Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
296 words
In a digital color camera, the method of acquiring and storing data representing a scene to be captured comprising the steps of providing a CCD having a charge accumulation area formed by light sensitive points each capable of accumulating an electrical charge corresponding to the intensity of the light to which it is exposed, and a charge storage area for receiving and storing electrical charges from said charge accumulation area, focusing the light from said scene upon said charge accumulation area while filtering the light to selectively transmit a first light spectrum thereby generating a first set of charges, transferring said first set of charges to said storage area while simultaneously reducing the resolution thereby to store said first set of charges in less than the full capacity of said storage area, focusing the light from said scene onto said charge accumulation area while filtering the light to selectively transmit a second light spectrum thereby generating a second set of charges, transferring said second set of charges to said storage area while simultaneously reducing the resolution thereby to store the second set of charges within the space remaining in said storage area after storage of said first set of charges, focusing the light from said scene onto said charge accumulation area thereby generating a third set of charges, terminating the exposure of said charge accumulation area to light from said scene by interrupting the optical path between said scene and said charge accumulation area, providing a digital data processor for storing data corresponding to the first, second, and third set of charges from said CCD, transferring said first and second sets of charges from said storage area to said data processor, and transferring said third set of charges from said accumulation area to said data processor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
296 words
In a digital color camera, the method of acquiring and storing data representing a scene to be captured comprising the steps of providing a CCD having a charge accumulation area formed by light sensitive points each capable of accumulating an electrical charge corresponding to the intensity of the light to which it is exposed, and a charge storage area for receiving and storing electrical charges from said charge accumulation area, focusing the light from said scene upon said charge accumulation area while filtering the light to selectively transmit a first light spectrum thereby generating a first set of charges, transferring said first set of charges to said storage area while simultaneously reducing the resolution thereby to store said first set of charges in less than the full capacity of said storage area, focusing the light from said scene onto said charge accumulation area while filtering the light to selectively transmit a second light spectrum thereby generating a second set of charges, transferring said second set of charges to said storage area while simultaneously reducing the resolution thereby to store the second set of charges within the space remaining in said storage area after storage of said first set of charges, focusing the light from said scene onto said charge accumulation area thereby generating a third set of charges, terminating the exposure of said charge accumulation area to light from said scene by interrupting the optical path between said scene and said charge accumulation area, providing a digital data processor for storing data corresponding to the first, second, and third set of charges from said CCD, transferring said first and second sets of charges from said storage area to said data processor, and transferring said third set of charges from said accumulation area to said data processor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method as claimed in claim 1 including the step of filtering the light from said scene to selectively transmit a third light spectrum while generating said third set of charges.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method as claimed in claim 2 including providing a filter/shutter mechanism having at least two colored filters with an opaque section adjacent thereto, and wherein the termination of the exposure of said charge accumulation area includes the step of intercepting the optical path between said scene and said charge accumulation area by said opaque section.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method as claimed in claim 3 wherein said light spectrums respectively selectively transmit light wavelengths to permit selective passage of (i) red wavelengths through one of said filtering steps, (ii) blue wavelengths through another of said filtering steps, and (iii) green wavelengths through the other of said filtering steps.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as claimed in claim 4 wherein each of said exposures is terminated by said opaque section of said filter/shutter mechanism.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said first light spectrum selectively transmits the light to permit transmission of blue wavelengths.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein successive pairs of said charges from said first set of charges are transferred to a common point in said storage area whereby the total number of said charges from said first set of charges is reduced by one-half when stored in said storage area.