Patent EP0454996A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0454996A2
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EP
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Signal dynamic increase for a multi-function digital CCD camera
Assignee: Toshiba Corp
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Filing: 1991-03-27
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-03-27
Abstract
Abstract In a multi-function digital CCD camera according to the present invention, the image signal outputted from the solid-state image pick-up device (12) is inputted into a signal processing circuit (14) where the signal is shaped into an image signal. The image signal from the signal processing circuit (14) is inputted into the image quality changeover circuit (16) having a plurality of signal processing paths, each with a peculiar signal processing characteristic. In the image quality changeover circuit (16), the plurality of signal processing paths are combined based on a control signal from the image quality selective circuit (18). The image signal obtained from respective signal processing paths are inputted into the image composition circuit (17). The signal obtained from the image composition circuit (17) is inputted into the color encoder (22) where the signal is encoded into a camera output video signal.
Inventors
- 👤 Yasuo c/o Int. Property Division Takemura
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 20:59
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N23/00; H04N23/70; H04N23/741; H04N5/00; H04N5/14; H04N5/20; H04N5/205; H04N5/208; H04N5/222; H04N5/262; H04N5/2622; H04N5/272; H04N9/00; H04N9/64; H04N9/646; H04N9/74; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S358/00; Y10S358/906
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
177 words
A multi-function digital CCD camera having an image pick-up lens for picking up a light from a subject, a solid-state image pick-up device for obtaining a photoelectrically transferred output by receiving on an imaging surface an optical image imaged through the image pick-up lens, and a signal processing circuit for shaping the photoelectrically transferred output of the solid-state image pick-up device into an image signal, characterized in that said camera comprises: image quality control means (15) to which a plurality of image signals including at least the image signal form said signal processing circuit and which passes the image signals through processing paths, each with a peculiar characteristic, for composition to obtain an output image signal; image quality selective means (18) which determines respective signal processing characteristics of said processing paths, each with a peculiar characteristics, of the image quality control means according to external operation; and an encoder (22) to which the output image signal from said image quality control means is supplied and which encodes the signal in a video signal with a required mode.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
95 words
A multi-function digital CCD camera as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said plurality of image signals are a first and a second image signals picked up in a first and a second shutter times of said solid-state image pick-up device, and said image quality control means (15) has a first processing path (30a, 31b, 32a) on which the first image signal is amplified at a first level and a second processing path (30a, 31b, 32b) on which the second image signal is amplified at a second level different from the first level.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
71 words
A multi-function digital CCD camera as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said plurality of image signals are a first and a second image signals from said solid-state image pick-up device, and said image quality control means (15) has a first and a second processing paths (41, 42 to 44) on which the first image signal and the second image signal are controlled for gain, respectively, at different levels.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A multi-function digital CCD camera as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said image quality control means (15) has a signal processing path including a band-pass limit filter (43).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
A multi-function digital CCD camera as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said image quality control means (15) has a signal processing path including a profile enhancement circuit (45).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
A multi-function digital CCD camera as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said image quality control means (15) has a signal processing path including a color enhancement circuit (52).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
A multi-function digital CCD camera as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said image quality control means (15) has a signal processing path including a color phase-shift circuit (55).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
A multi-function digital CCD camera as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said image quality control means (15) has a signal processing path including a gradation expansion/reduction circuit (65).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
A multi-function digital CCD camera as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said image quality control means (18) has a signal processing path including a mosaic special circuit (66) for performing bit conversion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
48 words
A multi-function digital CCD camera as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said image quality control means (15) has an external input terminal (21) through which an image signal from an electronic camera or an external apparatus such as a video tape recorder can be introduced.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
206 words
A method of processing signals of a multi-function digital CCD camera comprising the steps of picking up a light from a subject by an image pick-up lens (11), obtaining a photoelectrically transferred output by receiving an optical image imaged through the image pick-up lens (11) on an imaging surface of a solid-state image pick-up device (12), and processing the photoelectrically transferred output of said solid-state image pick-up device (12) by a signal processing circuit (14) and shaping the output into an image signal, characterized in that said method comprises the steps of: obtaining an output image signal by passing a plurality of image signals including at least the image signal from said signal processing circuit (14) through processing paths, each with a peculiar characteristic, and then by composing the signals, by use of image quality control means (15) in the camera; determining respective signal processing characteristics of said processing paths, each with a peculiar characteristic, of said image quality control means (15) according to external operation, by use of image quality selective means (18); and encoding the output image signal from said image quality control means (15) into a video signal with a required mode and outputting the encoded signal to the outside of said camera.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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