JPH01157678A - Solid-state image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a solid-state image pickup device to have an effect to magnify the image of an instantaneous and arbitrary point by adding an electronic method to an image magnifying function. CONSTITUTION:The device is equipped with an optical lens 101, an interline type CCD(charge coupled device) 102, a signal processing circuit 103, a solid-state image pickup element driving pulse generation circuit 104 for driving the interline type CCD 102, and a signal processing pulse generating circuit 105 for processing a signal. Namely, a light signal to pass the optical lens 101 is accumulated in a photoelectric converting element 201 of the solid-state image pickup element 102, and an accumulated signal charge operates the element driving pulse generating circuit 104 by each timing. Thus, a two-fold zooming can be executed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a solid-state imaging device having an electronic zoom function.

(Prior Art) In recent years, with the spread of video tape recorders, development of solid-state imaging devices has become active, making them smaller and lighter.

High reliability, low cost, and multifunctionality are required.

The image enlargement function of a conventional imaging device will be described below.

The image magnification function of conventional imaging devices uses an optical method, and in order to achieve the magnification effect, a complex cam mechanism is used to move the lenses in a lens system consisting of multiple lenses. was.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, with the above configuration, time is required to mechanically move the lens, and it is extremely difficult to obtain an instantaneous magnification effect.

Furthermore, since a complicated cam mechanism is required to move the lens, it is impossible to arbitrarily set the enlarged position of the image.

The present invention focuses on the above problem and provides a solid-state imaging device that has the effect of instantly enlarging an image at an arbitrary point by adding an electronic method to the image enlarging function.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has the following configuration. That is, a two-dimensionally arranged photoelectric conversion element, a vertical transfer stage, a horizontal transfer stage, a readout gate 1 for reading signal charges of the photoelectric conversion element to the vertical transfer stage, and a signal charge from the vertical transfer stage to the horizontal transfer stage. In a charge-coupled solid-state imaging device that has a readout serial-parallel conversion unit and a signal charge detection unit, unnecessary signal charges of pixels corresponding to areas other than the area where the image should be enlarged in the vertical direction of the solid-state imaging device are removed during the vertical retrace period. a first vertical charge transfer means for transferring and discharging the image at high speed within the solid-state imaging device; The signal charges are serial-to-parallel converted once every n horizontal scanning periods by the second vertical charge transfer means for transferring and outputting the signal charges to the serial-to-parallel conversion. a first horizontal charge transfer means for mixing and discharging unnecessary signal charges of pixels corresponding to areas other than those to be expanded in the horizontal direction within a horizontal transfer stage during a horizontal scanning period; To transfer and output the signal charges of pixels corresponding to the area to be expanded in the horizontal direction at a normal speed of 1/n within one horizontal scanning period before the signal charges are serial-parallel converted by the charge transfer means. The present invention is characterized by comprising a second horizontal charge transfer means, and vertical and horizontal drive pulse generation circuits for driving each of the above transfer means.

(Function) With the above configuration, the present invention obtains an image signal that is magnified by n times in both the vertical and horizontal directions, and an image that is magnified by n times is instantaneously generated only by the operation of an electric switch. ,
This will give you a zoom effect.

(Example) Hereinafter, a solid-state imaging device with a double electronic zoom function according to an example using the solid-state imaging device driving method of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a solid-state imaging device with a 2x electronic zoom function according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 101 is an optical lens, 102 is an interline type CCD (charge coupled device), 103 is a signal processing circuit, and 104 is a solid-state image sensor driving pulse generation circuit for driving the interline type CCD. ,1
05 is a signal processing pulse generation circuit for performing signal processing.

The operation of the solid-state imaging device using the interline CCD configured as described above will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

First, the solid-state image sensor (interline type C
The internal configuration of CD) 102 will be briefly explained using FIG. 201 is a photoelectric conversion element (charge storage section), 202 is a vertical transfer section, 203 is a horizontal transfer section, and 204 is a signal output section.

The optical signal passing through the optical lens 101 shown in FIG.
It is accumulated in the photoelectric conversion element 201 of the solid-state image sensor 102 shown in the figure. The accumulated signal charges are used to perform double zoom as shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. 3 by operating the element drive pulse generation circuit 104 shown in FIG. 1 at the timing shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. It turns out.

To explain the operation in order, first, the signal charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion element 201 shown in FIG. 2 are read out all at once to the vertical transfer section 202 shown in FIG. 2 at timings 403 and 404 shown in FIG. . Next, by operating the vertical transfer section 202 at high speed at timings 404 and 414 shown in FIG. 4, the unnecessary charge corresponding to the pixel 301 shown in FIG. 3 is transferred to the horizontal transfer section 203 shown in FIG. It is discharged via the signal output section 204 shown in FIG. The signal charge required for vertical expansion corresponding to the pixel 302 in FIG. 3 is calculated at timings 401 and 41 shown in FIG.
4, the vertical transfer section 202 intermittently transfers the image once every two horizontal scanning periods, as shown in FIG. 4, so that the image is zoomed twice in the vertical direction. Next, the third
The unnecessary charge corresponding to the pixel shown at 303 in the figure is transferred to the vertical transfer unit 2 at timings 402 and 412 shown in FIG.
By operating 02 at high speed, the horizontal transfer section 20
3 and the signal output section 204.

This completes the vertical double enlargement.

Next, horizontal double enlargement will be explained.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the portions shown at 401 and 411 in FIG. During the periods shown at timings 401 and 411, the signal charges necessary for the vertical expansion are transferred to the vertical transfer unit 2 at the timing shown at 502 in FIG.
02 to the horizontal transfer unit 203 once every two horizontal scanning periods, and the unnecessary charge corresponding to the pixel shown at 304 in FIG. 3 is transferred to the horizontal transfer unit 203 at the timing shown at 503 in FIG. 5. is discharged via the signal output section 204. At this time, 3 in FIG.
It is mixed with the unnecessary charge corresponding to the pixel shown in 06 in the horizontal transfer section 203 and discharged at the same time. At the timing shown at 504 in FIG. 5, the horizontal transfer is stopped, the timing is adjusted, and at the timing shown at 501 in FIG. 5, the finally necessary signal charge corresponding to the pixel shown at 305 in FIG. In the horizontal transfer unit 203, 1/2 of normal
By transferring the image at a speed of , the image is enlarged twice in the horizontal direction. In the manner described above, a solid-state image sensor output signal that is doubled both vertically and horizontally is obtained.

Furthermore, the signal processing circuit 103 shown in FIG.
With the signal processing pulse generation circuit 105 shown in the figure,
Synchronization and various signal processing are performed, and the third
As shown in the figure, a television signal magnified twice is obtained.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to add an instantaneous zoom function of 2x to a solid-state imaging device by simply changing the timing without mechanically moving the lens. effect can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an overall block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a solid-state image sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining the present invention in detail, and FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 is a solid-state image sensor driving pulse timing chart diagram according to an embodiment of the present invention. 421...1st field HD pulse, 422-...
VD pulse for the first field, vertical drive pulse for the 423rd to 426th fields, and HD pulse for the second field. 432...VD pulse of second field, 433-4
36. Vertical drive pulse of second field, 511...
HD pulse, 512... Vertical drive pulse, 513,
514...Horizontal drive pulse. Patent Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Figure 1 Figure 2 201 Kutaku Mugisenshu 202... Planner Private Transporter 203 Boko Transferrer 204° Shugo Charge Discharge Prevention #p

Claims (1)

[Claims] Two-dimensionally arranged photoelectric conversion elements, a vertical transfer stage, a horizontal transfer stage, a readout gate for reading signal charges of the photoelectric conversion elements to the vertical transfer stage, and a series/parallel system for reading signal charges from the vertical transfer stage to the horizontal transfer stage. In a charge-coupled solid-state imaging device that has a conversion unit and a signal charge detection unit, unnecessary signal charges of pixels corresponding to areas other than those to which the image should be enlarged in the vertical direction of the solid-state imaging device are removed at high speed within the vertical retrace period. a first vertical charge transfer means for transferring and discharging; and a first vertical charge transfer means for intermittently transferring signal charges of a pixel corresponding to a portion of the solid-state imaging device in which an image is to be enlarged in the vertical direction once every n horizontal scanning periods. The signal charges are serial-parallel converted once every n horizontal scanning periods by the second vertical charge transfer means for outputting the signals, and one horizontal scanning period after this serial-parallel conversion. a first horizontal charge transfer means for mixing and discharging unnecessary signal charges of pixels corresponding to areas other than those to be expanded in the horizontal direction in a horizontal transfer stage; and a second vertical charge transfer means. A second controller for transferring and outputting the signal charges of the pixels corresponding to the area to be expanded in the horizontal direction at a speed of 1/n of the normal speed within one horizontal scanning period before the signal charges are serial-parallel converted by 1. A solid-state imaging device comprising horizontal charge transfer means, and vertical and horizontal drive pulse generation circuits for driving each of the transfer means.