Apparatus and method for generating an interlaced video signal using a progressively scanned high resolution image sensor

Claim 1

Apparatus for generating a low resolution interlaced video signal having alternating odd and even fields from a high resolution CCD camera system which produces pixel information representing an image in consecutive rows, the apparatus comprising: a video channel; dumping means for selectively discarding produced rows of pixel information; shift register means for transferring produced rows of pixel information into said video channel; first driving means for driving said dumping means to repeatedly discard a first predetermined set of rows of each consecutive group on n rows of produced pixel information representing a first image and alternating odd images thereafter; second driving means for driving said register means to transfer to said video channel, in the order produced, the rows of produced pixel information not discarded by said dumping means; and third driving means for driving said dumping means to repeatedly discard a second set of rows of each consecutive group of n rows of produced pixel information representing a second image and alternating even images thereafter; the rows of pixel information transferred to said video channel representing said first and alternating odd images constituting said odd fields, and those transferred representing said second and alternating even images constituting said even fields of said video signal.

Claim 6

A method for generating a low resolution interlaced video signal having alternating odd and even fields from a high resolution CCD camera system which produces pixel information representing an image in consecutive rows, the method comprising the steps of: a. repeatedly transferring into a video channel a line of video information representative of at least a first predetermined row, and discarding the other rows of each consecutive group of n rows of produced pixel information representing a first image to form an odd field; b. repeatedly transferring into said video channel a line of video information representative of at least a second predetermined row, different from said first predetermined row, and discarding the other rows of each consecutive group of n rows of produced pixel information representing a second image to form an even field; and c. alternating between steps a and b.

Claim 10

A method for generating a low resolution interlaced video signal having alternating odd and even fields from a high resolution CCD sensor, said CCD sensor having an array of photosensors arranged in rows and columns, a vertical shift register associated with each of said columns of photosensors, first transfer means for transferring charges accumulated by said photosensors into respective cells of said vertical shift registers, a horizontal shift register, second transfer means at the output end of each of said vertical shift registers for transferring the charge in the last cell of each vertical shift register into a respective cell of said horizontal shift register, and dumping means for dumping the charge in the output cell of each of said vertical shift registers, the method comprising the steps of: a. exposing said array of photosensors to a focused light image for a predetermined period; b. transferring the charges accumulated by said photosensors into respective cells of said associated vertical shift registers; c. repeatedly shifting the charges in said vertical shift registers forward, row by row; d. transferring the charges in said first row of charges out of said vertical shift registers into respective cells of said horizontal shift register; e. repeating step d with the second row of charges to form a row of summed charges; f. dumping the third and fourth rows of charges out of said vertical shift registers; g. reading out said horizontal shift register to form a line of said video signal; h. adding a horizontal sync pulse and a horizontal blanking pulse to said video signal; i. repeating steps d, e, f, g, and h until said vertical shift registers are empty to form said odd field; j. adding a vertical sync pulse and a vertical blanking pulse to said video signal; k. repeating steps a, b, and c; 1. dumping the first and second rows of charges from said vertical shift registers; m. transferring the charges in said third row of charges out of said vertical shift registers into respective cells of said horizontal shift register; n. repeating step m with the fourth row of charges to form a row of summed charges; o. repeating steps g and h; p. repeating steps l, m, n, and o until said vertical shift registers are empty to form said even field; and q. repeating step j.