JPH01170280A - Solid-state image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain n-time zoom effect momentarily without using a zoom lens having a complicated mechanism by using an output of a solid-state image pickup element driven by the specific drive method. CONSTITUTION:The 1st charge transfer means is applied during the vertical blanking period to transfer a signal charge 2 from a picture element 1 to a vertical transfer section 2 and the 2nd charge transfer means eliminates the signal charge corresponding to the picture elements being 1/4 of the total picture elements in the vertical direction after the 1st charge transfer means near the end of the same vertical blanking period. Then, a signal charge corresponding to the picture element of 1/2 of the total picture elements in the vertical direction at the center of the pattern to be zoomed in the succeeding vertical scanning period is transferred sequentially by the 3rd charge transfer means to the horizontal transfer section 3 intermittently at each other horizontal blacking period, the signal charge corresponding to the remaining 1/4 of the total vertical picture element is eliminated by the 4th electrode transfer means from the vicinity of the start of the succeeding vertical blanking period to the succeeding 1st charge transfer means. Thus, the double zoom effect is obtained simply by having only to interpolate the signal during the horizontal scanning period without the signal charge.

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) The zoom function of conventional imaging devices uses an optical method, and in order to obtain a zoom effect, a zoom lens using a complicated cam mechanism is required.

(Problem that the invention seeks to solve).

However, in the case of a zoom device using the above-mentioned zoom lens, it is difficult to obtain an instantaneous zoom effect because it requires time to move the lens, and in recent years, such a zoom device has been desired for video cameras. This has become a major problem in terms of miniaturization, weight reduction, and cost reduction.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a solid-state imaging device having an instantaneous zoom function in a simple manner by providing the configuration shown below. It is something to do.

When zooming by n times, first, signal charges are read out from the optical in conversion elements (pixels) to the vertical transfer section during the vertical retrace period, and then signal charges corresponding to unnecessary pixels are read out during the vertical retrace period. After that, the signal charge corresponding to the pixel to be zoomed in the vertical direction is transferred by 1 within n horizontal periods.
By performing vertical transfer intermittently and then removing the remaining signal charges by transferring them at high speed during the vertical retrace period, the output of the vertical transfer section is reduced to the normal l/n signal within the vertical scanning period. Each horizontal scanning line is output for one vertical scanning period. The output of this vertical transfer stage is sent to the horizontal transfer stage, and during the horizontal retrace period, signal charges corresponding to unnecessary pixels are transferred and removed at high speed, and then signal charges corresponding to pixels to be zoomed in the horizontal direction are removed. 1 / of the normal horizontal transfer rate
The signal charges are transferred to the charge detection section (hereinafter referred to as the output section) at a speed of n, and then the remaining signal charges are transferred and removed in a horizontal period of n-1/n.

The output of the solid-state imaging probe driven as described above is such that a signal within 1/n vertical and horizontal scanning periods in the normal case is outputted over one vertical scanning period every n horizontal scanning lines. Thereafter, by simply using a delay line to interpolate a signal to a horizontal scanning line portion where no signal is output, a signal zoomed by n times in both the vertical and horizontal directions can be obtained.

(Function) The present invention makes it possible to easily obtain a video signal magnified by n times in both the vertical and horizontal directions by using the output of the solid-state imaging probe driven by the driving method described above. The nJ function is to instantaneously obtain an n-fold zoom effect without using a zoom lens with a mechanism.

(Example) Hereinafter, a solid-state imaging device according to the present invention having a double zoom function in the center of the screen will be described in detail by way of an example with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an interline type CCL) solid-state imaging probe used in an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is a photoelectric conversion element, 2 is a vertical transfer section, 3 is a horizontal transfer section, and 4 is a signal charge This is the detection part.

FIG. 2 is a timing chart of a drive signal according to an embodiment of the present invention that drives the solid-state image sensor shown in FIG. is a chart, where (,) is the composite blanking signal,
(b) is from 1 photoelectric conversion element (hereinafter abbreviated as pixel) to 2
A readout signal (hereinafter referred to as the first charge transfer means) reads the signal charge to the vertical transfer section of 2.(c) is a read signal for reading the signal charge to the vertical transfer section of 2. Third. The vertical drive signal consisting of the fourth charge transfer means, (d) is the fifth signal that drives the third horizontal transfer section.
゜6th. A horizontal drive signal consisting of the seventh charge transfer means, (
e) is the output (No. 4) output from the signal charge detection section No. 4.

By applying the first charge transfer means 5 during the vertical retrace period, 4g J+ charges are transferred from the pixel 1 to the vertical transfer section 2. Then, in order to transfer and remove unnecessary signal charges corresponding to 1/4 of the total pixels in the vertical direction from after the first charge transfer means 5 to near the end of the same vertical blanking period by high-speed transfer. The second charge transfer means 6 removes signal charges corresponding to 174 pixels of the total vertical pixels. Then, during the subsequent vertical scanning period, the signal charges corresponding to 172 pixels of the total vertical pixels at the center of the screen to be zoomed are intermittently transferred to the third charge in the direction of the horizontal transfer unit 3 every horizontal retrace period. The transfer means 7 sequentially transfers the data.

Then, the signal charges corresponding to the remaining 1/4 of the total pixels in the vertical direction are transferred to the fourth charge transfer from the vicinity of the start of the subsequent vertical retrace period until the next first charge transfer means is applied. By driving the vertical transfer section 2 in such a way that zero or more are removed by the means 8.

Signal charges for pixels in the center 1/2 of the vertical screen are transferred to the horizontal transfer unit 3 over one vertical scanning period every one horizontal retrace period.

Then, after the third charge transfer means 7 applies the signal until near the end of the same horizontal retrace period, the signal charges corresponding to 1/4 of the total pixels in the horizontal direction are transferred to the fifth charge transfer means. 9
Perform high-speed transfer and remove. Thereafter, during the subsequent horizontal scanning period, the signal charges corresponding to 172 of the total pixels in the horizontal direction are transferred into the horizontal transfer unit 3 by the sixth charge transfer means 10 toward the charge detection unit 4 at half the normal speed. Thereafter, from near the beginning of the subsequent horizontal retrace period until the next third charge transfer means 7 is applied, the charge corresponds to 1/4 of the total horizontal and directional image steel. The signal charge is removed by the seventh charge transfer means 11.

By driving the vertical transfer section 2 and the horizontal transfer section 3 of the solid-state image sensor as described above, the signal charges for the pixels in the center 1/2 of the screen are transferred to the solid-state image sensor over one vertical scanning period every other horizontal scanning period. is obtained as the output of A double zoom effect can be easily obtained by simply interpolating the signal during the horizontal scanning period when there is no signal charge.

As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to easily obtain a double zoom effect instantaneously using an electronic method without using mechanical or optical means. Furthermore, even when it is desired to obtain an n-times zoom effect or a zoom effect for any point on the screen, it is possible to achieve this using the same method as in this embodiment.

In addition, in this example, an interline type CCD was used as a solid-state image sensor, but a frame interline type CCD
Similar effects can be obtained even when a Freire type CCL) is used as a solid-state image sensor.

(Effect of the invention) As is clear from the above detailed description, the present invention is as follows.

Compared to conventional mechanical and optical zoom functions, it is now easy to obtain an n-fold zoom effect electronically and easily.
The effect is great.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a solid-state imaging device used in an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a timing chart of an embodiment of the present invention that drives the solid-state imaging device of FIG. It is a timing chart of a partial enlargement of the figure. 1...Photoelectric conversion element, 2...Vertical transfer section, 3...
-Horizontal transfer section, 4...Signal charge detection section. Patent applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A photoelectric conversion section in which multiple photoelectric conversion elements are arranged two-dimensionally; a vertical transfer section that vertically transfers the signal charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion section; and a vertical transfer section that transfers the signal charges transferred from the vertical transfer section horizontally. A solid-state imaging device having at least a horizontal transfer section that transfers the signal charge in the horizontal transfer section and a signal charge detection section that converts the signal charge transferred from the horizontal transfer section into a signal voltage or signal current and outputs the signal charge, the solid-state imaging device a first charge transfer means for reading out a signal charge from the photoelectric conversion element to the vertical transfer section at any location within the area; and a period from the time of transfer occurrence of the first charge transfer means to near the end of the vertical retrace period; a second charge transfer means that transfers and removes a portion of the signal charge corresponding to the photoelectric conversion element at high speed; and a second charge transfer means that transfers a portion of the signal charge corresponding to the remaining photoelectric conversion element during the vertical scanning period. a third charge transfer means that transfers the charge intermittently during the n horizontal retrace period; fourth charge transfer means for transferring and removing signal charges at high speed; a fifth charge transfer means that transfers and removes a portion of the signal charge at high speed until near the end of the retrace period, and transfers the remaining portion of the signal charge during the normal horizontal transfer period during the subsequent horizontal scanning period; The sixth charge transfer means transfers the signal charge at a slower period than the above period, and the signal charge is transferred from the vicinity of the start of the subsequent horizontal blanking period to the time when the signal charge is transferred again by the third charge transfer means from the vertical transfer section to the horizontal transfer section. and seventh charge transfer means for transferring and removing the remainder of the signal charge within an arbitrary period between.