US4914519A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for eliminating noise in a solid-state image pickup device
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1987-09-14
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Granted: 1990-04-03
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Expires: 2007-09-14
Abstract
Abstract A solid state image pickup apparatus having a selector for selecting a plurality of sensor outputs through predetermined circuits includes a difference processing circuit for calculating a difference between a selected sensor signal and a reference signal selected through the same predetermined circuit as that of the selected sensor signal. The difference processing circuit includes a first holding circuit for holding the sensor signal, a second holding circuit for holding the selected reference signal, and a circuit for receiving the output signals from the first and second holding circuits and outputting a signal corresponding to a difference therebetween.
Inventors
- 👤 Seiji Hashimoto
- 👤 Tsuneo Suzuki
- 👤 Hayao Ohzu
- 👤 Tadanori Harada
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 23:55
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N25/00; H04N25/60; H04N25/616; H04N25/63; H04N25/67; H04N25/70; H04N25/76; H04N25/767; H04N25/78
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
120 words
An image pickup apparatus including: (a) a photoelectric transducer element for converting incident light into a photoelectrical signal. (b) amplifying means for amplifying said photoelectric signal from said photoelectric transducer element; and (c) operating means having a first mode for causing said amplifying means to amplify the photoelectrical signal from said phtoelectrical transducer element to form a first signal, and a second mode for causing said amplifying means to amplify a signal which is left in said photoelectric element after refreshing said photoelectrical transducer to form a second signal, and for processing said first and second signals to form a third signal in order to remove noise, said first and second signals being obtained from the same photoelectric transducer element.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
120 words
An image pickup apparatus including: (a) a photoelectric transducer element for converting incident light into a photoelectrical signal. (b) amplifying means for amplifying said photoelectric signal from said photoelectric transducer element; and (c) operating means having a first mode for causing said amplifying means to amplify the photoelectrical signal from said phtoelectrical transducer element to form a first signal, and a second mode for causing said amplifying means to amplify a signal which is left in said photoelectric element after refreshing said photoelectrical transducer to form a second signal, and for processing said first and second signals to form a third signal in order to remove noise, said first and second signals being obtained from the same photoelectric transducer element.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said photoelectric transducer element includes a transistor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said operating means includes a differential amplifier.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said operating means includes a clamp circuit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said operating means comprises holding means for holding at least one of the first and second signals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said holding means includes a capacitor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said holding means includes a sample/hold circuit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
107 words
An image pickup apparatus including: (a) a plurality of photoelectric transducer elements for converting incident light into photoelectrical signals; and (b) operating means having a first mode for reading out a first signal corresponding to light incident on said photoelectric transducer elements, and a second mode for reading out a second signal which is left in said photoelectric transducer elements after refreshing said photoelectric transducer, said operating means being adapted to perform an arithmetic operation on the first and second signals read out in the first and second modes in order to remove noise, said first and second signals being obtained from the same photoelectric transducer element.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
107 words
An image pickup apparatus including: (a) a plurality of photoelectric transducer elements for converting incident light into photoelectrical signals; and (b) operating means having a first mode for reading out a first signal corresponding to light incident on said photoelectric transducer elements, and a second mode for reading out a second signal which is left in said photoelectric transducer elements after refreshing said photoelectric transducer, said operating means being adapted to perform an arithmetic operation on the first and second signals read out in the first and second modes in order to remove noise, said first and second signals being obtained from the same photoelectric transducer element.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein each photoelectric transducer element includes a transistor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said operating means includes a differential amplifier.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said operating means includes a clamp circuit.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said operating means comprises holding means for holding at least one of the first and second signals.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said holding means includes a capacitor.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said holding means includes a sample/hold circuit.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein read access in the second mode is performed as soon as read access in the first mode is performed.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
112 words
An image pickup apparatus including: (a) a plurality of photoelectric transducer elements for converting incident light into electrical signals; (b) photoelectric transducer element control means having a first mode for reading out a first signal corresponding to light incident on said photoelectric transducer elements and a second mode for reading out a second signal which is left in said photoelectric transducer elements after refreshing said photoelectric transducer; (c) storage means for independently storing the first and second signals; and (d) operating means for processing the first and second signals stored in said storage means in order to remove noise, corresponding first and second signals being obtained from the same photoelectric transducer element.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
112 words
An image pickup apparatus including: (a) a plurality of photoelectric transducer elements for converting incident light into electrical signals; (b) photoelectric transducer element control means having a first mode for reading out a first signal corresponding to light incident on said photoelectric transducer elements and a second mode for reading out a second signal which is left in said photoelectric transducer elements after refreshing said photoelectric transducer; (c) storage means for independently storing the first and second signals; and (d) operating means for processing the first and second signals stored in said storage means in order to remove noise, corresponding first and second signals being obtained from the same photoelectric transducer element.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said storage means includes a capacitor.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein each photoelectric transducer element includes a transistor.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said operating means includes a differential amplifier.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said operating means includes a clamp circuit.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein read access in the second mode is performed as soon as read access in the first mode is performed.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said plurality of photoelectric transducer elements are arranged in a matrix form, and said photoelectric transducer element control means scans said plurality of photoelectric transducer elements in row and column directions.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said photoelectric element control means simulteneously reads out the electrical signals of photoelectric transducer elements of a plurality of rows in each scanning cycle in the row direction.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said photoelectric transducer element control means has a blanking period between the scanning cycles in the row direction.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said storage means store the first and second signals of each photoelectric element of the plurality of rows within the blanking period.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 25, further comprising signal lines for respectively reading out the signals stored in said storage means.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said signal lines for the second signal are commonly connected.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-04-02 | 1993-10-02 | 1994-04-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-04-02 | 1997-10-02 | 1998-04-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-04-02 | 2001-10-02 | 2002-04-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |