JP4819528B2 - IMAGING DEVICE AND IMAGING DEVICE CONTROL METHOD - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus and a method for controlling the imaging apparatus, and is particularly suitable for use in an imaging apparatus including a solid-state imaging element having a photoelectric conversion element.

FIG. 7 schematically shows an exposure period of each frame in the case of performing image scaling by switching the drive mode in accordance with the electronic zoom magnification in a CMOS solid-state imaging device using a rolling electronic shutter. Mode A is a drive mode before switching the electronic zoom magnification, and mode B is a drive mode after switching the electronic zoom magnification. The length of the horizontal scanning period HD in mode A is l _A , and the length of the horizontal scanning period HD in mode B is l _B (l _B <l _A ).

  Frame N-1 is a frame shot during the driving period in mode A, and frame N + 1 is a frame shot during the driving period in mode B. Frame N is a frame taken when the drive mode is switched from mode A to mode B. Here, when the drive mode is switched from mode A to mode B, the electronic zoom magnification is reduced.

  Time t701 is the exposure start time of the pixel in the first row in the frame N-1, and time t702 is the exposure start time of the pixel in the Qth row (the last row of the readout area) in the frame N-1. Time t703 is the readout start time of the pixel in the first row in frame N-1, and time t704 is the readout start time in the Qth row in frame N-1. Time t704 is also the drive mode switching time.

  Similarly, the times t705 and t706 are the exposure start times of the pixels in the first row and the Qth row (the last row of the readout area) in the frame N, and the times t707 and t708 are the first row in the frame N, This is the readout start time of the pixels in the Qth row. Times t709 and t710 are exposure start times of the pixels in the first and Rth rows (the last row of the readout area) in the frame N + 1, and times t711 and t712 are the first and Rth rows in the frame N + 1. This is the readout start time of the eye pixel.

In frame N-1, exposure is sequentially started line by line from the first line to the Qth line in the period from time t701 to time t702. The charges accumulated in the pixels of each line are sequentially read out row by row from the first row to the Q-th row in the period from time t703 to time t704. The exposure period of the pixels in each row in the frame N-1 is constant and T _N-1 .

In the frame N + 1, exposure is sequentially started for each row from the first row to the R-th row in a period from time t709 to time t710. The charges accumulated in the pixels of each line are sequentially read out row by row from the first row to the R-th row in the period from time t711 to time t712. The exposure period of the pixels in each row in the frame N + 1 is constant and T _{N + 1} (T _N-1 = T _{N + 1} ).

In the frame N, exposure is sequentially started line by line from the first line to the Qth line in the period from time t705 to time t706. The charges accumulated in the pixels on each line are sequentially read out row by row from the first row to the Q-th row in the period from time t707 to time t708. However, since the drive mode is switched at time t704 in this frame N, the time interval of the exposure start time of each row from the first row to the P-th row, and the (P + 1) -th row to the Q-th row (in the readout area) The time interval of the exposure start time of each line up to the last line) is different. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, some lines have an exposure period T _N and some lines have a period T ′ _N, and the exposure period varies depending on the line even within the same frame. End up.

Therefore, in the device described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-94142, when exposure is performed across the mode switching times, the exposure start times of all the rows are switched to match the exposure start times of the modes after switching. The exposure period of the entire frame is made constant. FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically showing the exposure period of each frame in the imaging apparatus described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-94142. Mode A is a drive mode before switching the electronic zoom magnification, and mode B is a drive mode after switching the electronic zoom magnification. The lengths of the horizontal scanning period HD in modes A and B are l _A and l _B (l _A > l _B ), respectively.

  Frames N-1 and N + 1 are frames shot during the driving period in modes A and B, respectively, and frame N is a frame shot when the driving mode is switched from mode A to mode B. Here, when the drive mode is switched from mode A to mode B, the electronic zoom magnification is reduced.

  Times t801 and t802 are exposure start times of the pixels in the first row and the Qth row (the last row of the readout area) in the frame N-1, and the times t803 and t804 are the first row in the frame N-1. , The readout start time of the pixels in the Q-th row. Time t804 is also the drive mode switching time. Times t805 and t806 are the exposure start times of the pixels in the first and Qth rows (the last row of the readout area) in the frame N, and the times t807 and t807 are the first and Qth rows in the frame N. This is the readout start time of the eye pixel. Times t809 and t810 are exposure start times of the pixels in the first and Rth rows (the last row of the readout area) in the frame N + 1, and times t811 and t812 are the first and Rth rows in the frame N + 1. This is the reading start time of the eye.

In frame N-1, exposure is sequentially started line by line from the first line to the Qth line in the period from time t801 to time t802. The charges accumulated in the pixels of each line are sequentially read out row by row from the first row to the Q-th row in the period from time t803 to time t804. The exposure period of the pixels in each row in the frame N-1 is constant and T _N-1 .

In frame N + 1, exposure is sequentially started for each row from the first row to the R-th row in the period from time t809 to time t810. The charges accumulated in the pixels of each line are sequentially read out row by row from the first row to the R-th row in the period from time t811 to time t812. The exposure period of the pixels in each row in the frame N + 1 is constant and T _{N + 1} (T _N-1 = T _{N + 1} ).

In frame N, to allow the exposure start at the same intervals and time interval of the exposure start time of each line spacing for the frame N + 1, times T809, it determines the time t805 based from the required period T _X between t810 to time T806. At a time interval ΔT (= T _X / R) obtained from the required period T _X and the number of vertical lines R in the frame N + 1, exposure is started sequentially from the first line to the Q-th line from time t805. Then, the charges accumulated in the pixels of each line are sequentially read out row by row from the first row to the Qth row in the period from time t807 to time t808. At this time, the exposure period of the pixels from the first row to the Q-th row in the frame N becomes a certain period T _N.

JP 2005-94142 A

However, in the above conventional example, the exposure period of the pixels in the same frame is constant, but the exposure period differs between the frame that crosses the drive mode switching time and the frames before and after. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 8, the exposure period T _N in the frame N that crosses the drive mode switching time differs from the exposure periods T _N−1 and T _{N + 1 in} the frames N−1 and N + 1 before and after that. (T _N-1 = T _{N + 1} ≠ T _N ). For this reason, when the electronic zoom is used at the time of photographing, the photographed image is temporarily brightened or darkened before and after switching of the electronic zoom magnification (before and after switching of the driving mode), giving an unnatural impression to the user.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to prevent occurrence of flicker when switching drive modes and to obtain a good captured image.

An image pickup apparatus according to the present invention includes an image pickup unit in which a plurality of lines composed of a plurality of pixels are arranged, a drive unit that drives the image pickup unit to read out an image signal from the pixel, and the image pickup unit is configured by the drive unit. One of a first drive mode in which horizontal scan driving is performed in one horizontal scanning period and a second drive mode in which horizontal scanning driving is performed in a second horizontal scanning period having a length different from that of the first horizontal scanning period. When the exposure times of the drive mode switching means for switching and the image data of the first frame and the image data of the second frame continuously read from the imaging means are different, the image data of the first frame and the second frame Gain correction means for performing gain correction so as to suppress a difference in exposure time of image data, and exposure by drive mode switching instruction and exposure control by the drive mode switching means When a change instruction is given at the same time, control is performed so that the drive mode switching by the drive mode switching means is performed in the current frame, and exposure time change by the exposure control is performed in the next frame. And a control means.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling an imaging apparatus comprising: an imaging unit having a plurality of lines each including a plurality of pixels; and a driving unit that drives the imaging unit and reads an image signal from the pixels. In the control method, a first drive mode in which the image pickup unit is horizontally scanned by the drive unit in a first horizontal scan period, and a second horizontal scan period having a length different from that of the first horizontal scan period. When the driving mode switching step for switching to any one of the second driving modes for horizontal scanning driving at the same time and the exposure time of the image data of the first frame and the image data of the second frame continuously read from the imaging means are different A gain correction step for performing gain correction so as to suppress a difference in exposure time between the image data of the first frame and the image data of the second frame; and the drive mode When an instruction to switch the drive mode by the switching step and an instruction to change the exposure time by the exposure control are given at the same time, control is performed so that the drive mode is switched by the drive mode switching step in the current frame, and by the exposure control. And a control step for controlling the exposure time to be changed in the next frame.

  According to the present invention, the difference in the output level of the image data can be suppressed even if the exposure time is different. As a result, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of flicker when the drive mode is switched and obtain a good captured image.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of an imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a solid-state imaging device that uses a rolling electronic shutter as an electronic shutter. As a driving mode of the solid-state imaging device, there are a plurality of driving modes having different output sizes by pixel averaging and thinning, and the imaging device performs image scaling by appropriately switching the driving mode according to the electronic zoom magnification. It is possible to do.

  In FIG. 1, 401 is a lens unit (denoted as “lens”), 402 is a lens driving unit, 403 is a mechanical shutter (denoted as “mechanical shutter”), and 404 is a mechanical shutter driving unit (denoted as “shutter driving unit”). is there. Reference numeral 405 denotes a solid-state imaging device having the configuration shown in FIG. 2 described later, 406 denotes an imaging signal processing circuit, 407 denotes a timing generation unit, 408 denotes a memory unit, and 409 denotes an overall control calculation unit. Reference numeral 410 denotes a recording medium control interface unit (indicated as “recording medium control I / F unit”), 411 denotes a recording medium, 412 denotes an external interface unit (indicated as “external I / F unit”), 413 denotes a photometric unit, and 414 denotes A distance measuring unit.

  The subject image that has passed through the lens unit 401 is formed on the image sensor 405. The subject image formed on the image sensor 405 is taken in as an image signal and subjected to predetermined signal processing in the image signal processing circuit 406. The signal processing performed by the imaging signal processing circuit 406 includes image signal amplification, A / D conversion for converting an analog signal to a digital signal, various corrections for image data after A / D conversion, and image data. Compression.

  The lens unit 401 is driven and controlled by a lens driving unit 402 such as zoom, focus, and diaphragm. The mechanical shutter 403 is a shutter mechanism having only a curtain corresponding to the rear curtain of a focal plane type shutter used in a single-lens reflex camera, and is driven and controlled by a mechanical shutter drive unit 404.

  The timing generation unit 407 outputs various timing signals to the image sensor 405 and the image signal processing circuit 406. The overall control calculation unit 409 performs control of the entire imaging apparatus shown in FIG. 1 and various calculations. The memory 408 temporarily stores image data. The recording medium control interface unit 410 records or reads image data on the recording medium 411. The recording medium 411 is a detachable recording medium such as a semiconductor memory that can store image data. The external interface unit 412 is an interface for communicating with an external computer or the like. The photometry unit 413 detects the brightness information of the subject, and the distance measurement unit 414 detects the distance information to the subject.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the solid-state imaging device 405 illustrated in FIG. The solid-state image sensor 405 is a CMOS solid-state image sensor (CMOS image sensor), for example, and adopts an XY address type scanning method.

  A unit pixel 201 includes a photodiode (PD) 202, a transfer switch 203, a floating diffusion unit (FD) 204, an amplification MOS amplifier 205 that functions as a source follower, a selection switch 206, and a reset switch 207. Reference numeral 208 denotes a signal output line, 209 denotes a constant current source serving as a load of the amplification MOS amplifier 205, 210 denotes a selection switch, and 211 denotes an output amplifier. 212 is a vertical scanning circuit, 213 is a reading circuit, and 214 is a horizontal scanning circuit. In FIG. 2, for simplification of the drawing, the unit pixels 201 are only shown in 4 rows × 4 columns, but actually, a large number of unit pixels 201 are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix. .

  The unit pixel 201 converts light into charges in the PD 202, transfers the charges generated in the PD 202 by the transfer switch 203 based on the transfer pulse φTX, and temporarily accumulates them in the FD 204. The FD 204, the amplification MOS amplifier 205, and the constant current source 209 constitute a floating diffusion amplifier.

  Then, the signal charge of the unit pixel 201 is converted into a voltage by the selection switch 206 selected according to the selection pulse φSEL, and the voltage is output to the readout circuit 213 through the signal output line 208. Further, a signal output by the selection switch 210 driven by the horizontal scanning circuit 214 is selected and output to the outside of the image sensor 405 via the output amplifier 211.

  Here, the charge accumulated in the FD 204 is removed by the reset switch 207 controlled by the reset pulse φRES. In addition, the vertical scanning circuit 212 selects the transfer switch 203, the selection switch 206, and the reset switch 207. That is, the vertical scanning circuit 212 outputs a transfer pulse φTX, a selection pulse φSEL, and a reset pulse φRES that control the switches 203, 206, and 207, respectively.

  In FIG. 2, for each of the pulse signals φTX, φRES, and φSEL, each pulse signal applied to the nth scan row, for example, selected by the vertical scanning circuit 212 is represented by φTXn, φRESn with n as a subscript. , ΦSELn. The same applies to FIG. 4 described later.

  FIG. 3 shows a part of the color filter array used in the solid-state imaging device shown in FIG. The case where the first color filter is red (R), the second color filter is green (G), the third color filter is green (G), and the fourth color filter is blue (B) is shown. Yes. This array of color filter arrays is called a Bayer array among the primary color filter arrays, and is a color filter array having high resolution and excellent color reproducibility.

  Next, an operation sequence of the solid-state image sensor in the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a driving pulse and an operation sequence in the rolling electronic shutter operation according to the solid-state imaging device of the present embodiment. In order to simplify the description, FIG. 4 illustrates drive control for four rows from n rows to n + 3 rows selected by the vertical scanning circuit 212.

  In the n-th row of the solid-state imaging device, first, a reset pulse φRESn and a transfer pulse φTXn are applied during a period from time t501 to time t502. Accordingly, the transfer switch 203 and the reset switch 207 are turned on, and a reset operation is performed to remove unnecessary charges accumulated in the PD 202 and the FD 204 in each pixel 201 in the n-th row. Then, at time t502, the transfer switch 203 is turned off, and an accumulation operation for accumulating photoelectric charges generated in the PD 202 is started.

  Next, at time t504, during the period from time t504 to time t505, a transfer pulse φTXn is applied to turn on the transfer switch 203, whereby a transfer operation for transferring the photocharge accumulated in the PD 202 to the FD 204 is performed. Note that the reset switch 207 needs to be turned off prior to the transfer operation, and in the drive control shown in FIG. 4, the reset switch 207 in the n-th row is turned off simultaneously with the transfer switch 203 in the n-th row at time t502. Here, the accumulation time in the n-th row is from the reset operation end time t502 to the transfer operation start time t505.

  After the transfer operation of the n-th row is completed, the selection pulse φSELn is applied to turn on the selection switch 206, whereby the charge held in the FD 204 is converted into a voltage and output to the reading circuit 213. The signals temporarily held in the reading circuit 213 are sequentially output from the time scanning circuit 212 by the horizontal scanning circuit 212.

The time from the start of the transfer operation at time t504 to the end of the read operation at time t507 is T3Read, and the time from time t501 to time t503 is T3Wait.
The drive is similarly controlled in other rows, and the time from the start of the transfer operation to the end of the read operation is T3Read, and the time from the start of the reset operation of one row to the start of the reset operation of the next row is T3Wait. .

FIG. 5 is a diagram conceptually showing exposure time control in the imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 5, mode A is a driving mode of the imaging apparatus before switching the electronic zoom magnification, and mode B is a driving mode of the imaging apparatus after switching the electronic zoom magnification. The length of the horizontal scanning period HD in mode A is l _A , and the length of the horizontal scanning period HD in mode B is l _B (l _B <l _A ).

  The frame N-1 is a frame shot during the driving period in mode A, and the frame N + 1 is a frame shot during the driving period in mode B. Frame N is a frame shot when the drive mode of the imaging apparatus is switched from mode A to mode B. Here, when the drive mode is switched from mode A to mode B, the electronic zoom magnification is reduced.

  Time t101 is the exposure start time of the pixel in the first row in the frame N-1, and time t102 is the exposure start time of the pixel in the Qth row (the last row of the readout area) in the frame N-1. A time t103 is a reading start time of the pixel in the first row in the frame N-1, and a time t104 is a reading start time of the pixel in the Q row in the frame N-1. Time t104 is also a drive mode switching time in the imaging apparatus.

  Time t105 is the exposure start time of the pixel in the first row in frame N, and time t106 is the exposure start time of the pixel in the Qth row (last row of the readout area) in frame N. Time t107 is the readout start time of the pixels in the first row in frame N, and time t108 is the readout start time of the pixels in the Qth row in frame N.

  Time t109 is the exposure start time of the pixel in the first row in frame N + 1, and time t110 is the exposure start time of the pixel in the Rth row (the last row of the readout area) in frame N + 1. Time t111 is the readout start time of the pixels in the first row in frame N + 1, and time t112 is the readout start time of the pixels in the Rth row in frame N + 1.

In the frame N-1, exposure is sequentially started for each row from the first row to the Qth row in the period from time t101 to time t102. The charges accumulated in the pixels of each line are sequentially read out row by row from the first row to the Q-th row in the period from time t103 to time t104. At this time, the exposure period of the pixels in each row is constant and T _N−1 .

In the frame N + 1, exposure is sequentially started for each row from the first row to the R-th row in the period from time t109 to time t110. The charges accumulated in the pixels of each line are sequentially read out row by row from the first row to the R-th row in the period from time t111 to time t112. At this time, the exposure period of the pixels in each row is constant and T _{N + 1} (T _N−1 = T _{N + 1} ).

In frame N, to allow the exposure start at the same intervals and time interval of the exposure start time of each line spacing for the frame N + 1, on the basis of the duration T _X between the time point t109 to time t110 to time t106 time t105 To decide. From the determined time t105, the exposure is sequentially performed line by line from the first line to the Qth line at the time interval ΔT (= T _X / R) obtained from the required period T _X and the number of vertical lines R of the frame N + 1. Start. Then, the charges accumulated in the pixels of each line are sequentially read out row by row from the first row to the Q-th row in the period from time t107 to time t108. At this time, the exposure period from the first row to the Q-th row in the frame N becomes a constant value T _N.

For frame N, further, the overall control calculation unit 409 calculates the ratio of the exposure period T _{N + 1} in the exposure period T _N and frame N + 1 in the frame N to (T N _{+ 1} / T _N). Then, the imaging signal processing circuit 406 uses the gain G (= T _{N + 1} / T _N ) to compensate for the difference between the exposure periods T _N and T _{N + 1 in} the frames N and N + 1 as the output signal Y _N (x , Y). As a result, an output signal Y ′ _N (x, y) (= G × Y _N (x, y)) corrected based on the difference between the exposure periods T _N and T _{N + 1} is obtained. Here, x and y are integers satisfying 0 ≦ x <J and 0 ≦ y <Q, where J is the number of horizontal readout pixels in the frame N and Q is the number of vertical readout pixels in the frame N.

  According to the present embodiment, if the subject does not change between time t101 and time t112 shown in FIG. 5, the same output can be obtained for the frames N-1, N, and N + 1 by the imaging device. . That is, even in the frame N that crosses the switching time of the electronic zoom magnification (driving mode), the level corresponding to the exposure period in the preceding and subsequent frames N−1 and N + 1 is obtained by performing correction related to the difference in the exposure period on the image data. Output can be obtained. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a stable subject brightness by preventing the captured image from temporarily becoming bright or dark before and after the switching of the electronic zoom magnification, and it is possible to eliminate the occurrence of flickering in the captured image. Can be obtained.

  Further, FIG. 6 shows a driving method in the imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment when the change of the accumulation period by the switching of the driving mode and the exposure control is overlapped.

In FIG. 6, modes A and B are drive modes before and after switching the electronic zoom magnification, and the lengths of the horizontal scanning periods HD in modes A and B are l _A and l _B (l _A > l _{B, respectively).} ). Frames N−1 and N + 1 are frames that are captured during the drive periods in modes A and B, respectively, and frame N is a frame that is captured when switching from mode A to mode B.

  Times t601 and t602 are exposure start times of the pixels in the first row and the Qth row (the last row of the readout region) in the frame N-1, and the times t603 and t604 are the first exposure times in the frame N-1. This is the readout start time of the pixels in the rows and Qth rows. Time t604 is also the mode switching time from mode A to mode B. Times t605 and t606 are exposure start times of the pixels in the first row and the Qth row (the last row of the readout region) in the frame N, and times t607 and t608 are the first row and the second row in the frame N. This is the readout start time of the pixels in the Qth row. Times t609 and t610 are exposure start times of the pixels in the first row and the Rth row (the last row of the readout region) in the frame N + 1, and times t611 and t612 are the first row and the second row in the frame N + 1. This is the readout start time of the pixels in the R-th row.

When the commands relating to the switching of the drive mode and the change of the exposure period are simultaneously given to the imaging apparatus, in the frame N, in the frame N, the exposure start time interval between the rows in the frame N + 1 The exposure can be started at similar intervals. That is, to determine the time t605 based on the time t606 from the required period T _X between the time point t609 to time T610. From the time t605, exposure is sequentially started row by row from the first row to the Qth row at a time interval ΔT (= T _X / R) obtained from the required period T _X and the number of vertical lines R of the frame N + 1. . Then, the charges accumulated in the pixels of each line are sequentially read out row by row from the first row to the Q-th row in the period from time t607 to time t608.

Further, the overall control calculation unit 409 calculates the ratio (T _{N + 1} / T _N ) of the respective exposure periods T _N and T _{N + 1 in} the frames N and N + 1, and the imaging signal processing circuit 406 outputs the frame N. The signal Y _N (x, y) is multiplied by a gain G (= T _{N + 1} / T _N ) that compensates for the difference in exposure period. Then, an output signal Y ′ _N (x, y) (= G × Y _N (x, y)) subjected to correction according to the difference in exposure period is obtained. Here, x and y are integers satisfying 0 ≦ x <J and 0 ≦ y <Q, where J is the number of horizontal readout pixels in the frame N and Q is the number of vertical readout pixels in the frame N.

Thereafter, in the frame N + 1, the exposure period is changed by delaying or accelerating the readout operation started from the pixel readout start time t611 in the first row to the time t612 by the designated change amount Δt (= T _V ). As described above, after changing the driving mode, by changing the exposure period, as a result, the amount of computation performed by the overall control computation unit 409, the required computation speed required for the overall control computation unit 409, and the like. Performance can be suppressed, and a cost reduction effect can be expected.

In the above-described embodiment, the length l _A of the horizontal scanning period HD in mode _A and the length l B of the horizontal scanning period HD in mode _B are (l _A > l _B ), but (l _A < Even in the case of l _B ), the same method as described above can be applied. In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the electronic zoom magnification is reduced has been described. However, a similar method can be applied when the electronic zoom magnification is increased.
The case where the electronic zoom operation is performed has been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the above, and the following may be used.
In order to reduce power consumption, when continuously reading frame images, up to a certain frame image is sequentially reset for each predetermined line at a first period interval, and for each predetermined line at a first period interval. Read the photodiode signal. The subsequent frame images are sequentially reset for each predetermined line at a second period interval different from the first period interval, and are driven so as to read the photodiode signal for each predetermined line at the second period interval. change.

(Other embodiments of the present invention)
A program for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiment for a computer (CPU or MPU) in an apparatus connected to the various devices so as to operate various devices to realize the functions of the above-described embodiments. What is implemented by operating the various devices according to the program supplied and stored in the computer is also included in the scope of the present invention.
In this case, the software program itself realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the program itself constitutes the present invention. Further, means for supplying the program to the computer, for example, a recording medium storing the program constitutes the present invention. As a recording medium for storing such a program, for example, a flexible disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used.
Further, by executing the program supplied by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but the program is jointly operated with an OS (operating system) or other application software running on the computer. Needless to say, such a program is included in the embodiment of the present invention even when the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized.
Further, after the supplied program is stored in the memory provided in the function expansion board of the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, the CPU or the like provided in the function expansion board or function expansion unit based on the instructions of the program Needless to say, the present invention includes the case where the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized by performing part or all of the actual processing.

  The above-described embodiments are merely examples of implementation in carrying out the present invention, and the technical scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited thereto. That is, the present invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from the technical idea or the main features thereof.

It is a figure which shows the structural example of the imaging device by embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the solid-state image sensor in this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the color filter used for the solid-state image sensor in this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the drive pulse and operation | movement sequence at the time of the rolling electronic shutter operation | movement which concern on the solid-state image sensor in this embodiment. It is a figure which shows notionally exposure time control in the imaging device by this embodiment. It is a figure which shows notionally exposure time control in the imaging device by this embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the exposure period of the flame | frame at the time of drive mode switching in the conventional imaging device. It is a figure for demonstrating the exposure period of the flame | frame at the time of drive mode switching in the conventional imaging device.

Explanation of symbols

401 Lens unit 402 Lens drive unit 403 Mechanical shutter 404 Mechanical shutter drive unit 405 Solid-state imaging device 406 Imaging signal processing circuit 407 Timing generation unit 409 Overall control calculation unit

Claims (3)

An imaging means in which a plurality of lines composed of a plurality of pixels are arranged;
Driving means for driving the imaging means to read out image signals from the pixels;
A first driving mode in which the image pickup means is horizontally scanned and driven by the driving means in a first horizontal scanning period, and a second driving mode in which the length is different from the first horizontal scanning period and a second horizontal scanning period that is different from the first horizontal scanning period. Drive mode switching means for switching to one of the two drive modes;
The exposure time difference between the image data of the first frame and the image data of the second frame is suppressed when the exposure time of the image data of the first frame and the image data of the second frame read out continuously from the imaging unit is different. Gain correction means for performing gain correction to
When the drive mode switching instruction by the drive mode switching means and the exposure time change instruction by exposure control are given simultaneously, the drive mode switching by the drive mode switching means is controlled to be performed in the current frame, and An imaging apparatus comprising: control means for controlling the exposure time to be changed in the next frame by exposure control.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second frame image data is multiplied by a ratio of an exposure time related to the image data of the first frame and an exposure time related to the image data of the second frame. An imaging apparatus control method comprising: an imaging unit in which a plurality of lines each including a plurality of pixels are arranged; and a driving unit that drives the imaging unit and reads an image signal from the pixel.
A first driving mode in which the image pickup means is horizontally scanned and driven by the driving means in a first horizontal scanning period, and a second driving mode in which the length is different from the first horizontal scanning period and a second horizontal scanning period that is different from the first horizontal scanning period. A drive mode switching step for switching to one of the two drive modes;
The exposure time difference between the image data of the first frame and the image data of the second frame is suppressed when the exposure time of the image data of the first frame and the image data of the second frame read out continuously from the imaging unit is different. A gain correction step for performing gain correction to
When a drive mode switching instruction by the drive mode switching step and an exposure time change instruction by exposure control are simultaneously given, control is performed so that the drive mode switching by the drive mode switching step is performed in the current frame, and And a control step for controlling the exposure time to be changed in the next frame by exposure control.

Images