Sony Corporation

Toshiaki Isogawa

Mitsuru Sato

Joichi Sato

Ryuji Shiono

Shuji Shimizu

Tsutomu Niimura

Toshizumi Ando

Shingo Nakata

Kazuo Hashimoto

Yoshikazu Takahashi

Yusuke Nanjo

Yutaka Satoh

Toshitake Terada

Harumi Hirose

Yoshiki Takekawa

Tsutomu Nimura

Provided is an electronic view finder for use in a video camera apparatus that by making the relative position between an LCD and an ocular lens unit proper can decrease the rotatory polarization characteristic and can thereby enhance the contrast of the image. When a liquid crystal image screen surface has the characteristic of Viewing-Angle that this screen surface is seen with its contrast or brightness being different according to the direction in which to see the screen surface, the center of an eye-cup opening portion ( ) on the light emission side of an ocular lens unit ( ) is shifted from an optical axis ( ) of the ocular lens unit ( ). Thereby, an observer's eye is guided to a position detached from the position corresponding to the optical axis ( ) to see the liquid crystal image screen surface ( ) from an oblique direction. It has been thereby arranged to enable the liquid crystal image screen surface to be observed with an excellent contrast.

Electronic view finder apparatus

In an apparatus equipped with a display panel having displayed thereon an image of a video signal input thereto and a backlight for use for the display panel, there are provided a level-setting means ( ) for outputting a signal having a level corresponding to the adjusting level of brightness of the image displayed on the display panel, a thinning means ( ) for thinning a signal having a periodic waveform at every pseudo random period that has been set in correspondence with an output level of the level-setting means ( ), and a drive means ( ), (Q ) for generating a drive signal for driving the backlight based on an output signal of the thinning means ( ). With this construction, it is arranged to enable the maintenance of an excellent state of display of the image and to enable the adjustment of the brightness of the backlight to be performed over a wide range without generating any noises.

Method of driving backlight, circuit for driving backlight, and electronic apparatus

A storage device incorporating an electrically erasable read only memory (EEPROM) or other data storage device having a limited number of total times of rewriting, has its useful like extended by the method of storing a pointer corresponding to the capacity of the memory, which pointer identifies a start position in the data storage device at which rewriting is to occur, and incrementing the pointer sequentially with each writing of the data storage device. The method and associated apparatus may be used to maintain a record of on-time of electronic apparatus, and/or to maintain data for correcting the white balance of a video camera under various light conditions.

Sequential EEPROM writing apparatus which sequentially and repetitively

A light amount control apparatus including an iris (2) for adjusting an amount of a light from a lens (1) and supplying the adjusted light amount to a CCD element (3), an iris driving unit (9) for driving the iris (2), an iris position detecting unit (10) for detecting an aperture value of the iris (2), a shutter driving unit (8), and a microcomputer (11) for controlling the iris (2) through the shutter driving unit (8) and the iris driving unit (9). The aperture value of the iris (2) can be prevented from being increased after the position of the iris (2) detected by the iris position detecting unit (10) is located a little ahead of the position at which a diffraction phenomenon occurs. After the iris position detecting unit is located a little ahead of the position at which the diffraction phenomenon occurs, the aperture value of the iris (2) can be prevented from being increased. Therefore, when the cameraman takes a picture of bright scene, for example, even if the iris is closed considerably, the diffraction phenomenon can be prevented and a satisfactory shooting can be effected.

Arrangement for controlling an iris to regulate light in an optical

A video camera includes a solid state image pickup element for converting a light image radiated thereon from an object to be photographed into an electric signal. The element is also operated as a shutter for controlling an amount of light radiated thereon by being controlled in its storage time. The video camera further includes a unit for inputting data for setting a storage time of the image pickup element, and a unit connected to the data inputting unit for controlling the storage time of the element in response to the inputted set data gradually to the set data by changing the storage time by a predetermined storage time for the lapse of every predetermined time period.

Video camera

According to the present invention, in an image enhancer, an output of an outline extracting circuit is transmitted through a band limiting filter for suppressing bands other than an objective frequency band to be enhanced and, thereafter, it is supplied to a noise slicing circuit for eliminating micro amplitude noises. The noises near the cut-off frequency of the filter can be more effectively suppressed and the deterioration of the waveform characteristic of the outline enhancement signal due to the filter can be also improved.

Image enhancer which utilizes a lowpass filter after an outline

A video signal inverting circuit, wherein a pedestal level of an output signal is selectively changed between a posi-mode and a nega-mode. The pedestal level of the output video signal is set equal to the pedestal level of the posi-mode output video signal in the nega-mode in accordance with a nega-mode/posi-mode control signal. In spite of the nega-mode/posi-mode control signal, a level setting circuit for the posi-mode is used during horizontal blanking period in the nega-mode.

Video signal inverting circuit

A circuit for controlling the gain of an amplifier typically used in a video camera has a automatic gain control circuit to provide the camera output signal within predetermined limits and a switch to permit exclusion of the automatic gain control feature and the use of a manually variable gain control having a greater range and overlapping that of the automatic gain control to provide further flexibility to the user of the camera so that objects normally too bright or too dark to be accommodated within the range of the automatic gain control circuit can be recorded. Differential amplifiers operating in conjunction with current mirror circuits are provided in both the variable gain amplifier circuit and in the circuit that provides the gain control signal thereto to provide a gain control circuit that lends itself to integrated circuit fabrication.

Video camera gain control circuit

A circuit having a nonlinear response characteristic provides gamma compensation to a video luminance signal and matches any desired output response curve by selecting the number of diodes connected as series-connected circuits in the compensation circuit. The relationship among the various numbers of series-connected diodes is dependent upon having a current flowing into an output circuit which is the same as a current flowing out of a collector circuit of a differential amplifier, to which the input video luminance signal is applied, and through series-connected diode circuit. These currents are maintained equal by use of a current-mirror circuit, which provides an input current to an output transistor that has in its emitter circuit one of the series-connected diode circuits, and the compensated luminance signal flows in the collector circuit thereof. The differential amplifier is stabilized and balanced by a difference amplifier connected in feedback across the collector leads of the differential amplifier in conjunction with a pedestal clamping synchronization signal and a capacitor to provide a balancing signal at the base lead of the second transistor of the differential transistor amplifier.

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Kanagawa, Japan

Toshiaki Isogawa