JPH0332269B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a still video camera that captures frame still images using an image sensor that outputs image information for one frame.

Generally, the image output of a video camera is monitored by a television receiver, so NTSC is used.
It is necessary to output a television signal that complies with the standard system. For example, in an NTSC video camera, it is necessary to output imaging output that maintains an interlaced relationship, with 1/60 seconds as a 1V period for each field, and the imaging output of each field is temporally and spatially shifted. Since image information is obtained, it is known that when still imaging is performed, a so-called flicker phenomenon occurs in which the image changes slightly from field to field.

Therefore, the present invention aims to enable high-resolution frame still imaging without the flicker phenomenon, by converting image information obtained by an image sensor having one frame's worth of picture elements into a standard television signal. The present invention provides a still video camera with a new configuration that converts and outputs images.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, image information for one frame read out from a frame transfer type image sensor 10 formed by a charge coupled device (CCD) is stored using a rotating magnetic sheet 41 as a recording medium. The present invention is applied to a still video camera in which frame still image pickup output is obtained by repeatedly reproducing data using the magnetic recording/reproducing section 40 used.

In this embodiment, the image sensor 10 is
The image is obtained by the imaging section 1 in which the light receiving section S _O corresponding to the picture element of the odd field and the light receiving section S _E corresponding to the picture element of the even field are arranged alternately for each horizontal line, and the above-mentioned image section 1. It consists of an accumulation section 2 that temporarily accumulates one frame's worth of image pickup charges, and a horizontal transfer register section 3 that reads out the frame's worth of image pickup charges accumulated in the accumulation section 1 one horizontal line at a time. The light receiving sections S _O and S _E of each field generate signal charges corresponding to the amount of imaging light irradiated during the temporally same exposure period. The signal charge, that is, one frame's worth of image information is vertically transferred to the storage section 2 and temporarily stored therein, and read out one horizontal line at a time through the horizontal transfer register section 3. That is, the image information read out via the horizontal transfer register section 3 corresponds alternately to odd fields and even fields for each horizontal line. In this embodiment, the imaging operation by the image sensor 10 is performed in synchronization with 1V for one field period in the NTSC system,
As shown in FIG. 2A, all image information for one frame is read out during one field period 1V.

1 field period from image sensor 10 above
The image information for one frame read during 1V is
As shown in FIG. 2B, image information for odd fields O ₁ , O ₂ , ..., O ₂₅₃ and image information for even fields E ₁ , E ₂ , ..., E ₂₆₂ as shown in FIG.
0,25. First time axis expansion circuit 2
0 consists of two 1H memories 22, 23, a second switch circuit 21 that switches the input to each 1H memory 22, 23, and a third switch circuit 24 that switches the output of each 1H memory 22, 23. For example, image information for odd fields O ₁ , O ₂ ,...,
Perform time axis expansion processing for O ₂₆₃ . That is, the second and third switch circuits 21, 24
As shown in Figure 2D and Figure 2F,
A switching operation is performed in synchronization with the 1H period in the NTSC system, and each 1H memory is selected from another 1H memory.
Writing/reading of signals in the memories 22 and 23 is performed alternately. Each of the 1H memories 22 and 23 writes signals using a write clock synchronized with the 1/2H period in the NTSC system.
By reading out the signal using the readout clock synchronized with the 1H period, as shown in Figure 2E,
Image information O ₁ , O ₂ , . . . , O ₂₆₃ for odd fields expanded on the time axis is alternately output during a 1H period in the NTSC system. By outputting the signals read from each of the 1H memories 22 and 23 through the third switch circuit 24, a series of image information O ₁ , O ₂ , . . . for odd fields is generated as shown in FIG. 2G. ，
O ₂₆₃ is obtained during one field period of 1V.

Similarly, the second time axis expansion circuit 25 has two
Consisting of 1H memories 27 and 28 and fourth and fifth switch circuits 26 and 29, it performs time axis expansion processing on even field image information E ₁ , E ₂ , ..., E ₂₆₂ , and as shown in FIG. 2K. As shown, a series of image information E ₁ synchronized with the 1H period in the NTSC system,
Output E ₂ , ..., E ₂₆₂ during one field period of 1V. In addition, FIG. 2H shows the fourth switch circuit 2 described above.
5, and FIG. 2 I shows the switching operation of each memory 27,
28 signals, and FIG. 2J shows the read operation of the 5th signal.
The switching operation of the switch circuit 29 is shown.

Then, image information O ₁ , O ₂ , . . . for each field obtained from each time axis expansion circuit 20, 25 is obtained.
O ₂₆₃ , E ₁ , E ₂ , ..., E ₂₆₂ are supplied to the two magnetic heads 42 and 43 of the magnetic recording image section 40 via recording system circuits 30 and 31 such as process processing circuits, respectively, and Each recording track 4 on sheet 41
4,45 are magnetically recorded. The magnetic recording/reproducing section records/reproduces one field's worth of image information for each concentric recording track on a rotating magnetic sheet 41 that rotates once every 1 V for one field period in the NTSC system. Each recording track 44, 45 on which image information O ₁ , O ₂ , ..., O ₂₆₃ for fields and image information E ₁ , E ₂ , ..., E ₂₆₂ for even fields is recorded is transferred to each magnetic head 42 ,
Each reproduced image information O ₁ , O ₂ , ..., O ₂₆₃ , which is repeatedly reproduced by tracing at the time of reproduction in 43
E ₁ , E ₂ , . . . , E ₂₆₂ are supplied to the reproduction system circuit 51 via the fifth switch circuit 50 . The fifth switch circuit 50 performs a switching operation every 1 V for one field period in the NTSC system to switch each magnetic head 4.
By alternately selecting 2 and 43, image information for odd fields is obtained every 1 V for one field period.
O ₁ , O ₂ , ..., O ₂₆₃ and image information E ₁ , E ₂ , ..., E ₂₆₂ for even fields are repeatedly output.

In the embodiments described above, the reproduced image information output from the reproduction system circuit 51 is transmitted to the image sensor 1.
Image information for each field obtained during the same temporal exposure period at 0 O ₁ , O ₂ , ..., O ₂₆₃ , E ₁ ,
E ₂ , ..., E ₂₆₂ and is compatible with NTSC television signals, so it is possible to produce frame still images without flickering.
It can be played back on the screen of an NTSC monitor television receiver.

Next, the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is a still video camera equipped with a magnetic recording/reproducing section 70 that repeatedly reproduces one frame's worth of image information via one recording track 72 of a rotating magnetic sheet 71. This is an application of the present invention.

In this embodiment, the image sensor 60 is
Frame transfer type similar to the above embodiment
It consists of a CCD image sensor, and image information for one frame is read out for each horizontal line alternately corresponding to odd and even fields during one field period of 1V in the NTSC system.

One frame worth of image information read from the image sensor 60 is supplied to the magnetic head 73 of the magnetic recording/reproducing section 70 via the recording system circuit 65.
It is recorded on a recording track 72 of a rotating magnetic sheet 71. The rotating magnetic sheet 71 rotates once every 1V for one field period in the NTSC system, and one frame worth of image information is recorded on one recording track 72 during 1V for 10 field periods.

During reproduction, the magnetic recording/reproducing section 70 repeats the recording track 72 of the rotating magnetic sheet 71 every 1 V for one field period as shown in FIG. 4A.
The image information for one frame as shown in
The signal is sampled by the switch circuit 81.
This first switch circuit 81 performs a sampling operation according to a sampling clock as shown in FIG. Image information O ₁ , O ₂ ,...,
O ₂₆₃ is extracted during the odd field period _VO , and image information for even fields E ₁ , E ₂ ,...,
E ₂₆₂ is extracted during the even field period _VE .

Each image information O ₁ , O ₂ , ..., O ₂₆₃ , E ₁ , E ₂ , ..., extracted through the first switch circuit 81,
As shown in FIG. 4D, the E ₂₆₂ connects the first 1H memory 83 and the second 1H memory 83 through a second switch circuit 82 that performs a switching operation every 1H period in the NTSC system.
The data is alternately supplied to the 1H memory 84 every 1H. Each of the 1H memories 83 and 84 performs a signal write operation using a write clock synchronized with the 1/2H period in the NTSC system.
By performing a signal readout operation using a readout clock synchronized with the period, time axis expansion processing is performed, and as shown in FIG.
Outputs image information synchronized with the 1H period.

Each image information read from each of the 1H memories 83 and 84 is transferred to the second switch circuit 8.
The signals are alternately selected and outputted via the third switch circuit 85 which performs a switching operation between phase 2 and reverse phase (see FIG. 4F). The image information outputted via this third switch circuit 85 is a series of odd field image information O ₁ , O ₂ , ..., O ₂₆₃ as shown in FIG. 4G.
and a series of even field image information E ₁ , E ₂ ,...,
_E262 is repeated every 1V for one field period, and can be output as an NTSC television signal via the reproduction process circuit 90.

That is, in this embodiment, the magnetic recording/reproducing section 7
By performing time axis expansion processing and rearranging the image information corresponding to each field for one frame of image information that is repeatedly played back every 1V for one field period at
Obtains an NTSC television signal.

Even in this embodiment, the image sensor 60 and the image information of each Fatal that can be obtained during the same exposure period in the same time in the same time, o ₁ , o ₂ , O ₂₆₃ , E ₁ , E ₂ ,
..., E ₂₆₂ allows one frame of NTSC television signals to be repeatedly played back, making it possible to obtain high-resolution frame still images without flickering.

As is clear from the description of each embodiment described above, according to the present invention, 1 read from the image sensor
By storing image information for a frame in a storage means and repeatedly reading out the recorded contents of the storage means,
In a still video camera that outputs a television signal of frame still images, image information for one frame is read out from the image sensor during one field period, and this image information is subjected to time axis expansion processing and odd and even fields. By performing rearrangement processing on image information and outputting a standard television signal, frame still imaging can be performed without flickering, and high-resolution still images can be obtained. We can provide a still video camera that can

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a still video camera according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a time chart for explaining the operation of the above embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the still video camera according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a time chart for explaining the operation of the above embodiment. 10,60...image sensor, 15,21,
24, 26, 29, 81, 82, 85... switch circuit, 22, 23, 27, 29, 83, 84...
...1H memory, 40,70...magnetic recording and reproducing section,
41, 71... Rotating magnetic sheet, 42, 43, 7
3... Magnetic head, 44, 45, 72... Recording track.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Image information for one frame read from an image sensor is stored in a storage means, and by repeatedly reading out the stored contents of the storage means, a television signal of a frame still image is output. In a still video camera, one
One frame worth of image information is read out during the field period, and this image information is subjected to time axis expansion processing and image information rearrangement processing corresponding to odd and even fields, and a standard format television signal is output. A distinctive still video camera. 2. A magnetic recording/reproducing section using a magnetic recording medium having a recording track on which image information of an odd field is recorded and a recording track on which image information of an even field is recorded as the storage means, and read from an image sensor. The image information of each field obtained by performing time axis expansion processing and rearrangement processing on the image information for frames is recorded on each of the above recording tracks, and during playback, each reproduction signal reproduced from each of the above recording tracks is transmitted every 1 field period. The still video camera according to claim 1, wherein the still video camera is configured to alternately select and output. 3. Claim No. 3, characterized in that image information for one frame read from an image sensor is written in a storage means, and time axis expansion processing and rearrangement processing are performed on the image information repeatedly read out from the storage means. The still video camera according to item 1.