JPH06165048A - High-sensitivity solid-state imaging device camera apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To extend a charge read time interval, to improve the sensitivity of a television camera in proportion to time in comparison with normal sensitivity and to enable image pickup even with superlow illuminance. CONSTITUTION:This high-sensitivity solid-state imaging device camera apparatus equipped with a solid-state imaging device 2, video signal processing circuit 3 and synchronizing signal generating circuit 4 is provided with a read pulse control circuit 5 for controlling the time interval of read pulses for transferring electric charges stored in the charge storage part of the solid-state imaging device 2 and a video memory 6 for storing pictures at the timing of the read pulse. Since the output of the video signal processing circuit 3 is stored in the video memory 6 while being interlocked with the charge read pulse sent from the synchronizing signal generating circuit 4 and repeatedly outputted until the next charge reading, the pictures of all the fields and all the frames are outputted.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a solid-state image pickup device camera apparatus, and more particularly to a wide range by controlling the charge reading time interval for transferring the charge accumulated in the charge accumulation unit of the solid-state image pickup device to the transfer unit even in low illuminance. The present invention relates to a high-sensitivity solid-state image sensor camera device that enables photographing in an illuminance range (dynamic range).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a structure of a main part of a conventional high-sensitivity solid-state image pickup device camera apparatus. The conventional apparatus uses a light multiplication element 7 as shown in FIG. 2, and the light condensed by the lens 1 is doubled by the light multiplication element 7. The light doubled by the light multiplication element 7 is photoelectrically converted by the solid-state image sensor 2 as in a normal solid-state image sensor camera device, and a video output is obtained by the video signal processing circuit 3.

In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-117994, there are 2
A stereoscopic television camera device in which individual solid-state image pickup devices are installed at a constant interval in the same direction as the scanning direction, and video signals from the two solid-state image pickup devices are alternately switched for each field and output to a video monitor. In the above, it is disclosed that a means for driving at a timing when the charge accumulation time for obtaining the video signals of the two solid-state image pickup devices exceeds the time of one field is provided.

[0004]

In such a high-sensitivity solid-state image pickup device camera apparatus using the conventional light multiplying element, there is a problem that the light multiplying element burns when strong light is incident. It is not suitable for photographing other than when the illuminance is low, and the cost of the light multiplication element is high, so that the camera apparatus as a whole is expensive.

The present invention solves such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a camera device capable of taking an image even in an extremely low illuminance.

[0006]

The present invention comprises a solid-state image sensor for converting light from a lens into electricity, and a video signal processing circuit for processing an output from the solid-state image sensor to generate a video signal. In a high-sensitivity solid-state image sensor camera device,
The number of the solid-state image sensor is one, and a read pulse control circuit that outputs a control signal that variably controls a time interval of the read pulse that transfers the charge accumulated in the solid-state image sensor, and a read pulse control circuit according to the timing of the read pulse. And a video memory for storing the video signal from the video signal processing circuit.

The present invention is different from the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-117994 in that a video memory is provided and the time interval is variably read from one (two switches in the conventional example) solid-state image pickup device. They differ in that they are stored in memory.

[0008]

The read pulse control circuit changes the charge read time interval for transferring the charge stored in the charge storage section of the solid-state image pickup device to the transfer section to lengthen the charge read time interval. The electric charge accumulated in the electric charge accumulating portion increases in proportion to the time and the sensitivity is improved, but as for the video signal, only one field or one frame from which the electric charge is read is output, and an image of all fields or all frames is not output. . The video memory stores the video output of the video signal processing circuit in association with the charge reading, and repeatedly outputs the same video until the next charge reading and outputs the video of all fields or all frames.

The present invention does not use a photomultiplier as a means for increasing the sensitivity, but prolongs the time for accumulating in the charge accumulating portion of the solid-state image pickup device. The time accumulated in the charge accumulation section of the solid-state image pickup device is usually one field or one frame, and the accumulated charges are proportional to the time. Therefore, by increasing the accumulated time, the sensitivity can be improved in proportion to the time.

However, with this method only, the video signal is an intermittent video in which the video of only one field or one frame from which the electric charge is read is output, and the video is not output in all fields or frames. Therefore, the video memory is used to store the output of the video signal processing circuit in association with the charge reading, and the same video is repeatedly output until the next charge reading so that the video of all fields or all frames can be output.

In this way, by lengthening the charge read time interval, the sensitivity of the television camera can be increased in proportion to time as compared with the normal sensitivity, and it is possible to shoot in a wide illuminance range.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the main part of the embodiment of the present invention.

In the embodiment of the present invention, a solid-state image sensor 2 for converting light from the lens 1 into electricity and a video signal processing circuit 3 for processing an output from the solid-state image sensor 2 to generate a video signal.
And a sync signal generation circuit 4 for generating a sync signal and outputting the sync signal to the video signal processing circuit 3 and for generating a drive pulse on which a charge read pulse for transferring the accumulated charge is generated and outputting the drive pulse to the solid-state imaging device 2. Further, as a feature of the present invention, the number of the solid-state image pickup device 2 is one, and the read pulse control circuit 5 that outputs a control signal for variably controlling the time interval of the read palace for transferring the charges accumulated in the solid-state image pickup device 2. And a video memory 6 for storing the video signal from the video signal processing circuit 3 in accordance with the timing of the read pulse.

Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention thus constructed will be described.

The lens 1 forms an image, and the light formed by the solid-state image sensor 2 is converted into electricity. The video signal processing circuit 3 performs signal processing for converting the output of the solid-state image sensor 2 into a video signal. The sync signal generation circuit 4 is a solid-state image sensor drive pulse in which a sync signal required by the video signal processing circuit 3 and a charge read pulse for transferring the charge accumulated in the charge accumulation section to be sent to the solid-state image sensor 2 to the transfer section are superimposed. , And the timing signals stored in the video memory 6 are generated.

In a normal image pickup, the read pulse control circuit 5 internally sets a charge read pulse for transferring the charge accumulated in the charge accumulating section which is output for each field or each frame to the transfer section, or A control signal from the outside is controlled to output only an integral multiple of fields or frames. The video memory 6 stores the output of the video signal processing circuit 3 in accordance with the timing signal linked with the charge read pulse sent from the synchronization signal generation circuit 4, and repeatedly outputs the same video until the next charge read, or all fields or The video of all frames should be output.

In this way, when the internal setting of the read pulse control circuit 5 or the control signal from the outside is set, the charge read pulse for transferring the charge accumulated in the charge accumulating section to the transferring section is one field or It is output at an integral multiple interval of one frame, and the time for accumulating in the charge accumulating portion of the solid-state imaging device 2 is increased to an integral multiple, and the sensitivity is also increased to an integral multiple.

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention, by increasing the charge read time interval, the sensitivity of the camera device can be increased in proportion to time as compared with the normal sensitivity, and a wide illuminance range can be obtained. There is an effect that can be taken with.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Lens 2 Solid-state image sensor 3 Video signal processing circuit 4 Synchronous signal generating circuit 5 Read pulse control circuit 6 Video memory 7 Optical multiplication element

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A high-sensitivity solid-state image sensor camera device comprising: a solid-state image sensor for converting light from a lens into electricity; and a video signal processing circuit for processing an output from the solid-state image sensor to generate a video signal. The number of the solid-state image sensor is one, and a read pulse control circuit that outputs a control signal that variably controls the time interval of the read pulse that transfers the charge accumulated in the solid-state image sensor; Therefore, a high-sensitivity solid-state imaging device camera device comprising: a video memory for storing the video signal from the video signal processing circuit.