Electronic zooming device

Claim 2

The signal-converting device according to claim 1, characterized in that N input data items are converted to M output data items, where N and M are integers, and the input data items and the output data items are defined by discrete values having spatial continuity.

Claim 3

A signal-converting device for receiving input data items defined by discrete values having spatial continuity, and for outputting data items defined by discrete values having spatial continuity, by converting every N input data items to M output data items, where N and M are integers and have relation of N < M < 2N, said device comprising: means for setting the m-th output data item Dm, where m is an integer not greater than M, said data item Dm having relation with the n-th input data item Dn, where n is an integer not greater than (1+m·N/M), the (n-1)th input data item Dn-1, and a given constant K, which is defined by the following linear equation: K·Dm = (n-m·N/M)·Dn-1 + {(N/M)-(n-m·N/M)}·Dn.

Claim 4

The signal-converting device according to claim 1, characterized in that N input data items defined by discrete values having spatial continuity are converted to M output data items, where N and M are integers; said input data items are signals representing all or part of an image formed of pixels arranged in horizontal or vertical scanning lines; and means is provided for setting order of converting the signals, such that the signals representing pixels arranged horizontally are converted to new signals during a period, and the signals representing pixels arranged vertically are converted to new signals during another period.

Claim 5

A signal-converting device for converting every N input data items defined by discrete values having spatial continuity to M output data items, where N and M are integers, said input data items being signals representing all or part of an image formed of pixels arranged in horizontal or vertical scanning lines, said device comprising: a plurality of frame buffers (152) required for changing a number of frames to be displayed within a unit time; and means (153, 154, 155, 156) for processing data items output by said frame buffers, such that the product of output data signals representing all pixels to be displayed within the time of the unit frame is nearly equal to the product of the input data signals representing all pixels inputted within the same time, or is nearly equal to K times a given constant other than 0.

Claim 6

The signal-converting device according to claim 2, characterized by further comprising: input means (90) for inputting first image signals representing all or part of an image formed of pixels arranged in horizontal or vertical scanning lines, and second image signals representing all or part of an image formed of pixels arranged in horizontal or vertical scanning lines, at the same time from different places; detector means for detecting a time difference between the scanning period of the first image signals and the scanning period of the second image signals; at least one frame memory (94, 96) for equalizing the scanning periods of the first and second image signals under the control of a timing signal supplied from the detector means, thereby to reduce the image represented by the image signals of one type at a magnification of M/N; and output means (140, 141, 143) for replacing some of the image signals of the second type with the image signals output by said at least one frame memory and representing the reduced image, and outputting the image signals representing the reduce image and those of the image signals of the other type which have not been replaced by of the image signals representing the reduced image.

Claim 7

A signal-converting device for converting every N input data items defined by discrete values having spatial continuity to M output data items, where N and M are integers, said device comprising: an operation unit (41 to 46) which is a charge-coupled device having means for applying drive voltages to some of electrodes of a charge transfer stage, independently of the remaining electrodes of the charge transfer stage.

Claim 8

A signal-converting device for converting every N input data items defined by discrete values having spatial continuity to M output data items, where N and M are integers, said device comprising: an operation unit (41 to 46, 51) which is a charge-coupled device having voltage-applying means for applying drive voltages to some of continuously arranged electrodes, independently of the others of the electrodes, said voltage-applying means capable of electrically changing the integer M.

Claim 9

A signal-converting device for converting every N input data items defined by discrete values having spatial continuity to M output data items, where N and M are integers, said device comprising: an operation unit (41 to 46, 51) which is a charge-coupled device formed on a semiconductor substrate and having voltage-applying means for applying drive voltages to some of continuously arranged electrodes, independently of the others of the electrodes, said voltage-applying means capable of electrically changing the integer M; and voltage-generating means formed on said semiconductor substrate, for generating said drive voltages.

Claim 10

A signal-converting device for converting every N input data items defined by discrete values having spatial continuity to M output data items, where N and M are integers, said device comprising: an operation unit (59) which is a charge-coupled device formed on a semiconductor substrate and having voltage-applying means for applying drive voltages to some of continuously arranged electrodes, independently of the others of the electrodes; and a buffer memory (56, 57) formed on said semiconductor substrate and made of a charge-coupled device, for temporarily storing some of the input data items.

Claim 11

A signal-converting device for converting every N input data items defined by discrete values having spatial continuity to M output data items, where N and M are integers, said device comprising: an operation unit (66, 59) which is a charge-coupled device formed on a semiconductor substrate and having voltage-applying means for applying drive voltages to some of continuously arranged electrodes, independently of the others of the electrodes, said input data items being signals representing all or part of an interlaced image formed of pixels arranged in horizontal or vertical scanning lines; and a buffer memory (102, 103, 104, 105) formed on said semiconductor substrate and made of a charge-coupled device, for converting the interlaced signals to non-interlaced signals before operation of signals representing horizontal and vertical scanning lines by said operation unit.

Claim 12

A signal-converting device for converting every N input data items defined by discrete values having spatial continuity to M output data items, where N and M are integers, said device comprising: an operation unit which is a charge-coupled device formed on a semiconductor substrate and having voltage-applying means for applying drive voltages to some of continuously arranged electrodes, independently of the others of the electrodes; and a plurality of photoelectric elements formed on said semiconductor substrate, characterized in that said input data items are signal charges generated in said semiconductor substrate by said photoelectric elements and are proportional to the intensity of light applied to the surface of said semiconductor substrate.

Claim 13

A signal-converting device for converting every N input data items defined by discrete values having spatial continuity to M output data items, where N and M are integers, said input data items being image signals representing an image, some details of which haven been lost due to multiplication effect accompanying the conversion of the input data items to the output data items and have been restored by means of aperture correction.

Claim 14

A CCD signal-converting device, characterized in that a signal charge proportional to one of the input signals is accumulated in a potential well formed by applying a predetermined drive voltage across a semiconductor substrate and one of electrodes formed on an insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate, and the predetermined drive voltage is applied to the electrodes adjacent to said one electrode, one after another, thereby to move the potential well in the surface of said semiconductor substrate, so that the signal charge is transferred, said device comprising: voltage-applying means (D1 to D5) for applying the drive voltage to at least three consecutive ones (D1, D3, D5) of said electrodes, independently of the others (D2, D4) of said electrodes.

Claim 15

The CCD signal-converting device according to claim 14, characterized in that, when said drive voltage is applied to one of said at least three consecutive electrodes, two potential wells, which are substantially equal in size, are formed below the others of said at least three consecutive electrodes.

Claim 16

A CCD signal-converting device which is a charge-coupled device comprising a charge transfer stage having electrodes, and voltage-applying means (D1, D3, D5) for applying a drive voltage to at least some of the electrodes, which are consecutive, independently of the other electrodes of the charge transfer stage, characterized in that a potential well formed by applying said drive voltage simultaneously to said some electrodes is as large as or larger than a potential well formed by applying the drive voltage simultaneously to the other electrodes, and a potential well formed by applying the drive voltage to any one of said some electrodes is as large as a potential well formed by applying the drive voltage to any other of said some electrodes.

Claim 17

A CCD signal-converting device which is a charge-coupled device comprising a charge transfer stage having electrodes, and voltage-applying means (D1, D3, D5, M1) for applying a drive voltage to at least some of the electrodes, which are consecutive, independently of the other electrodes of the charge transfer stage, characterized in that a potential well formed by applying said drive voltage simultaneously to said some electrodes is as large as or larger than a potential well formed by applying the drive voltage simultaneously to the other electrodes; said some electrodes comprises a first group (D1, D3, D5) and a second group (M1) consisting of at least one electrode; a potential well formed by applying the drive voltage to any one electrode of said first group is as large as a potential well formed by applying the drive voltage to any other electrode of said first group; and a potential well formed by applying the drive voltage to said at least one electrode of the second group is larger than a potential well formed by applying the drive voltage to any one electrode of the first group.

Claim 18

A CCD signal-converting device which is a charge-coupled device comprising a charge transfer stage (41 to 46) having electrodes, and voltage-applying means (Via, Vib, Vic, S1, D1 to D5, S2, M, S3, Voa) for applying a drive voltage to at least some of the electrodes, which are consecutive, independently of the other electrodes of the charge transfer stage, characterized in that other charge transfer stages are provided, some of which are located in front of said some electrodes (S1, D1 to D5, S2, M, S3) and have a sequence, and the others of which are located at rear of said some electrodes (S1, D1 to D5, S2, M, S3) and have a different sequence.

Claim 19

The CCD signal-converting device according to claim 18, characterized in that said charge transfer stage further has thin electrodes (S1, S2, S3), and which further comprises charge transfer means for stopping the application of the drive voltage to one of said thin electrodes, thereby dividing a signal charge accumulated below said electrodes and being transferred in a predetermined sequence, into charge components, and for transferring the charge components, as new signal charges, though a first charge transfer path.

Claim 20

The CCD signal-converting device according to claim 19, characterized by further comprising charge-adding means (M) for adding, in a second charge transfer path following said first charge transfer path, the new signal charges to one of signal charges previously transferred into the second charge transfer path.

Claim 21

A CCD signal-converting device comprising: a frame memory comprising a first CCD memory and a second CCD memory, which are formed on a semiconductor substrate, are of the same structure, and have M x N memory cells each, either CCD memory comprising a first charge transfer unit having M charge transfer stages, a second charge transfer unit having M charge transfer stages, and M charge transfer units comprising N charge transfer stages each and connecting the M charge transfer stages of said first charge transfer unit to the corresponding M charge stages of said second charge transfer unit; characterized in that the first and second charge transfer units of either CCD memory have substantially the same structure, or have means which enable them to perform the same function.

Claim 22

A CCD signal-converting device which is a CCD memory comprising a first charge transfer unit having M charge transfer stages, a second charge transfer unit having M charge transfer stages, and a third charge transfer unit having N charge transfer stages, a CCD operation unit having electrodes and thin electrodes and connected in series to the third charge transfer unit between the first and second charge transfer units, and thus M x N memory cells, said CCD memory characterized by further comprising: first voltage-applying means for applying a drive voltage to at least some of the electrodes of said third charge transfer unit, second voltage-applying means for applying a drive voltage to at least some of the electrode of said CCD operation unit, which are consecutive, independently of the other electrodes of the charge transfer stage; charge transfer means for stopping the application of a drive voltage to one of said thin electrodes, thereby dividing a signal charge accumulated below the electrodes of said CCD operation unit and being transferred in a predetermined sequence, into charge components, and for transferring the charge components, as new signal charges, though a first charge transfer path; and charge-adding means for adding, in a second charge transfer path, which follows said first charge transfer path, the new signal charges to one of signal charges previously transferred into the second charge transfer path.

Claim 23

A CCD signal-converting device which is a CCD image sensor comprising: a semiconductor substrate; photodiodes formed on the substrate, for generating an electric charges proportional to intensity of light applied to the substrate; transfer gates connected to the photodiodes, for transferring the electric charges from the photodiodes; a vertical charge transfer path having electrodes for transferring the electric charges from the transfer gates in vertical direction; and a horizontal charge transfer path having electrodes for transferring electric charges from the transfer gates in horizontal direction, characterized in that at least one of the electrodes of either charge transfer path comprises a plurality of thin electrodes; the thin electrodes can receive a voltage, independently of one another, and form potential wells of the same size when receiving the voltage; and there are provided: means for stopping the application of the voltage to one of said thin electrodes, thereby dividing a signal charge accumulated below the electrodes of either charge transfer path and being transferred in a predetermined sequence, into charge components, and for transferring the charge components, as new signal charges, though a first part of either charge transfer path; and charge-adding means for adding, in a second part of either charge transfer path, which follows said first charge transfer path, the new signal charges to one of signal charges previously transferred into the second part of either charge transfer path.

Claim 24

The CCD signal-converting device according to claim 23, characterized in that said photodiodes are arranged in one horizontal row.

Claim 25

The CCD signal-converting device according to claim 23, characterized in that said CCD image sensor is a single-plate color image sensor comprising optical filters of various types located in front of said photodiodes, for selecting different wavelengths; and said photodiodes outputs electric signals corresponding to spectroscopic characteristics of said optical filters.

Claim 26

A signal-converting device comprising: first signal-dividing means for dividing a first discrete input signal into first and second lesser signals which have a first energy ratio to each other; second signal-dividing means for dividing a second discrete input signal into third and fourth lesser signals which have a second energy ratio to each other; and signal-adding means for adding the third lesser signal to the second lesser signal, thereby to obtain a discrete new signal.

Claim 27

The signal-converting device according to claim 26, characterized in that said first and second discrete input signals are pixel signals output by imaging elements.

Claim 28

The signal-converting device according to claim 26, characterized in that, when said discrete input signals are pixel signals output by imaging elements, said energy ratio is determined in accordance with a magnification at which to enlarge or reduce an image represented by the pixel signals.

Claim 29

The signal-converting device according to claim 26, characterized in that said discrete input signals are digital signals, and each of said first signal-dividing means, said second signal-dividing means, and said signal-adding means comprises a memory for storing the digital signals, and operation means for processing data read from the memory and writing the data, thus processed, into the memory.

Claim 30

The signal-converting device according to claim 26, characterized in that said discrete input signals are analog signals transferred by a CCD, and each of said first signal-dividing means, said second signal-dividing means, and said signal-adding means comprises an operation unit comprising a CCD having electrodes and designed to transfer the analog signals when drive signals are supplied to the electrodes.

Claim 31

The signal-converting device according to claim 30, characterized in that said analog signals are pixel signals output by imaging elements, and said operation unit is a horizontal operation unit for processing the pixel signals in series.

Claim 32

The signal-converting device according to claim 30, characterized in that said analog signals are pixel signals read from imaging elements, and said operation unit is a vertical operation unit for processing the pixel signals in parallel.

Claim 33

The signal-converting device according to claim 30, characterized in that said analog signals are pixel signals output from imaging elements, and said operation unit comprises a horizontal operation unit for processing trains of the analog signals in series, and a vertical signals processed by the horizontal operation unit, in parallel.

Claim 34

The signal-converting device according to claim 30, characterized in that said analog signals are pixel signals output from imaging elements, and said operation unit comprises a horizontal operation unit for processing trains of the analog signals, in parallel, and a vertical operation unit for processing trains of the analog signals processed by the horizontal operation unit, in series.

Claim 35

A CCD signal-converting device comprising: input transfer means having electrodes for transferring signal charges upon receipt of charge-transfer drive signals; input-separating means connected to an output of said input transfer means and having input-separating electrodes for separating the signal charges transferred by said input transfer means from one another, upon receipt of charge-separating drive signals; divider means connected to an output of said input-separating means and having electrodes for processing signal charges output by said input-separating means, upon receipt of charge-processing drive signals; first output-separating means connected to an output of said divider means and having electrodes for separating signal charges output by said divider means, upon receipt of charge-separating drive signals; mixing means connected to an output of said first output-separating means and having electrodes for mixing signal charges output by said first output-separating means, upon receipt of mixing drive signals; second output-separating means connected to said mixing means and having electrodes for separating signal charges output by said mixing means, upon receipt of charge-separating drive signals; and output-transferring means connected to an output of said second output-separating means and having electrodes for transferring signal charges output from said second output-separating means, upon receipt of charge-transfer drive signals.