US4038690A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Charge-coupled device video-signal-generating system
Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corp
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Filing: 1976-01-21
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Granted: 1977-07-26
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Expires: 1996-01-21
Abstract
Abstract A video-signal-generating system comprises a pair of similar charge-coupled area-image-sensing devices, each comprising a two-dimensional array of photosensor sites arranged in rows and columns, each site being effective to produce a charge packet in response to illumination incident thereon, a charge-detection output circuit capable of producing an output signal varying with the magnitudes of successive charge packets in sequence, and a plurality of charge-storing sites located intermediate the photosensor sites and the charge-detection circuit for effecting the orderly transfer of charge packets from the photosensor sites in sequence to the charge-detection circuit. The system also includes an optical system for simultaneously imaging a scene to be reproduced on each of the charge-coupled area-image-sensing devices where each device is positioned with respect to corresponding image points such that photosensor sites of one of the devices are offset along row and column directions within the image plane from corresponding photosensor sites of the other device. One example described comprises two image-sensing devices with the offset made equal to one row spacing of photosensor sites in one direction and one-half column spacing of photosensor sites in the other direction. The system also includes means for combining the output signals of the output circuits of the image-sensing devices to provide a video signal for reproduction.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth A. Hoagland
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 22:53
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N25/00; H10; H10F; H10F39/00; H10F39/10; H10F39/12; H10F39/15; H10F39/153
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
210 words
A video-signal-generating system comprising: a plurality of similar area-image-sensing devices, each comprising a two-dimensional array of photosensor sites arranged in rows and columns, each site being effective to produce a charge packet in response to illumination incident thereon, a charge-detection output circuit capable of producing an output signal varying with the magnitudes of successive charge packets in sequence, and means for effecting the orderly transfer of charge-packet-signal information from the photosensor sites in sequence to said charge-detection circuit; an optical system for simultaneously imaging a scene to be reproduced on each of said area-image-sensing devices but with the photosensor sites of at least one device offset within the image plane from corresponding photosensor sites of the others of said devices to such an extent and in such a direction that the photosensor sites of said one device sense or provide access to image point information which cannot be sensed or accessed by the others of said devices during the same field readout interval; control circuitry for periodically and sequentially causing the transfer of the charge-packet-signal information developed at each of the photosensor sites to the charge-detection output circuit of its respective device; and means for combining the output signals of said output circuits to provide a video signal for reproduction.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
210 words
A video-signal-generating system comprising: a plurality of similar area-image-sensing devices, each comprising a two-dimensional array of photosensor sites arranged in rows and columns, each site being effective to produce a charge packet in response to illumination incident thereon, a charge-detection output circuit capable of producing an output signal varying with the magnitudes of successive charge packets in sequence, and means for effecting the orderly transfer of charge-packet-signal information from the photosensor sites in sequence to said charge-detection circuit; an optical system for simultaneously imaging a scene to be reproduced on each of said area-image-sensing devices but with the photosensor sites of at least one device offset within the image plane from corresponding photosensor sites of the others of said devices to such an extent and in such a direction that the photosensor sites of said one device sense or provide access to image point information which cannot be sensed or accessed by the others of said devices during the same field readout interval; control circuitry for periodically and sequentially causing the transfer of the charge-packet-signal information developed at each of the photosensor sites to the charge-detection output circuit of its respective device; and means for combining the output signals of said output circuits to provide a video signal for reproduction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
A video-signal-generating system in accordance with claim 1 in which each of said area-image-sensing devices is of the charge-coupled type and in which the means for effecting the orderly transfer of charge-packet-signal information comprises a plurality of charge-storing sites located intermediate said photosensor sites and said charge-detection circuit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
63 words
A video-signal-generating system in accordance with claim 1 in which the offset within the image plane of the photosensor sites of said one device from corresponding photosensor sites of the others of said devices is such that the photosensor sites of said device sense or provide access to image point information which cannot be sensed or accessed by the others of said devices.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
A video-signal-generating system in accordance with claim 1 in which the offset within the image plane of the photosensor sites of said one device from corresponding photosensor sites of the others of said devices is a distance not greater than the spacing of such photosensor sites in the direction of offset.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
A video-signal-generating system in accordance with claim 1 which comprises two area-image-sensing devices which are relatively offset by one row spacing of photosensor sites in one direction and by one-half column spacing of photosensor sites in the other direction.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
A video-signal-generating system in accordance with claim 5 in which the scanning of the rows of photosensor sites of the two area-image-sensing devices is interleaved on a time basis.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A video-signal-generating system in accordance with claim 5 in which the scanning of photosensor sites along corresponding rows of the two area-image-sensing devices is interleaved on a time basis.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
56 words
A video-signal-generating system in accordance with claim 1 which comprises two area-imaging-sensing devices and in which the relative offset of the two devices is selected to position the photosensor sites of one device at locations which cannot be read out during readout of the corresponding photosensor sites of the other device except during alternate field periods.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
A video-signal-generating system in accordance with claim 6 in which the signal outputs from the two devices are combined to increase the total number of image-information samples accessed during a row-readout interval.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
A video-signal-generating system in accordance with claim 1 which comprises two area-image-sensing devices and in which the signal outputs of said devices are combined to increase the total number of image-information samples accessed during a field-readout interval.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3975760A
Cited
USB468100I5
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-07-25 | 1981-01-24 | 1981-07-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-07-25 | 1985-01-24 | 1985-07-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-07-25 | 1989-01-24 | 1989-07-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |