Dual-type imaging device having multiple light sensitive elements

Claim 2

A photometry device, comprising: a first imaging device; a second imaging device; first means for sensing a luminance signal from said first imaging device; second means for sensing a luminance signal from said second imaging device, independent from said first sensing means; and photometry measurement means for carrying out a photometry measurement based on said luminance signal sensed by said first sensing means and said luminance signal sensed by said second sensing means.

Claim 3

A device according to claim 1, wherein said photometry measurement means comprises: means for determining a corrected exposure control signal based on said luminance signal sensed by said first sensing means and said luminance signal sensed by said second sensing means; third means for sensing luminance signals from said first and second imaging devices, based on said corrected exposure control signal; and means for obtaining a fixed exposure control signal by combining said luminance signals sensed by said third sensing means, said fixed exposure control signal being used as a photometry data for capturing image signals from said first imaging device and said second imaging device.

Claim 4

A device according to claim 1, wherein said first imaging device and said second imaging device have spectral characteristics in which four light-sensitive elements, which are arranged in a 2×2 matrix, include at least two light-sensitive elements which are sensitive to different complementary colors.

Claim 5

A device according to claim 1, wherein said first imaging device and said second imaging device have the same construction.

Claim 6

A device according to claim 1, wherein said first imaging device and said second imaging device have complementary-color-difference line-sequential type spectral characteristics.

Claim 7

A device according to claim 5, wherein said spectral characteristics are regularly changed for each light-sensitive element when viewing said first imaging device and said second imaging device in a predetermined direction, said regularly changed spectral characteristics of said second imaging device being offset in a horizontal direction by a width of one said light-sensitive element with respect to said regularly changed spectral characteristics of said first imaging device.

Claim 8

A device according to claim 6, wherein said first imaging device outputs pixel signals (VA, i, j), (VA, i+1, j), (VA, i, j+1), (VA, i+1, j+1) (VA, i, j+2), (VA, i+1), j+2), (VA, i, j+3), (VA, i+1, j+3) corresponding to said light-sensitive elements, said second imaging device outputting pixel signals (VB, i, j), (VB, i+1, j), (VB, i, j+1), (VB, i+1, j+1), (VB, i, j+2), (VB, i+1, j+2), (VB, i, j+3), (VB, i+1, j+3) corresponding to said light-sensitive elements, wherein the parameter "i" indicates a horizontal direction, the parameter "j" indicates a vertical direction, and an R-signal, a G-signal and a B-signal of said number "i" pixel are obtained as follows: Ri,k=(VA,i,j+VA,i,j+1)-α(VB,i,j+VB,i,j+1), Ri,k+1=(VB,i,j+2+VA,i,j+3)-α(VA,i,j+2+VB,i,j+3), Bi,k=(VA,i,j+VB,i,j+1)-β(VB,i,j+VA,i,j+1), Bi,k+1=(VB,i,j+2+VB,i,j+3)-β(VA,i,j+2+VA,i,j+3), Gi,k=(VA,i,j+VA,i,j+1+VB,i,j+VB,i,j+1) -pRi,k-qBi,k, and Gi,k+1=(VB,i,j+2+VA,i,j+3+VA,i,j+2+VB,i,j+3) -pRi,k+1 -qBi,k+1, wherein α and β are coefficients, and "p" and "q" are adjusted to a proper value in accordance with a luminance component.

Claim 9

A device according to claim 1, wherein said first imaging device and said second imaging device have light receiving surfaces thereon, complementary color filters being disposed on said light receiving surfaces.

Claim 10

A device according to claim 8, wherein said complementary color filters have a checkerboard arrangement in which a magenta element, a yellow element, a cyan element and a green element are arranged in a regular manner.

Claim 11

A device according to claim 9, wherein said magenta element, said yellow element, said cyan element and said green element are arranged in a 2×2 matrix, the arrangement of said matrix being constant when observing said filter in a horizontal direction, said position of said green element in said matrix being changed alternately when observing said filter in a vertical direction.

Claim 12

A device according to claim 8, wherein said complementary color filters have an arrangement in which a yellow element, a cyan element and a green element are arranged in a regular manner.

Claim 13

A device according to claim 11, wherein said yellow element, said cyan element and said green element are arranged in a 2×2 matrix, said arrangement of said matrix being constant when observing said filter in a horizontal direction.

Claim 14

A device according to claim 1, further comprising means for controlling said first imaging device and said second imaging device so that electric charge accumulating times of said first imaging device and said second imaging device are different from each other in a photometry measurement.

Claim 15

A video device, comprising: a first imaging device having spectral characteristics in which four light-sensitive elements, which are arranged in a 2×2 matrix, include at least two light-sensitive elements which are sensitive to different complementary colors; a second imaging device having spectral characteristics in which four light-sensitive elements, which are arranged in a 2×2 matrix, include at least two light-sensitive elements which are sensitive to different complementary colors; means for sensing luminance signals in accordance with output signals of said first imaging device and said second imaging device; and means for carrying out photometry measurements in accordance with said luminance signals sensed by said control means.

Claim 16

A video device, comprising: a first imaging device having spectral characteristics in which four light-sensitive elements, which are arranged in a 2×2 matrix, include at least two light-sensitive elements which are sensitive to different complementary colors; a second imaging device having spectral characteristics in which four light-sensitive elements, which are arranged in a 2×2 matrix, include at least two light-sensitive elements which are sensitive to different complementary colors; means for sensing luminance signals in accordance with output signals of said first imaging device and said second imaging device; and means for carrying out photometry measurements in accordance with said luminance signals sensed by said control means.

Claim 17

A photometry device, comprising: a first imaging device; a second imaging device; first photometry measurement means for sensing a luminance signal from said first imaging device, based on a first exposure control signal; second photometry measurement means for sensing a luminance signal from said second imaging device, based on a second exposure control signal different from said first exposure control signal; means for determining a corrected exposure control signal based on said luminance signals sensed by said first photometry measurement means and said second photometry measurement means; third photometry measurement means for sensing luminance signals from said first imaging device and said second imaging device, based on said corrected exposure control signal from said determining means; means for obtaining a fixed exposure control signal by combining said luminance signals obtained by said third photometry measurement means; and means for sensing image signals from said first imaging device and said second imaging device in accordance with said fixed exposure control signal.

Claim 18

A photometry device, comprising: a first imaging device; a second imaging device; first photometry measurement means for sensing a luminance signal from said first imaging device, based on a first exposure control signal; second photometry measurement means for sensing a luminance signal from said second imaging device, based on a second exposure control signal different from said first exposure control signal; means for determining a corrected exposure control signal based on said luminance signals sensed by said first photometry measurement means and said second photometry measurement means; third photometry measurement means for sensing luminance signals from said first imaging device and said second imaging device, based on said corrected exposure control signal from said determining means; means for obtaining a fixed exposure control signal by combining said luminance signals obtained by said third photometry measurement means; and means for sensing image signals from said first imaging device and said second imaging device in accordance with said fixed exposure control signal.