subtracts image data D2 from the multiplication result R·D1 so as to generate smear data S0. The smear data S0 is multiplied with 1/(R?1) so as to generate smear data S representing the proper smear component. The smear data S is subtracted from image data D1 and D2, and the subtraction results are added to generate image data D3.

Abstract: An image pickup element drive control method can outputs a sharp image effectively without producing any overlapped images when it is driven for a high rate image pickup operation.

Abstract: A color filter arrangement (11) is used, in which a plurality of filter units are each made of 2×2 arrangements of red (R), green (G), green (G) and blue (B) color elements. First, signal charges are added up for all pixels belonging to each of a plurality of pixel blocks made of quadratic arrangements of 3×3 of pixels, which are larger than the filter units (2×2 arrangement). Then, compressed color information for each of the pixel blocks is obtained from a result of the addition for each pixel block, taking the 2×2 arrangements of pixel blocks as large filter units.

Abstract: A focal plane array in which information from the pixel forming elements is transferred into a vertical shift register and then from the last stage of the vertical shift registers row by row into a horizontal shift register is provided with a storage element and gate between each vertical register and the corresponding stage of the horizontal register. After the information currently in the storage gates has been transferred to the corresponding HCCD stages, the transfer gate is closed, and the next shift of the vertical registers begins, during a time when the vertical registers would otherwise be stopped, waiting for the multi-phase operation of the horizontal register. This time is used for usefully increasing the time for the vertical shift operation, and the clock is advantageously made slower. Alternatively, a faster frame rate can be handled by conventional clock circuits.

Abstract: A frame shutter apparatus comprising a controller for controlling multiple groups of pixels and for reading out values corresponding to the charge collected by different groups of pixels at different times. A method of reading out multiple groups of pixels is provided wherein values corresponding to the charge collected by one group of pixels is readout at a different time than the values corresponding to the charge collected by another group of pixels.

Abstract: There is provided an image pickup apparatus including a plurality of pixels which are arranged in a horizontal and a vertical direction and which generate charges corresponding to optical signals, in which a color filter arrangement of a first order are arranged in horizontal pixel rows of odd numbers and a color filter arrangement of a second order are arranged in horizontal pixel rows of even numbers; and a drive circuit having a first mode for reading out pixel data of 2k+1 fields (k is a natural number) by an interlace operation from the plurality of pixels, a second mode for reading out pixel data of one field among the 2k+1 fields from the plurality of pixels, and a third mode for reading out images of a plurality of fields, the number of which is smaller than the of the 2k+1 fields, among the 2k+1 fields from the plurality of pixels.

Abstract: A system for controlling photosensitive charge transfers utilizes an array of photosensitive elements, a transfer gate, a charge transfer register, and a controller. The transfer gate is coupled to the photosensitive elements, and the charge transfer register is coupled to the transfer gate. The charge transfer register is configured to receive charges from the array of photosensitive elements, via the transfer gate, and to shift the charges out of the charge transfer register. The controller is configured to control the transfer gate such that charges are collected in each of the photosensitive elements and transferred, via the transfer gate, to the charge transfer register. The controller is further configured to enable the transfer gate during a time period when the charge transfer register is shifting a set of charges previously transferred from the array of photosensitive elements to the charge transfer register.

Abstract: In a solid-state image pickup apparatus, an image pickup section includes a color separating section having color filters assigned to three primary colors for separating colors of light incident from a desired scene. The color filters assigned to the color G are arranged in stripes. A system controller controls an output of a drive signal generating section for each of an all pixel read mode and a photometry control mode in response to the stroke of a shutter release operation. In the photometry control mode, the image pickup device is supplied with drive signals in response to a horizontal timing signal fed from a timing signal generator and a control signal fed from the system controller. The image pickup device thus reads out only the signal charges representative of the color G in this mode, thereby especially implementing the signal charge reading at a doubled speed.

Abstract: According to a driving method for an interline type CCD imaging device, the voltage level to be applied to a channel electrode in a vertical charge transfer line to which at least one photodiode is connected is controlled to form a shallower potential well just in the channel. At least the voltage levels applied to channel electrodes in the VCCD connected to the PDs are controlled such that potential wells formed within respective channels becomes shallower.

Abstract: A circuit includes a circuit chip and a plurality of clock drivers external to the circuit chip. The circuit chip includes a plurality of isolated clocking subunits and a corresponding plurality of terminals. Each clocking subunit is electrically isolated from any other clocking subunit. Each clocking subunit is coupled to a respective terminal. For each of the plurality of terminals, an output from one and only one clock driver of the plurality of clock drivers is coupled to the corresponding terminal of the plurality of terminals, and inputs of all clock drivers are coupled together.

Abstract: In making solid state imaging devices smaller and increasing their number of pixels, it is desirable to increase the charge amount that can be handled per unit area of the transfer portions. It is possible to achieve this by making the insulating film thinner, but this leads to electric fields in the semiconductor substrate that are too strong, and causes problems such as the generation of noise and the deterioration of the transfer efficiency. This invention relaxes potential steps in the transfer region by applying, when a signal charge 1 is being read out (t=t2), a high voltage to the electrode 43 for reading out the signal charge, a low voltage to at least one of the electrodes 41, 45–47 for preventing unnecessary mixing of signal charges, and an intermediate voltage between the high voltage and the low voltage to the electrodes 42 and 44, which are adjacent to the electrode 43 to which the high voltage is applied.

Abstract: A Charge Coupled Device (CCD) camera and a method for controlling the same. When a photographing command is input from the input unit by operation of user, the controller controls the iris drive unit so as to open and close the iris periodically for a preset time. Also, the control reads electric signals accumulated in the CCD imaging unit according to fields by light incident according to the opening of the iris, and then stores the read CCD data in the memory according to fields. Then, each CCD datum read from the CCD imaging unit is stored in the memory in the raw datum state without addition of an adjacent datum. Next, the controller generates a second odd field and a second even field by adding offset values, according to fields, to each CCD signal of the raw data state stored in the memory, and then forms a still image by combining the second odd field and the second even field.

Abstract: A digital camera includes a shutter button. When taking a still picture of a subject in response to operation of the shutter button, a TG carries out first exposure and second exposure. The first exposure and the second exposure are simultaneously started by the suspension of outputting a charge sweep-out pulse. Elapsing a first exposure period, the TG reads a first charge out of a part of the light-receiving elements, thereby ending the first exposure. Elapsing a second exposure period, a mechanical shutter is closed thereby ending the second exposure. A second charge produced due to the second exposure is read out after completing the transfer of the first charge. The first and second charges outputted from the CCD imager are combined together by an image combining circuit.

Abstract: For computing the absolute height, in a field of view of a CCD-based acquisition system, of the profile of an object moving on an assembly line, two CCD-based image acquisition devices are used. The consecutive acquired images of the two CCD-based image acquisition devices are shifted by a predefined number of lines. Using two relative heights, the absolute height of a feature located in the acquired images is computed.

Abstract: To provide a solid-state imaging device driving method, a solid-state imaging device and a camera in which the solid-state imaging device is able to operate at a high speed without a change of an angle of view and without a mixture of colors in a color solid-state imaging device by reducing an amount of data in the horizontal direction to ½. In a solid-state imaging device of a two-dimensional arrangement having a pixel comprising a light-receiving accumulation unit, a vertical register or a vertical register having a light-receiving function and a horizontal register, signal electric charges of pixels distant from each other on one row are transferred to the horizontal register, these signal electric charges are mixed within the horizontal register, and the mixed signal electric charge is transferred in the horizontal direction.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus and its driving method. Addition of 2 lines for example of signal charges in a horizontal transfer block requires to double the transfer rate in order to execute line transfer of 2 lines of signal charges in a limited horizontal blanking period. In the solid-state imaging apparatus or a camera system having a CCD imaging device capable of operating in two modes of frame read mode and addition read mode, signal charges read from a plurality of sensor blocks are added for 2 pixels for example in a vertical transfer block in the addition read mode and the added signal charges are vertically transferred and a saturation signal charge quantity of the sensor blocks in the addition read mode is set to about ½ of that in the frame read mode. To implement these operations, a substrate bias Vsub2 having a corresponding voltage value is generated by a substrate bias generator to be applied to a semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device comprising: a semiconductor substrate having a first surface; and a plurality of light-receiving sections arranged in an array pattern on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate, the solid-state imaging device reading a stored electric charge in each of the light-receiving sections, wherein each of the light-receiving sections comprises: a first signal electric charge storage section that stores a first signal electric charge corresponding to an incident light energy; and a second signal electric charge storage section that stores at least part of an excessive electric charge, the at least part of the excessive electric charge being captured from the first signal electric charge storage section, when the electric charge stored in the first signal electric charge storage section exceeds a saturated electric charge amount of the first signal electric charge section to form the excessive electric charge.

Abstract: For preventing the blooming phenomenon, there is provided an image pickup apparatus comprising a solid-state image pickup device adapted for a first readout method in which plural pixels are added to be read and a second readout method in which plural pixels are not added; and a circuit for applying a predetermined substrate voltage common to the first and second readout methods in an exposure period of the solid-state image pickup device and applying a predetermined substrate voltage corresponding to each readout method of the solid-state image pickup device in a period from the end of exposure of the solid-state image pickup device to the start of transfer to the signal transfer channel.

Abstract: A color imaging apparatus includes a CCD imaging device having interline transfer charge transfer paths adapted for interlaced reading and a Bayer-arranged color filter. The apparatus can be put in either of normal shooting mode and high-sensitivity shooting mode. In the high-sensitivity mode, pixel signals from two pixels arranged in the vertical direction in each photosensitive CCD array are transferred by a corresponding vertical transfer path at two times the rate in the normal mode to a horizontal transfer path where they are added together. A line of pixel signals from the horizontal transfer path is output to a preprocess circuit where pixel signals separated by one pixel in the horizontal direction are added together. This process produces a line of image signal.

Abstract: An inventive video camera imager supports an interlace scan mode, a dynamic range-widening scan (WS) mode and a sequential scan mode with a limited amount of circuitry. For this, a WS image signal of 2N lines and a sequential scan image signal of 2N lines (N is the number of scan lines of an image to be obtained) is used. Every other line of WS image signal is longer in exposure time than adjacent lines of the WS image signal. A simplified imager may support only interlace scan mode and sequential scan mode, or may support only WS mode and sequential scan mode.

Abstract: A video camera that generates an interlaced video signal by mixed-line-pair readout from a solid-state image sensor also operates in a still-picture mode, in which even lines and odd lines of sensor elements are read out separately, without being mixed. The image information read from the image sensor in the still-picture mode is stored in a memory, then read twice to generate two fields. The image information from the even lines is combined with the image information from the odd lines in one way in the first field, and in another way in the second field. The two fields form one frame, yielding a still picture with full vertical resolution.

Abstract: An image sensor includes (a) a plurality of pixels each having (i) a plurality of photosensitive areas having a first sensitivity to light for forming a first sensitivity area; (ii) a plurality of charge-coupled devices respectively adjacent the photosensitive areas having a second sensitivity to light for forming a second sensitivity area; wherein the second sensitivity area is less sensitive to light than the first sensitivity area so that the second sensitivity area saturates after the first sensitivity area saturates; (iii) a first transfer mechanism for permitting electrons to be passed from the first sensitivity area to the second sensitivity area; and (b) a second transfer mechanism for moving electrons through the plurality of charge-coupled devices.

Abstract: A photography related to video cameras, camcorders, digital still cameras and others using a solid-state image sensing device, and particularly an electric camera using a solid-state image sensing device with a large number of pixels. The use of an image sensing device with a sufficient number of pixels for still image photographing ensures good performance for the moving image photographing and for the monitoring of a static image photographing. The image sensing device used has an arbitrary number of vertically arranged pixels equal to or more than three times the number of effective scanning lines of the television system. During the moving image photographing and during the monitoring of a static image photographing, the pixels are cyclically mixed together or culled and desired television signals are generated by performing the signal reading processing during the vertical blanking periods and the interpolation processing.

Abstract: A digital camera includes a CCD imager mounted at a front with a primary color filter. An optimal shutter speed is calculated based on a camera signal outputted from the CCD imager upon a pre-exposure. Where a calculated optimal shutter speed is low, a timing generator drives the CCD imager by a pixel-mixing scheme. Charges are first read out of part of the light receiving elements and transferred in a vertical direction. When the charges are transferred by a predetermined distance, the remaining part of the light receiving elements are read out. As a result of this, the charges of a same color of color components are mixed together. That is, a filtering process is effected within the CCD imager to remove aliasing components.

Abstract: The vertical charge transfer paths 205 have portions (regions A) whose both sides are defined, by the device isolation regions 202 and portions (regions B) whose one side is defined by the device isolation regions 202. The impurity concentration of the device isolation regions 202a used to define both sides is set lower than that of the device isolation regions 202b used to define only one side such that a narrow channel effect in the portions of the vertical charge transfer paths 205, whose both sides are defined, can be reduced.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and structure for accelerating image-sensing speed in a CCD image-sensing device. According to the present invention, specific shift-control electrodes (G2j−1 and G2j) are biased to serve as a block unit. After the CCD image-sensing device serially shifts out the charge packets actually corresponding to the image of a sensed object, the CCD image-sensing device can repeat the operation for image sensing without first shifting out the remaining or undesired charge packets, thereby accelerating image-sensing speed.

Abstract: A method of driving a solid-state imaging device to increase the dynamic range of a CCD image sensor is described. The imaging device has a plurality of light receiving members arranged in a matrix in horizontal and vertical directions. In addition, a plurality of columns of vertical CCD registers associate with the light-receiving members for storing signal charges received from a plurality of light receiving members. A row of horizontal CCD registers is disposed and connected with one end of each columns of vertical CCD registers to transfer the signal charges received from those vertical CCD registers to an output circuit member. The method comprises receiving the signal charges from an object by those light-receiving members for a time period Cs firstly in a normal fashion in BLANKING “high” period.