The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Mar. 13, 2007

Filed:

Jul. 18, 2003
Applicants:

Hitoshi Yamashita, Asaka, JP;

Naoki Kubo, Asaka, JP;

Keizou Uchioke, Asaka, JP;

Inventors:

Hitoshi Yamashita, Asaka, JP;

Naoki Kubo, Asaka, JP;

Keizou Uchioke, Asaka, JP;

Assignee:
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H04N 5/238 (2006.01); H04N 5/235 (2006.01); H04N 5/335 (2006.01); H04N 3/14 (2006.01); H01L 31/062 (2006.01); H01L 27/00 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract

A solid-state image pickup apparatus includes a timing signal generator for generating timing signals. Particular gates formed in each of photosensitive cells arranged in an image pickup section are driven independently or simultaneously in response to the timing signals. In an independent drive mode, outputs each having particular sensitivity are obtained from the different photosensitive regions of the individual cell by one time of exposure, covering a range of sensitivity as broad as one achievable with repeated photometry. This reduces the number of times of photometry for determining adequate exposure. In a simultaneous drive mode, outputs are produced in the usual manner. An exposure value calculator converts the resulting image signals to values having a predetermined format while an exposure parameter determining section determines exposure parameters if those values are adequate.


Find Patent Forward Citations

Loading…