U.S. Philips Corporation

Petrus G Centen

Pieter P Brouwer

Marinus C Van Buul

Holger Stoldt

Albert J Theuwissen

Gregory E Pine

Franciscus P Van De Weegen

It is known to adjust the width/height ratio (aspect ratio) in charge coupled imaging devices in that a number of columns may or may not be used on either side of the imaging matrix. It is possible in this manner, for example, to reduce the aspect ratio to 4/3 starting from a device with an aspect ratio of 16/9 corresponding to a widescreen TV. Practice has shown that this reduction in the width impairs the quality of the imaging device in the 4/3 mode. According to an aspect of the invention, an FT device with an aspect ratio of 4/3 is used and operated as a 4-phase CCD in the 4/3 mode. To obtain the 16/9 aspect ratio, the height of the device is reduced in that selected lines are not used. For this purpose, the sensor matrix is operated as a 3-phase CCD, whereby the number of lines in vertical direction is increased. The aspect ratio surprisingly becomes substantially equal to 16/9, while the width remains the same and the number of lines in the vertical direction is constant, in that the excess lines are not used as video information. To operate the sensor matrix A as a 3-phase as well as a 4-phase CCD, the electrodes are interconnected by clock lines in the manner of a 12-phase CCD.

Charge coupled imaging device having an adjustable aspect ratio and

In a camera including an image sensor (4R, 4G, 4B) having a sampling frequency (fs), and an optical low-pass filter arrangement arranged in an optical path with the image sensor (4R, 4G, 4B), the optical low-pass filter arrangement comprises a first birefringent optical filter element having a frequency response with a frequency trap point at the sampling frequency (fs) of the image sensor (4R, 4G, 4B), and a second birefringent optical filter element having a frequency response with a first frequency trap point at two thirds of the sampling frequency (fs) of the image sensor (4R, 4G, 4B), and a second frequency trap point at twice the sampling frequency (fs) of the image sensor (4R, 4G, 4B).

Optical low-pass filtering

In a sampling circuit including a first main terminal (P) and a series coupling of a hold capacitor (C2) and a sampling switch (S2) between the first main terminal (P) and a second main terminal (E), a parallel circuit (L2, R4) of a coil and a resistor (L2) is coupled in series with the sampling switch (S2) and the hold capacitor (C2), whereby the combination of the coil (L2), the resistor (R4) and the hold capacitor (C2) generate an excitation within a time period in which the sampling switch (S2) is conductive.

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Breda, Netherlands

Petrus G Centen