US5606366A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Image sensor driving apparatus wherein photoelectric conversion operations are performed a plurality of times
Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1993-09-22
•
Granted: 1997-02-25
•
Expires: 2013-09-22
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for driving a solid-state image sensor includes a sensor portion for performing a photoelectric conversion, a vertical transfer register for reading information from the sensor portion, a memory for storing information from the vertical transfer register, and an eliminating unit for eliminating information from the sensor portion, wherein the information in the sensor portion is eliminated by the eliminating unit intermittently two or more times in one field interval, whereby information storage time is controlled. In one field interval, operation of the eliminating unit is performed successively every time T 2 after time T 1 from a vertical synchronizing signal, the information from the sensor portion is read in the vertical shift register successively, at every operation of the eliminating unit, a time T 3 after the end of this operation, and the first time T 1 , second time T 2 and third time T 3 are controlled so as to vary independently or in association, whereby virtual storage time of the sensor portion in one field interval is controlled.
Inventors
- 👤 Teruo Hieda
- 👤 Kenji Kyuma
- 👤 Kan Takaiwa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 22:14
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N25/00; H04N25/70; H04N25/71; H04N23/00; H04N23/70; H04N23/73
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
An image sensing apparatus comprising: storage means for performing a plural number of storage operations in one field period at spaced intervals following a first storage operation; and mode selecting means for selecting an operating mode of said storage means, wherein said storage means performs a first plural number of storage operations when said mode selecting means selects a first operating mode of said storage means and said storage means performs a second plural number of storage operations when said mode selecting means selects a second operating mode of said storage means, said second plural number being different from said first plural number, the sum total storage time in said first mode being the same as the sum total storage time in the second mode.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
125 words
An image sensing apparatus comprising: storage means for performing a plural number of storage operations in one field period at spaced intervals following a first storage operation; and mode selecting means for selecting an operating mode of said storage means, wherein said storage means performs a first plural number of storage operations when said mode selecting means selects a first operating mode of said storage means and said storage means performs a second plural number of storage operations when said mode selecting means selects a second operating mode of said storage means, said second plural number being different from said first plural number, the sum total storage time in said first mode being the same as the sum total storage time in the second mode.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
128 words
A drive apparatus, for an image sensor, comprising: storage means for performing a plural number of storage operations in one field period at spaced intervals following a first storage operation; and mode selecting means for selecting an operating mode of said storage means, wherein said storage means performs a first plural number of storage operations when said mode selecting means selects a first operating mode of said storage means and said storage means performs a second plural number of storage operations when said mode selecting means selects a second operating mode of said storage means, said second plural number being different from said first plural number, the sum total storage time in said first mode being the same as the sum total storage time in the second mode.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
128 words
A drive apparatus, for an image sensor, comprising: storage means for performing a plural number of storage operations in one field period at spaced intervals following a first storage operation; and mode selecting means for selecting an operating mode of said storage means, wherein said storage means performs a first plural number of storage operations when said mode selecting means selects a first operating mode of said storage means and said storage means performs a second plural number of storage operations when said mode selecting means selects a second operating mode of said storage means, said second plural number being different from said first plural number, the sum total storage time in said first mode being the same as the sum total storage time in the second mode.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
79 words
An image pickup apparatus comprising: image sensing means for intermittently accumulating a photoelectrical signal for a predetermined time period and at a predetermined pitch in one field period; adding means for adding photoelectrical signals accumulated at different timings, and for producing a sum signal for a predetermined sum total storage time period; and control means for changing at least a width of each of the accumulations of the photoelectrical signals while keeping constant said predetermined sum total storage time.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
79 words
An image pickup apparatus comprising: image sensing means for intermittently accumulating a photoelectrical signal for a predetermined time period and at a predetermined pitch in one field period; adding means for adding photoelectrical signals accumulated at different timings, and for producing a sum signal for a predetermined sum total storage time period; and control means for changing at least a width of each of the accumulations of the photoelectrical signals while keeping constant said predetermined sum total storage time.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said image sensing means intermittently accumulates a photoelectrical signal within a field.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said control means controls each intermittent accumulation period in said image sensing means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
76 words
An image pickup apparatus comprising: image sensing means for carrying out a plurality of intermittent accumulating operations to produce a plurality of photoelectric signals in one field period; adding means for adding said plurality of photoelectric signals produced by said plurality of intermittent accumulating operations; and control means for changing at least a width of each of said plurality of intermittent accumulating operations while keeping constant a sum total storage time of said image sensing means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
76 words
An image pickup apparatus comprising: image sensing means for carrying out a plurality of intermittent accumulating operations to produce a plurality of photoelectric signals in one field period; adding means for adding said plurality of photoelectric signals produced by said plurality of intermittent accumulating operations; and control means for changing at least a width of each of said plurality of intermittent accumulating operations while keeping constant a sum total storage time of said image sensing means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said control means changes the widths of said plurality of intermittent accumulations.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said control means changes time durations of each of said plurality of intermittent accumulations.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said control means changes the frequency of said plurality of intermittent accumulations.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
78 words
An image pickup apparatus comprising: image sensing means for carrying out a plurality of intermittent accumulating operations to produce a plurality of photoelectric signals in one field period; adding means for adding said plurality of photoelectric signals produced by said plurality of intermittent accumulating operations to produce an added signal; and control means for changing a frequency and a width of said plurality of intermittent accumulating operations while keeping constant a sum total level of said added signal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
78 words
An image pickup apparatus comprising: image sensing means for carrying out a plurality of intermittent accumulating operations to produce a plurality of photoelectric signals in one field period; adding means for adding said plurality of photoelectric signals produced by said plurality of intermittent accumulating operations to produce an added signal; and control means for changing a frequency and a width of said plurality of intermittent accumulating operations while keeping constant a sum total level of said added signal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said control means changes the widths of said plurality of intermittent accumulations.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said control changes a time duration of each of said plurality of intermittent accumulations.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said control means changes the frequency of said plurality of intermittent accumulations.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
73 words
An image pickup apparatus comprising: image sensing means for carrying out a plurality of intermittent accumulating operations to produce a plurality of photoelectric signals in one field; adding means for adding said plurality of photoelectric signals produced by said plurality of intermittent accumulating operations; and control means for changing at least a pitch of said plurality of intermittent accumulating operations while keeping constant a sum total storage time of said image sensing means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
73 words
An image pickup apparatus comprising: image sensing means for carrying out a plurality of intermittent accumulating operations to produce a plurality of photoelectric signals in one field; adding means for adding said plurality of photoelectric signals produced by said plurality of intermittent accumulating operations; and control means for changing at least a pitch of said plurality of intermittent accumulating operations while keeping constant a sum total storage time of said image sensing means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said control means changes the widths of each of said plurality of intermittent accumulations.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said control means changes a time duration of each of said plurality of intermittent accumulations.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said control means changes a number of times of said plurality of intermittent operations.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
GB200509A
Cited
GB2160060A
Cited
US4686572A
Cited
US4782394A
Cited
FR2608341A1
Cited
US4901152A
Cited
JPH01165270A
Cited
JPH01176173A
Cited
US5044000A
Cited
JPH02142183A
Cited
US4984002A
Cited
US5258845A
Cited
US5040070A
Cited
US5159457A
Cited
EP0476936A2
Cited
US5233428A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-02-25 | 2000-08-26 | 2001-02-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-02-25 | 2004-08-26 | 2005-02-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-02-25 | 2008-08-26 | 2009-02-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |