JPH01314233A - Image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reproduce a reproduced image with high quality and high resolution by forming an optical image of an object on a photo-photo converting element through a photographing lens and reprojecting the optical image information to a recording member with light. CONSTITUTION:The optical image of the object 0 is formed on the photo-photo converting element 3 through the photographing lens 1, and optical image information corresponding to the optical image of the object 0, which is formed on said element 3, is again projected to the irreversible recording member 10 with light. The optical image information is recorded thereon. Since the photo- photo converting element 9 is employed, a reproduced image of high quality and high resolution can be readily obtained. This device is effectively applicable to wide fields from printing, electropublishing to measurement, which require a reproduced image of high resolution.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to an imaging device with high resolution.

(Prior art) Video signals obtained by imaging a subject are edited, trimmed,
Because it is easy to process other image signals and is easy to record and play, it is used in many fields other than the traditional broadcasting field, such as printing, electronic publishing, and measurement. At the same time, there is a strong demand for an imaging device that can capture and record a single image at a higher resolution than conventional devices. became.

By the way, imaging devices that have been commonly used in the past convert an optical image of a subject formed on a photoelectric conversion section of an image sensor by an imaging lens into electrical image information, and convert the optical image into electrical image information. The configuration is such that information can be output as a serial video signal on the time axis, and various image pickup tubes and various solid-state image pickup devices are used as image pickup elements in the configuration of the image pickup device. As is well known.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) Now, in order to obtain high-quality and high-resolution reproduced images, an imaging device that can generate video signals corresponding to the reproduced images is required. In the imaging device used, there is a limit to miniaturization of the electron beam diameter in the imaging tube, and higher resolution cannot be expected by miniaturizing the electron beam diameter, and the target capacity of the imaging tube increases in proportion to the target area. For example, in the case of a video imaging device, the frequency band of the video signal increases from several tens of MHz to several hundred MHz as the resolution increases. For reasons such as problems with S/N because it exceeds MHz,
It is difficult to generate a video signal that can reproduce a high-quality, high-resolution reproduced image.

In other words, in order to reproduce high-quality, high-resolution images and generate sharp video signals using an image pickup device that uses an image pickup tube as an image pickup element, it is necessary to miniaturize the electron beam diameter in the image pickup tube and to However, there is a limit to miniaturizing the electron beam diameter of the image pickup tube due to the performance of the electron gun in the image pickup tube and the structure of the focusing system. There is a limit to increasing resolution through miniaturization, and if you use an imaging lens with a large image size and try to obtain high resolution by increasing the target area, the increase in target area will cause problems. Depending on the imaging device using the image pickup tube, the S/N ratio of the image pickup tube output signal decreases significantly due to a decrease in high-frequency signal components in the output signal of the image pickup tube due to an increase in the target capacity of the image pickup tube. It is not possible to properly generate a video signal that can reproduce a high-quality, high-resolution reproduced image.

In addition, in order to reproduce high-quality, high-resolution images using an imaging device that uses a solid-state image sensor as an image sensor, it is necessary to use a solid-state image sensor with a large number of pixels; As the number of solid-state image sensors increases, the frequency of the clock used to drive them becomes higher (for example, in the case of a video camera, the frequency of the clock used to drive the solid-state image sensor is several hundred MHz), and the frequency of the clock used to drive the solid-state image sensor becomes higher. Because the capacitance value of the circuits used in the solid-state imaging devices increases as the number of pixels increases, the clock frequency of such solid-state imaging devices has a limit of 20 MHz.
Considering the current situation, it is considered that it cannot be constructed as a practical product.

In this way, conventional imaging devices have been unable to generate good video signals that can reproduce high-quality, high-resolution images due to the presence of an image sensor that is essential to their configuration. There is a desire for an imaging device that can generate a good video signal that can reproduce a high-quality, high-resolution reproduction image, and also requires editing and trimming.

We are trying to introduce equipment that uses video signals, which have the advantage of not only easy image signal processing but also easy recording and playback using recording materials, such as printing, electronic publishing, measurement, etc. In many fields, there is a strong demand for an imaging device that can capture and record one image at a higher resolution than conventional devices.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention provides means for forming an optical image of a subject onto a light-to-light conversion element using an imaging lens, and a means for forming an optical image of a subject on a light-to-light conversion element as described above. an imaging device comprising means for re-projecting corresponding optical image information onto an irreversible recording member using light; and means for recording the above-mentioned optical image information on the above-mentioned irreversible recording member; A means for capturing an image and forming the image on a light-to-light conversion element using a lens, and a means for capturing an optical image of the subject imaged on the light-to-light conversion element and optical image information corresponding to the image onto an irreversible recording member. an imaging device comprising: a means for reprojecting the optical image information on the irreversible recording member; and a means for reproducing a video signal based on the optical image information from the recording member; A means for forming an optical image of a subject onto a light-to-light conversion element using an imaging lens, and a means for transferring optical image information corresponding to the optical image of the subject formed on the above-mentioned light-to-light conversion element to an irreversible recording member. An imaging device equipped with a means for reprojection using light and a means for recording optical image information corresponding to a plurality of times on the above-mentioned irreversible recording member, and a light-to-light conversion of an optical image of a subject by an imaging lens. means for forming an image on the element; means for reprojecting optical image information corresponding to the optical image of the subject imaged on the light-to-light conversion element onto an irreversible recording member; means for recording the optical image information on the irreversible recording member; means for reproducing a video signal based on the optical image information from the irreversible recording member; and an image on the irreversible recording member; Corresponding optical image information can be viewed directly ↓; an imaging device comprising a means for outputting; a means for forming an optical image of two objects onto a light-to-light conversion element using an imaging lens; means for re-projecting the optical image information corresponding to the imaged optical image of the subject onto an irreversible recording member using light;
means for recording the above-mentioned optical image information on the above-mentioned irreversible recording member; means for reproducing a video signal based on the optical image information from the above-mentioned irreversible recording member; The present invention provides an imaging device comprising means for outputting optical image information to be re-projected onto a reversible recording member so that it can be viewed directly.

(Example) Hereinafter, specific contents of the imaging device of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment of an imaging device according to the present invention. In FIG. An optical shutter is provided, 3 is a light-to-light conversion element, 4 is a half prism (beam splitter), and 5 is a light source for reading ratio light used when reading optical image information from the light-to-light conversion element 3. As the light source 5, a laser light source or any other light source can be used.

In addition, 6.9 is a lens, 7 and 8 are polarizing plates (polarizing plates 7 and 8
10 is an irreversible recording material (for example, irreversible recording media such as silver halide film, Culver film, etc. can be used, but black and white film has excellent fading resistance, 11.12 is a reel. In the imaging device shown in FIG. 1, an optical image of a subject 0 is formed on a light-light conversion element 3 by an imaging lens 1. When the imaging device is configured as a shutter camera, the optical shutter 2 is opened and the subject 0 is
It goes without saying that the optical image of the image is formed on the light-to-light conversion element 3 by the imaging lens 1.

Examples of the light-light conversion element 3 include a spatial modulation element such as a liquid crystal type optical modulator, a photoconductive Pockels effect element, a microchannel type optical modulator, or an element constructed using a photochromic material. Can be used. Note that the light-to-light conversion element 3 can be selectively used depending on the purpose, whether it has a memory function or one without a memory function.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing a configuration example of a liquid crystal optical modulator 3 that can be used as a light-to-light conversion element 3. In the liquid crystal optical modulator 3 shown in FIG. plate, 32. 33 is a transparent conductive electrode, 34 is a photoconductive film, 35
36 is a light-shielding layer, 36 is a dielectric mirror, 37 is a nematic liquid crystal 1. 38. 39 is a nematic liquid crystal J137 described above such that the optical axis of the molecules is parallel to the electrode plates and rotated by 45 degrees between the electrode plates. 40 is an optical glass substrate, 41 is an AC power source, WL is a writing light, and RL is a reading light.

When the optical image of the subject incident on the liquid crystal light modulator 3 shown in FIG. 2 passes through the glass plate 31 and the transparent conductive electrode 32 and forms an image on the photoconductive film 34, the photoconductive film 34 The electrical resistance value changes in accordance with the optical image of the object. The light shielding layer 35 is provided to prevent the electrical resistance value of the photoconductive film 34 from being changed by the readout light RL.

The liquid crystal in the nematic liquid crystal layer 37, to which an electric field corresponding to the optical image of the object is applied via the photoconductive layer 35, the dielectric mirror 36, and the liquid crystal alignment film 38, Since the axis is no longer parallel to the polar plate, the path of the readout light from the light source 5 → lens 6 → polarizing plate 7 provided as necessary → half prism 4 → light-light conversion element 3 (liquid crystal type optical modulator 3) When the readout light RL is projected onto the optical glass substrate 40 side of the liquid crystal type optical modulator 3, the optical An optical image corresponding to the optical image of the subject appears on the glass substrate 40 side.

When the readout light RL is projected onto the optical glass substrate 40 side of the light-to-light conversion element 3 (liquid crystal type optical modulator 3), the readout light RL is generated due to the birefringence effect of the liquid crystal in the nematic liquid crystal layer 37. The reflected light RLr is given to the recording member 10 through the path of the light-to-light conversion element 3 → the half prism 4 → the polarizing plate 7 provided as necessary → the lens 9 → the irreversible recording member 10. An optical image of the subject appearing on the glass substrate 4o side is focused on the recording member 10 by the lens 9 and recorded on the recording member 10.

Next, a configuration example of the light-to-light conversion element 3 having a different configuration from the light-to-light conversion element 3 already described with reference to FIG. 2 will be described with reference to FIG. 9. In FIG. 9, 32.33 is a transparent electrode, which is provided on an optical glass substrate 31.40, and in FIG. 9, PCL is a photoconductive layer, and DML is a transparent electrode.
is a dielectric mirror, and PML is an optical member that changes the state of light according to the intensity distribution of the applied electric field (for example, a light modulating material layer such as lithium niobate single crystal or bismuth silicate (BSO)... (The example described above is based on the case where the light modulating material layer is composed of lithium niobate single crystal), where WL is the writing light, RL is the reading light,
EL is erasing light.

In FIG. 9, the direction of incidence of the erasing light EL and the direction of incidence of the readout light RL are shown to be the same;
The light conversion element 3, as its dielectric mirror DML, has a light transmittance characteristic such that it reflects the readout light RL with the wavelength λl and transmits the erasing light EL with the wavelength λ2, as illustrated in FIG. This is because it uses something that has .

Now, when writing optical information to the light-to-light conversion element 3 shown in FIG. 9, a circuit consisting of a power source Vs and a changeover switch SW is connected to the light-to-light conversion element 3, A switching control signal is supplied to the switching switch SW to switch the switching switch S.
With the movable contact W switched to the fixed contact WR side, apply the voltage of the power source Vs between the transparent electrodes 32 and 33 described above,
An electric field is applied between both ends of the photoconductive layer PCL, and optical information is written to the light-to-light conversion element 3 by entering the writing light WL from the transparent electrode 32 side of the light-to-light conversion element 3. This is what we do.

That is, when the writing light WL incident on the light-to-light conversion cable 3 passes through the transparent electrode 32 and reaches the photoconductive layer PCL as described above, the electrical resistance value of the photoconductive layer PCL changes depending on the incident light that has reached it. Since the charges change in accordance with the optical image, a charge image corresponding to the optical image caused by the incident light reaching the photoconductive layer PCL is generated at the interface between the photoconductive layer PCL and the dielectric mirror DML.

Regarding the light-to-light conversion element 3 in which the writing operation by the writing light WL continues to be performed, the reading operation of optical information written in the form of a charge image corresponding to an optical image by the incident light as described above is performed. When implementing, selector switch S
Assuming that the movable contact of W is switched to the fixed contact WR side,
While the voltage of the power source Vs is being applied between the transparent electrodes 32 and 33, readout light RL of a constant light intensity is projected from a light source (not shown) onto the transparent electrode 33 side of the light-to-light conversion element 3. It is done by doing.

That is, at the interface between the leading conductive layer PCL and the dielectric mirror DML in the light-to-light conversion element 3 where optical information has been written by the incident light as described above, the incident light that has reached the photoconductive layer PCL is A charge image having an intensity distribution corresponding to the optical image obtained by The crystal (PML) is in a state where an electric field is applied to it due to a charge image generated in correspondence with an optical image caused by the incident light.

Since the refractive index of the lithium niobate single crystal PML described above changes depending on the electric field due to the first-order electro-optic effect, the electric field of a charge image having an intensity distribution corresponding to the optical image caused by the incident light is applied. The above-mentioned light guide fliM
The refractive index of the lithium niobate crystal PML, which is provided in series with the dielectric mirror DML with respect to the PCL, is determined by the light in the light-to-light conversion element 3 due to the writing of optical information by the incident light as described above. The charge image is changed at the interface between the conductive layer PCL and the dielectric mirror DML in accordance with the optical image generated by the incident light that has reached the photoconductive layer PCL.

Therefore, when the readout light RL is projected onto the optical glass substrate 40 on the side of the transparent electrode 33, the readout light RL projected as described above changes from the optical glass substrate 40→transparent electrode 33→
Lithium niobate single crystal PML → dielectric mirror DML →
Then, the readout light RL described above
Is it m? The light is reflected by the a-body mirror DML and returns to the optical glass substrate 40 on the transparent electrode 33 side as reflected light, but the refractive index of the lithium niobate crystal PML changes depending on the electric field due to the primary electro-optic effect. Therefore, the readout light R
The reflected light of L contains image information according to the intensity distribution of the electric field applied to the lithium niobate Φ crystal PML due to the primary electro-optic effect of the lithium niobate crystal PML, and the light is reflected on the transparent electrode 33 side. A reproduced optical image corresponding to the optical image created by the incident light is generated on the optical glass substrate 40.

Furthermore, in order to erase the information written by the write light WL as described above, a switching control signal is supplied to the aforementioned changeover switch SW to switch the movable contact of the changeover switch SW to the fixed contact E side. This is carried out by making sure that no electric field is generated between the transparent electrodes 32 and 33 in the light-to-light converting element 3, and then inputting the erasing light EL having a negative intensity distribution from the transparent electrode 33 side.

As described above, the light-to-light conversion element 3 shown in FIG.
Also in the light modulation element), by projecting the readout light RL onto the optical glass substrate 40 side, the optical glass substrate 40 → transparent electrode 33 → lithium niobate single crystal PML
→Dielectric mirror DML→ Then, the readout light RL is reflected by the dielectric mirror DML and becomes the reflected light RLr of the readout light RL from the optical glass substrate 40 on the side of the transparent electrode 33 → the half prism 4 → Polarizing plate 8 → Lens 9 → Reversible ii! It is applied to the recording member 10 through the path of the weight member 10 .

The optical image of the subject appearing on the optical glass substrate 40 side by the reflected light RLr of the readout light RL is focused on the recording member 10 by the lens 9 and recorded on the recording member 10. - In an imaging device configured using the light conversion element 3, an optical image of a subject is given to the light-light conversion element 3 to form a high-resolution charge image corresponding to the optical image, and the image corresponds to the optical image of the subject described above. It is possible to generate a high-resolution video signal by reading out the charge image as optical image information using light and photoelectrically converting it.

The recording member 10 described above is moved in a predetermined movement manner from the delivery reel 11 to the take-up reel 12 by a drive end (not shown).

That is, when the imaging device is operating in the shutter camera operation mode, after the optical shutter 2 is opened for a predetermined period of time and then closed, the recording member 10 is When the image capturing device is operating in the operating mode as a video camera, each image is recorded while standing still for a predetermined period of time. Afterwards, intermittent feeding is performed to rapidly transport the recording member 10 by one frame (-images). Note that as the intermittent transport mechanism for the recording member 10 described above, a mechanism similar to a well-known transport mechanism for movie shooting machines may be adopted.

Further, although the recording member 10 shown in FIG. 1 is said to be tape-shaped, the recording member 10 may be disk-shaped, sheet-shaped, or any other configuration. I do not care.

3 and 4 are block diagrams showing an example of a configuration in which a signal processing function is added to the imaging device of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example when a photoelectric conversion function is added to the imaging device of the embodiment shown in FIG. The same drawing numerals as those used in Figure 1 are given.

First, in the imaging device shown in FIG. 3, 13 is a light source, 14 is a lens, 15 is a half prism, and 16 is a signal processing device.
The light emitted from the recording member 10 is projected onto the recorded portion of the recording member 10 via the lens 14 and the half prism 15, and the light that has passed through the half prism 15 among the reflected light from the recording member 10 is projected onto the recorded portion of the recording member 10. The signal processing device 16 is configured to receive the signal.

The signal processing device mentioned above! ! At step 16, various signal processing such as editing, trimming, and optical amplification is performed based on the optical image information input thereto. The signal processing device 16 is configured using a controllable spatial modulation element, an irreversible parallel memory, a controllable parallel functional element, a controllable functional coupling element, and the like. The signal processing device 16 described above may perform optical parallel signal processing.

Note that as the signal processing circuit described above, one configured to perform various signal processing on a time series signal obtained by photoelectrically converting the light incident thereon may be used (
This point also applies to the signal processing circuit 16 shown in other figures).

In addition, the optical image information transmitted through the half prism 15 is directly projected onto the monitor screen to be recorded on the recording member 1.
Of course, the optical image recorded at zero may be monitored.

Next, the imaging device shown in FIG. 4 includes a half prism 15 in the optical path between the lens 9 and the recording member 10.
A part of the light of the optical image information to be recorded on the recording member 10 is reflected by the half prism 15, and the signal processing device 1116
It is structured so that it can be given to . The signal processing device 16 described above performs various signal processing such as editing, trimming, and optical amplification based on the optical image information input thereto.

Signal processing device i! 16 is constructed using a controllable spatial modulation element, an irreversible parallel memory, a controllable parallel functional element, a controllable functional coupling element, etc. The fact that signal processing may be performed is the same as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 described above, and in the imaging device shown in FIG. The optical image to be recorded on the recording member 10 may be monitored by directly projecting the optical image onto a monitor screen.

In the imaging device shown in FIG. 5, 17 is a light source;
8 is an optical scanner (flying point scanner), 19 is a half prism,
20 is a photodetector (for example, a photodiode, a CCD line sensor), and after the light emitted from the light source 17 is scanned by the optical scanner 18, it passes through the half prism 19 to the recorded portion of the recording member 10. This is so that it is projected onto the screen. Therefore, among the reflected light from the recording member 10, the light that has passed through the half prism 15 is applied to the photodetector 20, so that the optical image information recorded on the recording member 10 is transmitted from the photodetector 20 to the optical image information recorded on the recording member 10. Since a corresponding electrical signal is output, it can be transmitted to a monitor receiver MT, for example.
The signal can be supplied to V to monitor the recorded information, or can be supplied to the signal processing circuit 21 to perform editing, trimming, and other signal processing.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of another embodiment of the present invention in which optical image information is recorded and reproduced on the recording member 10 by the holography method, and in FIG. 6, 0 is the object, and 1 is the imaging A lens, 2 is an optical shutter provided when the imaging device is configured as a shutter camera, F is a color separation striped filter, and 3 is a light-to-light conversion element. , of the configuration already described, i.e., a spatial modulation element such as a liquid crystal type optical modulator, a photoconductive Pockels effect element, a microchannel type optical modulator, or a photochromic material. element can be used.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned color separation striped filter is a color separation striped filter in which color filter strips each capable of transmitting light of a different color are arranged in a predetermined arrangement manner, as illustrated in FIG. It is configured as a configuration form. Figure 7 (a) shows a color filter □ filter strip G that can transmit red light, a filter strip R that transmits blue light, and a color filter that can transmit green light. This is a color separation striped filter F constructed in such a configuration that stripes B are arranged in a predetermined arrangement, and (b) in FIG. filter strips G;
Color separation configured in a configuration in which color filter strips M that can transmit magenta color light and color filter strips Ye that can transmit yellow light are arranged in a predetermined arrangement manner. This is a striped filter F.

Further, in FIG. 6, 22 is a lens, 10 is an irreversible recording member, and 11.12 is a reel.

In addition, in implementation, the feeding reel 1 of the recording member 10
It goes without saying that a cassette may be constructed in which the winding reel 1 and the take-up reel 12 are housed in one container.

In the imaging device shown in FIG. 6, an optical image of the subject O is formed on the light-to-light conversion element 3 by the imaging lens 1. However, when the imaging device is configured as a shutter camera, the optical shutter 2 Needless to say, an optical image of the subject 0 is formed on the light-to-light conversion element 3 by the imaging lens 1 in the open state.

23 emits light to be used as readout light to the light-to-light conversion element 3, and coherent light that is shared when photographing a hologram on the recording member 1o and when reproducing a wavefront from the recording member 10. The light source is a semiconductor laser, for example.

The light that is used both for reading out the optical image from the light-to-light conversion element 3 and for photographing the hologram is transmitted from the light source 23 to the light source 23.
→ Half mirror 24 → Half mirror 25 → Concave lens 27
→It is supplied to the light-to-light conversion element 3 through the path of the light-to-light conversion element 3. As a result, an optical image corresponding to the optical image of the subject appears on the light-light conversion element 3, and the optical image is recorded by the lens 22 by being given to the lens 22 as a signal wave in the holography method. Part 1
Focuses on 0. The coherent light emitted from the light g-23 described above is transferred to the recording member 10 from the light g23 to the half mirror 24.
→ Half mirror 25 → Concave lens 26 → Since it is supplied to the recording member 10, a hologram corresponding to the optical image of the subject appearing on the output side of the light-to-light conversion element 3 described above is formed and recorded on the recording member 10. .

In this way, according to the imaging device shown in FIG. 6, the optical image of the subject 0 is recorded on the recording member 10 as a hologram of color-separated optical images.

The recording member 10 described above is moved in a predetermined manner from a delivery reel 11 to a take-up reel 12 by a drive mechanism (not shown).

That is, when the imaging device is operating in the shutter camera operation mode, after the optical shutter 2 is opened for a predetermined period of time and then closed, the recording member 10 is When the image capturing device is operating in the operating mode as a video camera, each image is recorded while standing still for a predetermined period of time. Afterwards, intermittent feeding is performed to rapidly transport the recording member 10 by one frame (-images). Note that as the intermittent transport mechanism for the recording member 10 described above, a mechanism similar to a well-known transport mechanism for movie shooting machines may be adopted.

The recording member 10 shown in FIG. 6 as the above-mentioned irreversible recording member 10 is said to be tape-shaped, but the recording member 10 may be disk-shaped, sheet-shaped,
Of course, any other form may be used, and the recording member 10 may also be housed in a container to form a cassette.

In FIG. 6, the hologram recorded on the recording member 10 as described above is shown after the wavefront is reproduced.

A configuration example is shown in which the image is displayed as a color image on the display.

In the apparatus shown in FIG. 6, wavefront reproduction from the hologram recorded on the recording member 10 is performed using coherent light emitted from the light source 23.

That is, the coherent light emitted from the light source 23 is as follows.

The reference light is projected onto the recording member 10 through a path such as the light source 23 → mirror 29 → concave lens 28 → recording member 10, and the hologram on the recording member 10 is wavefront-reproduced, and an optical image corresponding to the optical image of the subject is projected onto the lens 42. given to.

The optical image given to the lens 42 is transmitted through half mirrors 43 and 44, a total reflection mirror 45, and an optical gate (
For example, through a color separation system constituted by slit plates 46 to 48 having a required slit pattern corresponding to the arrangement pattern of filter strips for each color in the color separation striped filter F described above, and are supplied to individual optical functional elements 49 to 51, respectively.

The optical functional elements 49 to 51 described above perform optical amplification, gamma correction, trimming, etc. on the optical image information provided thereto, and then output the optical image information. Reference numerals 52 to 54 denote optical gates having the same configuration as the optical gates 46 to 48 described above (e.g., corresponding to the arrangement pattern of filter strips for each color in the color MI1% filter F described above). 1-plate) provided with the required slit pattern, and each of the optical gates 52 to 5 described above.
The optical image information that has passed through the lens system 59 is given to a lens system 59 via an optical system for optical image synthesis consisting of a total reflection mirror 55.58 and half mirrors 56 and 57, and the optical image emitted from the lens system 59 is colored. The optical image is applied to the display device 60, and a color image corresponding to the optical image of the subject is displayed on the color image display surface 60a of the color display device 60.

As the color display device i60 described above, one that can display a large screen color image with high brightness and high contrast ratio is used. ) and a light-emitting plate made of phosphors of each color can be used.

The embodiments of the present invention described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7 use a long film wound on a reel as the irreversible recording member 10, and the film is However, in the embodiments of the present invention shown in FIGS. 8 and 11 to 14, optical image information corresponding to This figure shows an example of a configuration in which an irreversible recording member 10 used as a recording member for recording an image is used.

In FIG. 8, O is an object, 1 is an imaging lens, 2 is an optical shutter provided when the imaging device is configured as a shutter camera, 3 is a light-light conversion element, 4 is a half prism (beam splitter), 5 is a light-light conversion element 3
This is a light source for readout light used when reading out optical image information from.

Further, 6 and 9 are lenses, 7 and 8 are polarizing plates used as needed, and 10 is an irreversible recording member (hereinafter simply referred to as "irreversible recording member") used as a recording member for recording one image. (sometimes written as "Recording member 10" or "Recording member 10").

The imaging device having the configuration shown in FIG. 8 is the imaging device described with reference to FIG. The image is formed on element 3.

In the embodiments shown in FIG. 8 and later, the light-to-light conversion element 3 may be a spatial modulation element such as a liquid crystal type optical modulator, a photoconductive Pockels effect element, a microchannel type optical modulator, or a photochromic type optical modulator. Elements constructed using materials can be used. Note that the light-to-light conversion element 3 can be selectively used depending on the purpose, whether it has a memory function or one without a memory function. Further, as the recording member 10 described above, any non-reversible film such as 1g1 salt film, Culver film, etc. can be used.

In the case where the imaging device is configured with an optical shutter, light-to-light is generated corresponding to the optical image given to the light-to-light conversion element 3 during the period when the optical shutter 2 is open. The charge image generated in the conversion element 3 is read out again in the form of an optical image by the readout light, re-projected onto the recording member 10, and recorded on the recording member 10, and the imaging device is not equipped with an optical shutter. In the case of a device configured as a device, the charge generated in response to the writing light WL incident on the light-to-light conversion device 3 after the time when the charge image in the light-to-light conversion device 3 is erased. The image is read out again in the form of an optical image by the readout light, re-projected onto the recording member 10, and recorded on the recording member 10.

The readout light RL incident on the light-to-light conversion element 3 in order to read out the charge image generated in the light-to-light conversion element 3 as an optical image simultaneously converts the entire charge image in the light-to-light conversion element 3 into an optical image. It may be a light flux having a large cross-sectional area that can be read out as It may also be flying spot scanning light that can be reproduced as information.

11 and 12 are block diagrams showing an example of the configuration when a signal processing function is added to the imaging device of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, and FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example in which a photoelectric conversion function is added to the imaging device of the embodiment shown in FIG. The same drawing numerals as those used in FIG. 8 are given.

First, in the imaging device shown in FIG.
The constituent parts shown in 0 are the same constituent parts as the imaging device shown in FIG. As a result of the operation, recording is performed on the irreversible recording member 10 used as a recording member for recording - images, and the recording member 10 on which one image of the subject 0 is recorded is located along the dotted line in FIG. A reproducing operation is performed on the recording member 10 at a position indicated by a frame 10 . In FIG. 11, 13 is a light source, 14 is a lens, 15 is a half prism, and 16 is a signal processing device.
The light emitted from the 17X 13 is projected onto the recording member 10 via the lens 14 and the half prism 15, and among the light reflected from the recording member 10, the light that has passed through the half prism 15 is given to the signal processing device 16. The signal processing device 16 described above performs various signal processing such as editing, trimming, and optical amplification based on the optical image information input thereto.

The signal processing device 16 is configured using a controllable spatial modulation element, a reversible parallel memory, a controllable parallel functional element, a controllable functional coupling element, and the like. Even if the signal processing device 16 described above is configured to perform optical parallel signal processing,
good. Note that the signal processing device 16 described above may convert the light incident thereon into a time series signal by photoelectric conversion, and perform various signal processing in the form of an electrical signal. Of course, the optical image information obtained may be directly projected onto a monitor screen so that the optical image recorded on the recording member 10 can be monitored by the optical output.

Next, the imaging device shown in FIG. 12 has a half prism 15 provided in the optical path between the lens 9 and the recording member 10 in the imaging device shown in FIG.
The half prism 15 reflects part of the light of the optical image information to be recorded on the half prism 15, and the reflected light is applied to the signal processing device 16. The signal processing device 16 described above performs various signal processing such as editing, trimming, and optical amplification based on the optical image information input thereto.The signal processing device 16 includes a controllable spatial modulation element and a reversible parallel memory. ,
It has already been mentioned that it is configured using a controllable parallel functional element, a controllable functional coupling element, etc., and that the signal processing device 16 described above may perform optical parallel signal processing. This is similar to the case of the embodiment shown in FIG.

In addition, in the imaging device shown in FIG. 12, the half prism 1
The optical image information reflected by the recording member 10 may be directly projected onto a monitor screen so that the optical image to be recorded on the recording member 10 can be monitored.

Next, in the imaging device shown in FIG. 13, the components indicated by drawing numbers 1 to 10 are the same components as the imaging device shown in FIG. The optical image of O is recorded on the irreversible recording member 10, which is used as a recording member for recording - images, by the recording operation described for the image pickup apparatus shown in FIG.

A reproduction operation is performed on the recording member 10 on which one image of the subject 0 is recorded at a position indicated by a dotted line frame 10 in FIG.

In FIG. 13, 17 is a light source, 18 is an optical scanner (flying point scanner), 1.9 is a half prism, and 20 is a photodetector (e.g., photodiode, CCD line sensor), which is connected to the light source 17. After the emitted light is scanned vertically and horizontally in a predetermined scanning manner by the optical scanner 41118, the half prism 1
9 onto the recording member 10. Therefore, among the reflected light from the recording member 10, the light that has passed through the half prism 15 is applied to the photodetector 20, so that the optical image information recorded on the recording member 10 is transmitted from the photodetector 20 to the optical image information recorded on the recording member 10. Since a corresponding electrical signal is output, it is supplied to, for example, a monitor receiver MTV to monitor recorded information, or to a signal processing circuit 21 to perform editing, trimming, and other signal processing. be able to.

Next, FIG. 14 shows another example of the present invention in which optical image information is recorded and reproduced by a holography method on an irreversible recording member 10 used as a recording member for recording one image. The embodiment shown in FIG. 14 is a block diagram of an embodiment in which the recording member 10 in the embodiment already described with reference to FIG. 6 is used as a recording member for recording one image. The recording member 10 of FIG.

In FIG. 14, O is an object, 1 is an imaging lens, 2 is an optical shutter provided when the imaging device is configured as a shutter camera, F is a color separation striped filter, and 3 is a light-to-light conversion element. , the above-mentioned color separation striped filter has a configuration in which color filter strips each capable of transmitting light of a different color are arranged in a predetermined array manner, as illustrated in FIG. You can use one that is configured as a shape.

23 is the light WL that is successively emitted to the light-to-light conversion element 3 described above.
For example, a semiconductor laser is used.

The light that is used both for reading out the optical image from the light-to-light conversion element 3 and for photographing the hologram is transmitted from the light source 23 to the light source 23.
→ Half mirror 24 → Half mirror 25 → Concave lens 27
→The light-to-light conversion element 3 is
is supplied to

As a result, an optical image corresponding to the optical image of the subject appears on the light-light conversion element 3, and the optical image is recorded by the lens 22 by being given to the lens 22 as a signal wave in the holography method. An image is formed on the member IO. In the recording member 1°, the coherent light emitted from the light source 23- described above is supplied to the light source 23→half mirror 24→half mirror 25→concave lens 26→recording member 10. A fluorogram corresponding to the optical image of the subject appearing on the output side of the light-to-light conversion element 3 is formed and recorded.

In this way, according to the imaging device shown in FIG. 14, the optical image of the subject O is recorded on the recording member 10 as a hologram of color-separated optical images.

In the apparatus shown in FIG. 14, wavefront reproduction from the hologram recorded on the recording member 10 is performed using coherent light emitted from the light source 23. That is, the coherent light emitted from the light source 23 is transmitted from the light source 23 to the mirror 2.
The reference light is projected onto the recording member 1o along a path such as 9→concave lens 28→recording member 10, and the hologram of the recording member 10 is wavefront-reproduced to provide an optical image corresponding to the optical image of the subject to the lens 42.

The optical image given to the lens 42 is transmitted through half mirrors 43 and 44, a total reflection mirror 45, and an optical gate (
For example, through a color separation system constituted by slit plates 46 to 48 having a required slit pattern corresponding to the arrangement pattern of filter strips for each color in the color separation striped filter F described above, and are supplied to individual optical functional elements 49 to 51, respectively.

The optical functional elements 49 to 51 described above perform optical amplification, gamma correction, trimming, etc. on the optical image information provided thereto, and then output the optical image information. Reference numerals 52 to 54 denote optical gates having the same configuration as the optical gates 46 to 48 described above (e.g., a required number corresponding to the arrangement pattern of filter strips for each color in the color separation striped filter F described above). The optical image information that has passed through each of the optical gates 52 to 54 is synthesized by an optical image composed of a total reflection mirror 55.58 and half mirrors 56 and 57. The optical image emitted from the lens system 59 is applied to a color display device 60,
A color image corresponding to the optical image of the subject is displayed on the color image display surface 60a of the color display device M60.

(Effects of the Invention) As is clear from the above detailed description, the imaging apparatus of the present invention includes means for forming an optical image of a subject on a light-to-light conversion element using an imaging lens.

means for re-projecting optical image information corresponding to the optical image of the subject formed on the light-to-light conversion element onto the irreversible recording member; an imaging device comprising a means for recording image information; a means for forming an optical image of a subject onto a light-to-light conversion element using an imaging lens; and an optical image of the subject formed on the light-to-light conversion element. means for re-projecting optical image information corresponding to the above onto an irreversible recording member using light; means for recording the above-mentioned optical image information on the irreversible recording member marked as ffff; an imaging device comprising a means for reproducing a video signal based on information; a means for forming an optical image of a subject onto a light-to-light conversion element using an imaging lens; and a means for forming an optical image of a subject onto a light-to-light conversion element; A means for re-projecting optical image information corresponding to an optical image onto an irreversible recording member using light, and a means for recording optical image information corresponding to a plurality of times on the above-mentioned irreversible recording member. an imaging device, a means for forming an optical image of a subject on a light-to-light conversion element using an imaging lens;
means for re-projecting optical image information corresponding to an optical image of a subject formed on a light conversion element onto an irreversible recording member; means for recording, means for reproducing a video signal based on optical image information from the irreversible recording member, and means for outputting optical image information corresponding to the image on the irreversible recording member so as to be directly viewable; an imaging device comprising: a means for forming an optical image of a subject onto a light-to-light conversion element using an imaging lens; and a means for forming an optical image of the subject formed on the light-to-light conversion element and optical image information corresponding to the optical image of the subject formed on the light-to-light conversion element. means for re-projecting the optical image onto the irreversible recording member; means for recording the optical image information on the irreversible recording member; and a video signal based on the optical image information from the irreversible recording member. and a means for directly viewing the optical image information re-projected from the light-to-light conversion element onto the irreversible recording member. Since the image pickup device does not use the image pickup tube or solid-state image sensor used in conventional image pickup devices, there are problems with image pickup devices that use image pickup devices like conventional image pickup devices, namely:
In an imaging device that uses an image pickup tube as an image pickup element, there is a limit to miniaturizing the electron beam diameter in the image pickup tube, so it is impossible to achieve high resolution by miniaturizing the electron beam diameter, and the image pickup tube Since the target capacity of the target increases in proportion to the target area, it is impossible to achieve higher resolution by increasing the target area. The frequency band of the video signal is several tens of MI (z to several hundred MH)
There are no drawbacks such as difficulty in generating a video signal that can reproduce a high-quality, high-resolution playback image due to reasons such as problems in terms of Sc because it exceeds z, In addition, there are problems when using a solid-state image sensor with a large number of pixels to reproduce high-quality, high-resolution images using an imaging device that uses a solid-state image sensor as an image sensor. The frequency of the clock to drive the device increases (for example,
In the case of video cameras, the clock frequency for driving the solid-state image sensor is several hundred MHz), and the capacitance value of the circuit that is being driven is increasing due to the increase in the number of pixels. In such a solid-state imaging device, the clock frequency limit of the solid-state imaging device is 20
It does not have the drawback that it is impossible to construct something practical considering the current state of MHz.
According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an imaging device that can easily obtain reproduced images of high image quality and high resolution.
Furthermore, in the present invention, optical image information of a subject at a plurality of times is sequentially recorded on an irreversible recording member, or recorded on an irreversible recording member used as a recording member for recording two images. Then, it can be reproduced as a video signal that is easy to edit, crop, and perform other image signal processing, or directly as an optical image, so it can be used in printing and electronic publishing where high-resolution image reproduction is required. , can be effectively used in many fields such as measurement.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIGS. 1, 3 to 6, 8, and 11 to 14 are block diagrams of different embodiments of the imaging apparatus of the present invention, and FIGS. FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing an example configuration of a light conversion element. FIG. 7 is a plan view of a part of the color separation striped filter, and FIG. 10 is a side view of a wavelength selection characteristic curve for explaining the operation. 0... Subject, 1... Imaging lens, 2... Optical shutter provided when the imaging device is configured as a shutter camera, 3... Light-light conversion element, 4...
Half prism, 5... Light source of readout light used when reading optical image information from the light-to-light conversion element 3, 6.9.
14,22.42...lens, 7,8...polarizing plate,
10... Irreversible recording member, 13,17°23...
・Light source, 15.19... Half prism, 16...
Signal processing device, 18... optical scanner (flying point scanner). 20 is a photodetector, 21... signal processing circuit, 24, 25
．． 43,44,56.57...half mirror-126~
28...Concave lens, 29,55.58...Total reflection mirror, 32.33...Transparent electrode, 46-48,52-
54... Optical gate, 49-51... Optical functional element, 59... Lens system, 60... Color display device, F... Color separation striped filter, MTV... Monitor Image receiver, PCL... photoconductive layer, DML... dielectric mirror, PML... optical member (light modulating material layer member),
SW...changeover switch, also 3rd Akira 4 haze

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Means for forming an optical image of a subject onto a light-to-light conversion element using an imaging lens, and optical image information corresponding to the optical image of the subject formed on the above-mentioned light-to-light conversion element. An imaging device 2 includes a means for re-projecting the above-mentioned optical image information onto an irreversible recording member using light, and a means for recording the above-mentioned optical image information on the above-mentioned irreversible recording member. means for forming an image on the light-to-light conversion element; and means for re-projecting optical image information corresponding to the optical image of the subject imaged on the light-to-light conversion element onto an irreversible recording member; An imaging device 3 comprising means for recording optical image information corresponding to a plurality of times on the above-mentioned irreversible recording member, means for forming an optical image of a subject on a light-to-light conversion element using an imaging lens, means for re-projecting optical image information corresponding to the optical image of the subject formed on the light-to-light conversion element onto the irreversible recording member; An imaging device 4 comprising means for recording image information and means for reproducing a video signal based on optical image information from the recording member, and means for forming an optical image of a subject onto a light-to-light conversion element using an imaging lens. , means for re-projecting optical image information corresponding to the optical image of the subject imaged on the light-to-light conversion element onto an irreversible recording member; means for recording optical image information;
An imaging device comprising means for reproducing a video signal based on optical image information from the irreversible recording member, and means for outputting optical image information corresponding to the image of the irreversible recording member so as to be directly viewable. Apparatus 5 includes a means for forming an optical image of a subject on a light-to-light conversion element using an imaging lens, and an irreversible means for converting optical image information corresponding to the optical image of the subject formed on the light-to-light conversion element. means for reprojecting the optical image onto the recording member; and means for recording the optical image information on the irreversible recording member;
means for reproducing a video signal based on optical image information from the irreversible recording member; and means for outputting the optical image information re-projected from the light-to-light conversion element onto the irreversible recording member so that it can be viewed directly. An imaging device 6 comprising: an imaging device 6 that uses flying spot scanning light as light for reprojecting the optical image of the subject formed on the light-to-light conversion element and the corresponding optical image information onto an irreversible recording member; Claims 1 to 5
The imaging device 7 according to claim 1, and the imaging device according to claims 1 to 5, wherein the reprojection by light is performed by holography. 8. The imaging device 9 according to claims 3 to 5, which uses flying spot scanning light as light for reproducing optical image information from the light-to-light conversion element; Claims 3 to 5 use flying spot scanning light as the light for reproducing information.
The imaging device 10 according to claim 1, the imaging device according to claims 3 to 5, wherein light from an irreversible recording member onto which the flying spot scanning light for reproduction is projected is photoelectrically converted. 11. The imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a black and white film is used as the irreversible recording member. The imaging device 12 uses a recording member for recording one image as the irreversible recording member. Claims 1 to 5
Imaging device described in section