摘要:
A solid state image sensor comprising a matrix of photosensitive elements adapted to accumulate signal charges corresponding to at least two different aspect ratios, a plurality of vertical shift registers disposed adjacent to columns of the photosensitive elements for a vertical transfer of the signal charges and a plurality of horizontal shift registers corresponding to the respective aspect ratios and disposed in parallel with each other for a horizontal transfer of the signal charges from the vertical shift registers. As a horizontal shift register exclusive to each aspect ratio is provided in the above manner, it is no longer necessary to superimpose the signal outputs of a plurality of buffer amplifiers so that a picture signal corresponding to the desired aspect ratio can be easily read out.
摘要:
The solid state image sensor of the invention comprises a plurality of photosensitive elements arranged in a matrix form, a vertical shift register disposed adjacent each column of the photosensitive elements and adapted to vertically transfer signal charges read from the corresponding photosensitive elements, a storage region for storing signal charges transferred by the vertical shift register and a horizontal shift register adapted to horizontally transfer signal charges read from the storage region, the above vertical shift register comprising units of 2n (n is a positive integer of not less than 3) transfer electrodes which are respectively independent.
摘要:
A drive unit 120 sets a saturation amount in a read period in which charges generated in pixels are read to vertical CCDs to be lower in a combination mode than in an individual mode (see Vsub in count values 22 to 24 in FIG. 6). As a result, excess charges in the pixels are drained to an n-type substrate 11. The drive unit 120 also sets an accumulation period to be shorter in combination mode than in individual mode (see Vsub in each mode in FIG. 6).
摘要:
A driving method is applied to a solid-state imaging apparatus having photoelectric conversion portions, transfer portion for reading out signal charges, and an excess charge draining portion for draining charges exceeding a saturation charge amount that is set by a reference voltage. One of driving modes is selected from a full pixel mode in which accumulated signal charges are detected individually for each pixel and a pixel mixing mode in which signal charges of a predetermined number of pixels are mixed to be detected. In the full pixel mode, the draining portion is supplied with the reference voltage having the same value during a charge accumulation period and a read transfer period for read transferring charges. In the pixel mixing mode, the draining portion is supplied with the reference voltage having a low level during the charge accumulation period and the reference voltage having a high level during the read transfer period. An appropriate driving for the pixel mixing mode can be performed by avoiding a limitation of a substrate voltage, without deteriorating the spectral characteristics, the sensitivity, nor the linearity.
摘要:
An imaging apparatus includes: a lens; a solid-state imaging device having, on its top surface, an imaging area in which pixels for converting incident light to a signal are arranged in rows and columns, a vertical scanning circuit located adjacent to the imaging area in a row direction, a peripheral circuit for processing the signal read from the imaging area, and a plurality of terminals; and a prism placed directly on the imaging area for leading the incident light to the imaging area. Light exposure is adjusted by varying brightness of light output from a processor according to a magnitude of the signal output from the solid-state imaging device.
摘要:
In a CCD solid-state image pick-up device according to the present invention, a solid-state image pick-up circuit formed by a sensor part, a horizontal transfer register part and a floating diffusion amplifier converts a photo signal into a voltage signal and outputs the voltage signal, and a voltage-current conversion circuit converts the voltage signal output from the solid-state image pick-up circuit into a current signal. A current-driven black signal component detect/remove circuit then removes a black signal component from the current signal output from the CCD solid-state image pick-up device, and an image signal component alone is output as a current image signal. A current-voltage conversion circuit converts the current image signal into a voltage image signal.
摘要:
A solid state imaging device of the present invention comprises a solid state imaging element which includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arranged in a matrix. In the solid state imaging device of the present invention, a pixel mixture unit area includes q pixels (q is a natural number equal to or greater than 2) in the first direction of the solid state imaging element and p pixels (p is a natural number equal to or greater than 2) in the second direction that crosses the first direction. The solid state imaging device includes: means for performing a first-field pixel addition process of adding together electric charges of a plurality of pixels included in the plurality of pixel mixture unit areas and a second-field pixel addition process of adding together the electric charges of the plurality of pixels included in the plurality of pixel mixture unit areas based on a combination of the pixel mixture unit areas which is different from that of the first-field pixel addition process; and means for alternately outputting signals of the electric charges obtained in the first-field pixel addition process and second-field pixel addition process as signals for interlaced scanning.
摘要:
A row scanner selects an arbitrary row in an pixel array unit. Per-column AD converters separately convert voltage signals respectively outputted from a column of a plurality of unit pixels in the selected arbitrary row into digital signals. A column scanner sequentially outputs the digital signals by a column-scanning operation thereof. An AD conversion result adjuster judges whether or not the digital signals reach a predetermined judgment value or the status equivalent to the digital signals reaching the predetermined judgment value is generated, and fixes the digital signals to digital pixel values set in accordance with the predetermined judgment value when a result of the judgment is positive.
摘要:
A drive unit 120 sets a saturation amount in a read period in which charges generated in pixels are read to vertical CCDs to be lower in a combination mode than in an individual mode (see Vsub in count values 22 to 24 in FIG. 6). As a result, excess charges in the pixels are drained to an n-type substrate 11. The drive unit 120 also sets al accumulation period to be shorter in combination mode than in individual mode (see Vsub in each mode in FIG. 6).
摘要:
A solid-state image sensing element (1) has a main face provided with an imaging region (1a) in which unit pixels containing photoelectric conversion elements are formed in matrix. Peripheral circuit elements (3, 4) are configured to control imaging operation of the solid-state image sensing element (1) or to perform signal processing of an image output of the solid-state image sensing element (1). The imaging region (1a) is covered with a transparent material (2). The peripheral circuit elements (3, 4) are mounted to a region of the main face of the solid-state image sensing element (1) except for the imaging region (1a) such that main faces of the peripheral circuit elements (3, 4) face the main face of the solid-state image sensing element (1).