Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Panasonic Corporation

Tadami Mine

Yasushi Fukushima

Ryoji Asada

Tadayuki Inoue

Shoji Nishikawa

Noriaki Wada

An imaging apparatus that removes horizontal bands of high-luminance noise caused by incoming flash light and outputs an image whose continuity as a moving picture is maintained. The imaging apparatus includes: an imaging unit that drives an image sensor at a frame rate n times a predetermined video format and outputs an n time-speed image signal; a flashing light detection unit; an average computation unit; and a speed conversion unit. When flashing light is detected, frames containing flashing light are removed from the image signal outputted by the imaging unit, and the average of the remaining frames is calculated, thereby obtaining an average image signal. When flashing light has not been detected, the average of n frames is calculated without removing frames, thereby obtaining an average image signal. The average image signal is converted to 1/n speed and outputted in the predetermined video format.

Imaging apparatus, imaging method, storage medium, and integrated circuit for removing images influenced by flashing light

An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit having a discrete pixel structure that outputs directly signals of respective M sample points corresponding to M pixels per single frame for normal imaging and imaging at a first frame rate. The imaging unit adds signals of respective N pixels out of M pixels per single frame and outputs signals of M/N sample points (M and N are integers equal to or greater than 2) at each frame for high-speed imaging and imaging at a second frame rate greater than the first frame rate. An operation unit outputs directly output signals from the imaging unit for normal imaging and performs interpolation operations on the output signals from the imaging unit for interpolating signals of the (N&#x2212;1) sample points between respective sample points to output interpolated signals of the M sample points for high-speed imaging.

Imaging apparatus adapted to perform normal imaging and high-speed imaging

A stable charge coupled device (CCD) imaging apparatus operable in multiple frame rates for displaying a signal having a low frame rate in a viewfinder (VF), and also a recorder built-in type imaging apparatus using the CCD imaging apparatus are presented. The imaging apparatus includes a drive pulse switching circuit for multiplying a CCD drive pulse other than a CCD read pulse by (n/2) (where n is an arbitrary integer) when the multi-frame rate is low, a frame memory for storing an output signal of the CCD of one frame right after pulse output. The signal is read at every (n/2) frames. The frame memory repeats to read out the stored signal in one frame (n/2) times. The imaging apparatus further includes a camera signal processing circuit for performing a camera process to an output signal of the frame memory, and a recorder unit for recording an output signal of the camera signal processing circuit at the frame rate of the set mode. As a result, even at a low frame rate, the apparatus displays a signal in the VF. And with a properly-selected value of n, the apparatus conducts a signal having various frame rate between a camera and the recorder at a common frame rate.

CCD imaging apparatus applicable to a multi-frame rate image system

A noise reduction circuit with high noise reduction effect and low power consumption for a high resolution charge coupled device (CCD) as well as for a usual resolution CCD is provided. A delay circuit delays an CCD output signal, and a pulse generator outputs a pulse signal having the same period that the CCD output signal has. A part of period during which the pulse signal is at a high level overlaps with a signal-level period oh the CCD output signal. A first non-additive mixing (NAM) circuit selects and output a lower level signal between the CCD output signal and the pulse signal. A second NAM circuit selects and outputs a lower level signal between the output signal from the delay circuit and the pulse signal. A difference circuit calculates difference between an output signal of the first NAM circuit and an output signal of the second NAM circuit. A delay time of the delay circuit is set so that a feedthrough-level period of an output signal of the delay circuit overlaps with a signal-level period of the CCD output signal.

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Osaka, Japan

Tadami Mine