Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Panasonic Corporation

Masaaki Nakayama

Takashi Sakaguchi

Hiroya Kusaka

Kenji Maeda

Yasutoshi Yamamoto

Shinobu Fusa

Shigeo Sakaue

Yoshinori Kitamura

Ichiro Kitao

Takeshi Hamasaki

Masayuki Yoneyama

Kaoru Mokunaka

Kenji Tamura

Hiromichi Tanaka

Koichi Toyomura

Tomoaki Tsutsumi

Masayuki Serizawa

Shougo Sasaki

Masaki Kariya

Fuminori Shibuya

Kohichi Toyomura

Kikuo Kobayashi

Atsuto Kanazawa

Yuichirou Takahashi

Takashi Watari

In an image pickup apparatus of the present invention, a CCDin which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a two-dimensional array, thereof the number of effective horizontal pixels is H and the number of effective vertical pixels is V; a aspect switching operatorthat sets one of a plurality of aspect modes including a first aspect mode and a second aspect mode; an image processorthat generates first image data for recording in the first aspect mode, and generates second image data for recording in the second aspect mode, wherein the first image data for recording is generated using image data that is generated with pixels being Hhorizontal pixels by Vvertical pixels included in the pixels on the CCDor image data that is obtained by subjecting said image data to predetermined processing, the second image data for recording is generated using image data that is generated with pixels being Hhorizontal pixels by Vvertical pixels included in the pixels on the solid-state imaging device or image data that is obtained by subjecting said image data to predetermined processing, and the first image data for recording and the second image data for recording satisfy the following relationships: H&#x3c;H&#x2266;H, and V&#x3c;V&#x2266;V. Thus, it is possible to make the sizes or qualities of sets of image data for recording close to each other even if they have different aspect modes.

Image pickup apparatus, solid-state imaging device, and image generating method

An imaging apparatus has an optical zoom function, with which the image imaged on the imaging device (CCD) is enlarged and reduced by moving an optical system, and an electronic zoom function, with which the image data generated by the imaging device is electronically enlarged and reduced. In an imaging mode (pixel-number conversion mode) in which the image generated by the imaging device is recorded with the number of pixels lower than that of the imaging device, the imaging apparatus performs control so that only the electronic zoom is actuated when a total zoom magnification is not more than a predetermined value.

Imaging apparatus having optical zoom and electronic zoom functions

An imaging apparatus capable of performing image conversion such as white balance with a simple operation to obtain image data suited to user's preference, includes an imaging section, an image divider, a calculator, and an image converter. The imaging section images a subject to generate image data. The image divider divides a whole region of the generated image data into plural regions, and outputs first data including data in at least one of the divided regions and second data including data in at least one of other divided regions. The calculator calculates a first set value (for example, for correcting white balance of the image data) based on the first data, and a second set value based on the second data. The image converter generates first converted image data (for example, with corrected white balance) based on the first set value, and generates second converted image data based on the second set value.

Imaging apparatus and image data conversion method

An inter-line CCD(IT-CCD) capable of reading signals in two read modes, a field read mode and a frame read mode, is used to control, by a system control means, a CCD exposure and a signal read mode, a short-time exposure signal(Short signal) acquires an image by a field read and a long-time exposure signal(Long signal) acquires an image by a frame read, and these two images are synthesized by a signal synthesizing means to expand a dynamic range.

Solid-state imaging device for enlargement of dynamic range

A video apparatus with image memory function has a memory of three ports (one for write, two for read), memory read control units corresponding to two independent read ports and adapted to read a desired area (first area) from a first read port and an area (second area) which contains the first area and is wider than the first area from a second read port, and a memory write control unit. With this construction, an input video signal is written to the memory, starting with a write head address designated by the memory write control unit, the first and second fields to be read during the next field are determined during the period of vertical blanking, a next write head address is determined to be after the first area, and a signal of the first area is delivered as an output video signal.

Video apparatus with image memory function

A video camera which comprises a progressive scanning CCD, a camera signal processing part for converting an output from the progressive scanning CCD to a video signal adaptive to video display, and a driving means for driving the progressive scanning CCD, and which enables to enlarge dynamic range by synthesizing a first signal obtained by exposure during a first predetermined time and a second signal obtained by exposure during a predetermined time after the exposure time of the first signal by means of the progressive scanning CCD to enlarge luminance gradation characteristics on appearance further includes at least a separating portion for separating the first signal and the second signal which are output from the progressive scanning CCD at different timings, a signal synthesizing portion for synthesizing the first signal and the second signal to produce a synthesized signal, and a delay portion for receiving the first signal output from the separating portion and for delaying the first signal by a predetermined time so that the second signal and the first signal are simultaneously input to the signal synthesizing portion.

Video camera with progressive scanning and dynamic range enlarging modes

A color image pickup apparatus includes a photo-to-electric conversion section subjected to progressive scanning. A first delay circuit defers an output signal of the photo-to-electric conversion section. A first adder combines the output signal of the photo-to-electric conversion section and an output signal of the first delay circuit. A second delay circuit defers the output signal of the first delay circuit. A second adder combines the output signal of the photo-to-electric conversion section and an output signal of the second delay circuit. A third delay circuit defers an output signal of the first adder. A first subtracter implements subtraction between the output signal of the first adder and an output signal of the third delay circuit. A fourth delay circuit defers an output signal of the second adder. A second subtracter implements subtraction between the output signal of the second adder and an output signal of the fourth delay circuit. A first sign change circuit inverts a sign of an output signal of the first subtracter. A first selector periodically and alternately selects one of the output signal of the first subtracter and an output signal of the first sign change circuit. A second sign change circuit inverts a sign of an output signal of the second subtracter. A second selector periodically and alternately selects one of the output signal of the second subtracter and an output signal of the second sign change circuit. Two different color-difference signals are generated in response to an output signal of the first selector and an output signal of the second selector.

Color image pickup apparatus for progressive scanning video signal

An image mixing circuit usable in a video camera for mixing images with a continuous gradation characteristic in both the luminance signal and color signal is provided according to the present invention. A color separation circuit separates plural image signals into plural luminance signal components and plural color signal components. A control signal generation circuit then generates the control signal needed for image synthesis from the plural image signals. A luminance signal mixing circuit and a color signal mixing circuit then separately mix the respective luminance signal components and color signal components according to the control signal.

Image mixing circuit

An exposure adjustment apparatus determines, based on the level of a signal of an object converted by a solid state image sensing device, whether the exposure time or the gain is to be decreased, increased or maintained, and controls the gain of an amplifier and the drive pulse to be generated by a drive pulse generator. Thereby, the output signal level is adjusted by controlling only the exposure time of the solid state image sensing device and the gain of the video signal resulting in a compact and vibration-resistant exposure control system which is inexpensive.

Exposure control system controlling a solid state image sensing device

In an image pickup apparatus with a horizontal line interpolation function having a plurality of solid state image pickup elements, three chrominance signals obtained from the plurality of solid state image pickup elements are shifted in vertical phase from one another, whereby when a horizontal interpolation line is synthesized, in the case where the interpolated video signal is viewed as a whole of three chrominance signals (e.g. when a luminance signal synthesized from G, R, and B signals by matrix operation is considered), deterioration in vertical frequency response characteristic can be reduced, and besides deterioration in vertical sharpness of an image can be reduced. Further, by combining a frame signal in a pseudo fashion, a high-quality frame still image can be formed.

Image pickup apparatus with horizontal line interpolation function

An imaging apparatus for focusing a light onto an image to generate an electric signal representing thus focused light image with a broader dynamic range includes an image pickup device, an image pickup device controller, and an accumulating charge selector. The image pickup device control controller controls an amount of electric charge that image pickup device can accumulate therein. The accumulating charge selector switches the image pickup deice to a first accumulative electric charge amount level and to a second accumulative electric charge amount level greater than said first accumulative electric charge amount level within said imaging period.

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Hirakata, Japan

Masaaki Nakayama