JPH066670A - Image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent smear from being covered on an object by arranging a light receiving section and a horizontal transfer section so that an image of a high luminance is formed at a position relatively remoter from the horizontal transfer section. CONSTITUTION:A CCD 21 is turned freely around an optical axis. A light receiving section 48 of the CCD 21 is located under a horizontal transfer CCD 43 in the normal image pickup state. An image V6 formed on the light receiving section 48 is a reverse image, and when a high luminance part HP such as a spot light is located above an object S in the picked-up image, the image of the high luminance part HP is formed to a position remoter from the horizontal transfer CCD 43. When an electric charge generated in the light receiving section 48 is transferred to the horizontal transfer CCD 43 via a vertical transfer CCD, since a range AR2 of the high luminance part HP toward the object S does not pass through the high luminance part HP, the range AR2 is not susceptible to the effect of the charge remaining in a photodiode of the high luminance part HP. Thus, no smear is covered on the object S.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus having a solid-state image pickup element.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image pickup device having a solid-state image pickup element (CCD), an image is picked up by forming incident light from the outside on the CCD and photoelectrically converting it. The charges generated in the light receiving element by the incident light are transferred to the horizontal transfer CCD via the vertical transfer CCD and output to the outside as a video signal.

[0003]

When an image is picked up with a point light source such as a spotlight having a high brightness level locally included in the screen by using such an image pickup apparatus,
There has been a problem that excessive electric charges are generated around the light receiving element of the CCD corresponding to the point light source to cause smear.

Regarding the occurrence of smear, FIG. 19 and FIG.
This will be described with reference to 0. 19 shows the CCD 91, and FIG. 20 shows the image displayed on the monitor. CCD91
As shown in FIG. 19, the light receiving unit 92 and the horizontal transfer C
It has a CD 93 and a drain portion 94. The light receiving section 92 is
A photodiode and a vertical transfer CCD (not shown) are provided. The horizontal transfer CCD 93 is provided below the light receiving portion 92 (direction of arrow D), and the drain portion 94 is provided above the light receiving portion 92 (direction of arrow U).

An image V1 including a portion HP having a high brightness level such as a point light source (hereinafter referred to as a high brightness portion) is formed on the light receiving portion 92 of the CCD 91. Light receiving section 92
In the image V1 formed in FIG. 19 (FIG. 19), the shaded area AR1 is the electric charge remaining in the vertical transfer CCD of the light receiving unit 92 when reading the video signal electric charge one field before (hereinafter referred to as residual electric charge). ) Is the part of the smear caused by.

The image V1 formed on the light receiving portion 92 of the CCD 91 is photoelectrically converted, and the video signal charges generated by this are transferred in the direction of arrow D and taken into the horizontal transfer CCD 93. This video signal charge is transferred horizontally C
It is output as a video signal from the CD 93 in the direction of arrow T.

At the time of reading out the video signal charges, the high luminance portion H
Vertical direction with width corresponding to P (directions U and D)
Since the video signal charge in the range AR2 indicated by the broken line extending to the area passes through the high brightness portion HP, smear also occurs in the range AR2. The smear occurring in the range AR2 is generated when the video signal charge is read out, mainly by the charge (excess charge) exceeding the storage capacity in the photodiode corresponding to the high brightness portion HP being added to the video signal charge in real time. To do.

When the video signal output from the CCD 91 is displayed on the monitor, as shown in FIG. 20, a range AR1 having a width corresponding to the high brightness portion HP and extending in the vertical direction (directions of arrows U and D), Smear appears in AR2.

By the way, the CCD 91 has a so-called high-speed transfer function for sweeping out residual charges. By using this high-speed transfer function, it is possible to sweep out the residual charges in the range AR1 in FIG. 19 to the outside via the drain section 94. Therefore, the smear occurring in the range AR1 of the image V1 can be eliminated, and the smear appearing in the range AR1 of the image V2 can be removed.
However, since the photodiode corresponding to the high brightness portion HP always has surplus charges, it is conventionally impossible to prevent smear in the range AR2 caused by passing through the high brightness portion HP at the time of reading the video signal charge. Met.

As described above, conventionally, the image obtained through the taking lens is formed as an inverted inverted image on the CCD 91, and the horizontal transfer CCD 93 is arranged below the light receiving portion 92, so that it is spotted. When a subject right under a point light source such as a light or the sun is photographed, there is a problem that an appropriate image cannot be obtained on the monitor due to the smear of the range AR2.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide an image pickup apparatus capable of preventing a smear on a subject.

[0012]

An image pickup device according to the present invention comprises a light receiving portion for generating electric charges according to a formed image,
A vertical transfer unit that transfers the charges generated in the light receiving unit to a horizontal transfer unit for outputting to the outside, and in the state where an image including the high brightness unit is formed on the light receiving unit, the high brightness The light receiving portion and the horizontal transfer portion are arranged so that an image is formed on the portion relatively far from the horizontal transfer portion.

[0013]

The present invention will be described below with reference to illustrated embodiments. FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a main part of an image pickup apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In this figure, an image pickup device 11 includes an optical system housing portion 12 for housing a taking lens, diaphragm blades, and the like, and C
It has an image pickup system housing portion 13 for housing a CD, a CCD driver, a CCD rotation mechanism, and the like, and a camera body portion 14 for housing various signal processing circuits, a recording system, an MPU, and the like.

CCD 21 housed in the imaging system housing 13
Is configured to rotate with respect to the optical system accommodating portion 12 and the camera body portion 14 by a CCD rotating mechanism 70 described later. The CCD 21 is rotatable in this way in order to suppress the influence of smear on the subject, as will be described later. In the present embodiment, the CCD 21 is rotatable with respect to the optical system accommodating portion 12 and the camera body portion 14, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the entire imaging system accommodating portion 13 is the optical system accommodating portion. It may be rotatable with respect to 12 and the camera body 14.

The light beam incident through the taking lens is guided to the CCD 21 through the optical system accommodating portion 12, and this CC
An inverted image of the subject is formed on the light receiving unit 48 (FIG. 2) of D21. Here, the configuration of the CCD 21 will be described with reference to FIG.

The photodiode 41 is provided corresponding to each pixel, and the light receiving portion 48 is formed within the range where the photodiode 41 is provided. Photodiode 41
In, the signal charges are formed and output according to the amount of incident light. The vertical transfer CCD 42 is provided adjacent to the photodiode 41 along the vertical direction, and charges generated in the photodiode 41 are horizontally transferred CCD 43.
Alternatively, it is transferred to the drain section 44. Horizontal transfer CCD4
An output amplifier 45 is connected to 3, and the output amplifier 45 converts the charges transferred by the horizontal transfer CCD 43 into a voltage and outputs the voltage to the outside through a terminal 49. The drain portion 44 is provided for discharging unnecessary charges remaining in the vertical transfer CCD 42 at high speed.

The CCD 21 is controlled by a drive signal output from the CCD driver 22. That is, in the vertical transfer CCD 42, electric charges are transferred in the vertical direction by the four-phase drive signals V1 to V4 supplied via the terminals 46a to 46d. In the horizontal transfer CCD 43, terminal 4
The electric charges are transferred in the horizontal direction by the drive signals H1 and H2 supplied via 7a and 47b. In addition, CCD
The driver 22 is controlled by the image pickup unit drive circuit 37 housed in the camera body 14.

In FIG. 1, the video signal obtained by the CCD 21 is a correlated double sampling circuit (CDS) 23.
To reduce the reset noise. Then, the video signal is input to the A / D conversion circuit 25 via the amplifier 24 and converted into a digital video signal. This digital video signal is input to the memory unit 29.

In the memory unit 29, based on the control signal, address data, etc. supplied from the MPU 28, the DSP 2
The digital video signal supplied from 6 is written, or the held digital video signal is read out. Writing and reading of this digital video signal can be started from a desired position. The read digital video signal is input to the DSP 26.

The DSP 26 subjects the digital video signal to predetermined signal processing under the control of the MPU 28. The signal processing in the DSP 26 is, for example, gamma correction, aperture, synchronization signal addition, gain adjustment and the like. The digital video signal subjected to the predetermined processing in the DSP 26 is the D / A conversion circuit 30 and the digital modulation circuit 3.
3 or can be input to the memory unit 29 again.

The digital video signal output from the DSP 26 or read from the memory unit 29 is composed of, for example, a luminance signal Y and color difference signals RY and BY, and D /
It is input to the A conversion circuit 30 and the digital modulation circuit 33. The video signal converted into an analog signal in the D / A conversion circuit 30 is converted into a composite video signal in the encoder 31. This composite video signal is taken out from the terminal as a video signal output and output to a monitor (not shown).

On the other hand, the digital video signal input to the digital modulation circuit 33 is digitally modulated and then converted into an analog video signal by the D / A conversion circuit 34. Then, the analog video signal is supplied to the magnetic head 36 via the amplifier 35, and is recorded on a recording medium (not shown) by the magnetic head 36.

The MPU 28 is a microcomputer that controls the entire image pickup apparatus, and the MPU 28 controls the operation of each circuit block. That is,
When a key switch (not shown) is operated, a signal corresponding to this key operation is supplied to the MPU 28, and the operation of the entire image pickup apparatus is controlled based on this signal.

The CCD rotating mechanism 70 is used in the image pickup device housing section 1.
3 is for detecting whether or not the optical system housing portion 12 or the camera body portion 14 is rotated. That is, when it is detected that the CCD 21 is rotationally displaced with respect to the optical system housing 12 or the camera body 14, a rotation detection signal is output by the rotary encoder 73 (FIG. 3) provided in the CCD rotating mechanism 70. Is formed, and this rotation detection signal is supplied to the MPU 28.

The rotation may be detected by a user's button operation.

Next, referring to FIGS. 1 and 3 to 5, CC
The configuration of the rotating mechanism that rotates the D21 will be described.
3 is an exploded perspective view of the rotating mechanism, and FIG. 4 is a CCD unit 6.
1 is an enlarged plan view of FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the CCD unit 11.

In FIG. 3, the taking lens unit 12a, which is a combination of a plurality of lenses, is housed in the optical system housing 12 (FIG. 1). At the rear end of the taking lens unit 12a, a disk-shaped CCD unit 61 is arranged rotatably around the optical axis OX of the taking lens unit 12a. A pin 62 is provided at the center of the CCD unit 61, and the pin 62 is provided with a mounting hole 63 formed in the adjusting plate 63.
inserted in a. As a result, the adjusting plate 63 is attached to the taking lens unit 12a so that the pin 62 coincides with the optical axis OX. That is, the CCD unit 61 can rotate around the optical axis OX. The adjusting plate 63 is attached to the taking lens unit 12a by three coil springs 64 and three screws 65, and is adjusted so that the light receiving surface of the CCD 21 attached to the CCD unit 61 is perpendicular to the optical axis OX. .

Referring to FIG. 5, the CCD 21 has a plurality of connection pins 21a, and these connection pins 21a are soldered to the mounting substrate 81. The disc-shaped rotary plate 82 includes:
A rectangular stepped hole 82a is formed, and this stepped hole 82a is formed.
The mounting substrate 81 is inserted into and is locked at the step. At this time, the light receiving surface 21b of the CCD 21 is within the frame of the stepped hole 82a, and the light passing through the taking lens unit 12a (see FIG. 3) can be received by the entire light receiving surface 21b. A gear 82b is formed on the entire circumferential surface of the rotary plate 82.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the fixing plate 83
By means of three screws 84, the mounting board 81 of the rotating plate 82
Is fixed to the rear side of the CCD 61, whereby the CCD 61 is fixed to the rotary plate 82. Pins 62 are provided on the back surface of the fixing plate 83.
Is erected vertically to the fixed plate 83, and the axis B of the pin 62 is the center of the light receiving surface 21b of the CCD 21 and the rotary plate 82.
Pass through the center of.

Referring again to FIG. 3, the CCD unit 6
The gear 82b of the rotating plate 82 of No. 1 is the reduction gear unit 71.
Meshed with the gear. The reduction gear unit 71 is D
It is rotationally driven by the C motor 72. Therefore DC
By driving the motor 72, the CCD unit 6
1 can be rotated around the optical axis OX. The reduction gear unit 71 is provided with a photo sensor 73, and the rotational position of the CCD unit 61 is detected by this output signal. The DC motor 72 is driven and controlled by a control signal supplied from a driver (not shown) via a terminal 76 under the control of the MPU 28. The rotation pulse detected by the photo sensor 73 is output to the MPU 28 via the terminal 75.

Next, the CCD 21 by the above-mentioned rotating mechanism.
The rotation of will be described. In a normal image, a high brightness portion such as a spotlight or the sun is often located above the subject. In addition, since a signal is usually output from the CCD 21 so that an erect image is output to the monitor, when a subject image is formed on the CCD 21 by the photographic lens, this image is an inverted image. Therefore, on the light receiving unit 48 of the CCD 21, for example, as shown in FIG. 10, the high-intensity portion is located below the subject. In the present embodiment, in the case of such a normal image, as shown in FIG. 10, the horizontal transfer CCD 43 is located above the light receiving part 48 (direction of arrow U), and the high brightness part is located on the drain part 44 side. As you do, C
The orientation of the CD 21 is determined, and this state is used as the reference position.

On the other hand, when an image of a state in which the high-intensity part is located below the object is to be imaged, the high-intensity part is located above the object on the light receiving part 48 of the CCD 21 as shown in FIG. Located in. In such an imaging state, the MPU outputs a control signal based on the judgment of the photographer, and the CCD
The rotation mechanism 70 is driven, whereby the CCD 21 is rotated 180 degrees with respect to the reference position. That is, the horizontal transfer CCD 43 is located below the light receiving portion 48 (on the side of the arrow D), and the high brightness portion is located on the drain portion 44 side. It should be noted that in the case of a configuration in which the taking lens forms an erect image on the CCD, the reference position is reversed.

Next, the smear removal by discharging the residual charge in the vertical transfer CCD 42 at a high speed will be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 6 shows an example of an image formed on the light receiving portion 48 of the CCD 21, and this image V3 is an inverted image of the subject image. In this image V3
In the range AR1 extending from the high-luminance portion HP toward the drain portion 44 (in the direction of arrow D), smear due to excess charges appears. On the other hand, from the high brightness portion HP to the horizontal transfer portion 43 side (arrow U
In the range AR2 extending in the (direction), a residual charge is generated, which is removed by the action described below.

FIG. 8 shows a pulse V for vertical synchronization.
The state in which D is output for each field is shown, and the drive signal VV for transferring charges in the vertical direction is shown. The high-speed sweep pulse PH is supplied from the CCD driver 22 to the CCD 21, and the pulse TG regulates the timing of transferring the video signal charge from the photodiode 41 to the vertical transfer CCD 42.

Prior to the output timing of the pulse TG, the CCD driver 2 is operated in a period substantially corresponding to the pulse VD.
The high-speed sweep pulse PH is supplied from 2 to the CCD 21. As a result, the residual charges in the range AR2 of FIG. 6 move at high speed in the vertical transfer CCD 42 (FIG. 2) and are swept out to the drain portion 44. This eliminates smear in the range AR2.

After this, a video signal is output from the CCD 21. Video signal charges generated by photoelectrically converting the image V3 are transferred from the photodiode 41 to the vertical transfer CCD 42 by the pulse TG in FIG. Then, this video signal charge moves in the vertical transfer CCD 42 based on the pulse of the normal transfer timing, and moves in the horizontal transfer CCD 4.
It is taken in by the image pickup device 3, moved in the horizontal transfer CCD 43, and taken out from the terminal 49 in the direction of arrow T as a video signal.

At the time of reading the video signal charge, in FIG.
Range AR1 extending from the high brightness portion HP to the drain portion 44 side
Since the video signal charge of (1) passes through the high brightness portion HP, smear occurs in the range AR1. On the other hand, the video signal charge in the range AR2 extending from the high brightness portion HP to the horizontal transfer CCD 43 side does not pass through the high brightness portion HP, and the residual charge existing in the vertical transfer CCD 42 one field before is swept out. Therefore, smear does not occur in this range AR2.

FIG. 7 shows a state in which the video signal output from the CCD 21 is displayed on the monitor. As shown in this figure, smear appears in the range AR1,
Smear is prevented from occurring in the range AR2. That is, the subject S is not smeared, and the influence of the smear on the subject S is removed.

Next, referring to FIGS. 9 to 16, the rotation control of the CCD 21 and the reading of the pixel data from the memory unit 29 (FIG. 1) are performed to remove the influence of smear on the subject S on the monitor. Will be described. In these figures, the number of pixels of the CCD is 80 for simplicity of explanation.
It is set to 0.

First, as shown in FIG. 9, a case where the image V5 to be photographed has a high-luminance portion HP such as a spotlight above the subject S will be described. In such cases,
The CCD 21 includes an optical system storage unit 12 and a camera body unit 14.
Not turned against. That is, the image V5 is formed as an inverted inverted image V6 on the light receiving portion 48 of the CCD 21 as shown in FIG. 10. In the image V6, the subject S is located on the side of the horizontal transfer CCD 43 and the high brightness portion HP. Is located on the drain portion 44 side.

Prior to reading out the video signal charges generated in the light receiving section 48, the high-speed sweeping pulse PH (FIG. 8) sweeps out the residual charges in the range AR2 from the drain section 44. As a result, the smear in the range AR2 is removed. After this, the image V formed on the light receiving unit 48
The video signal charges 6 are transferred to the vertical transfer CCD 43 and transferred to the horizontal transfer CCD 43 side. In this transfer, the high brightness part H
Range AR from P to the upper side, that is, the horizontal transfer CCD 43 side
Since the video signal charge of 2 does not pass through the high brightness portion HP,
The smear does not occur in this range AR2 without being affected by the excess charge of the high brightness portion HP. On the other hand, the video signal charges in the range AR1 below the high brightness portion HP are
Therefore, smear occurs in this range AR1.

The image signal charges are output by the horizontal transfer CCD 43 in the direction of arrow T. Therefore, the pixel data of the image V6 is the CCD in the order of the numbers shown in FIG.
21 and is stored in the memory unit 29. That is, the pixel data are read out one by one from the ones close to the horizontal transfer CCD 43 (columns extending in the horizontal direction in the drawing), and read out from ones close to the output terminal of the horizontal transfer CCD 43 in one column. The data is sequentially written in the memory unit 29. FIG. 11 schematically shows the relationship between the address on the memory unit 29 and the stored image V7.

When the writing of the pixel data to the memory unit 29 is completed, the pixel data is read from the memory unit 29 in the reverse order of this writing operation. That is,
The pixel data is the pixel data (80
0) is read to the right for each horizontal scanning line, subjected to predetermined processing, and output. As a result, an upright image V8 as shown in FIG. 12 is displayed on the monitor. As is clear from this image V8, the high brightness portion HP
Smear occurs only in the area AR1 above
The subject S is not affected by the smear, and the image collapse of the subject S is prevented.

Next, as shown in FIG. 13, a case where the image V9 to be photographed has a high-intensity portion HP such as a footlight below the subject S will be described. In this case CC
D21 is rotated 180 degrees with respect to the optical system storage 12 and the camera body 14. That is, the CCD 21
Is determined such that the horizontal transfer CCD 44 is located on the lower side unlike FIG. In this state, as shown in FIG. 14, in the inverted inverted image V10 formed on the light receiving unit 48, the subject S is located on the horizontal transfer CCD 43 side and the high-intensity part HP is located on the drain unit 44 side. is doing.

First, as in the case of FIG. 10, the high brightness portion H
The residual charge in the range AR2 extending from P to the horizontal transfer CCD 43 side is swept out at a higher speed than the drain section 44,
The smear of this part is removed. Thereafter, the video signal charges of the image V10 formed on the light receiving section 48 are transferred to the vertical transfer CCD and transferred to the horizontal transfer CCD 43 side.
In this transfer, the video signal charges in the range AR2 extending from the high brightness part HP to the horizontal transfer CCD 43 side do not pass through the high brightness part HP, and thus are not affected by the excess charges in the high brightness part HP, and smeared in this range AR2. Will never occur. On the other hand, since the video signal charge in the range AR1 below the high brightness part HP passes through the high brightness part HP, smear occurs in this range AR1.

The video signal charges are output in the direction of arrow T by the horizontal transfer CCD 43, and the pixel data of the image V10 are read out from the CCD 21 in the order of the numbers shown in FIG. 14, as in the case of FIG. , Are written in the memory unit 29. FIG. 15 schematically shows the relationship between the address on the memory unit 29 and the written image V11.

When the writing of the pixel data to the memory unit 29 is completed, the pixel data is read from the memory unit 29 and subjected to a predetermined process in the same order as this writing operation. That is, in FIG. 15, the pixel data is read from the upper left pixel data (1) in the right direction for each horizontal scanning line. As a result, the upright image V12 as shown in FIG. 16 is displayed on the monitor. As is clear from the image V12, smear occurs only in the range AR1 below the high-luminance portion HP, the smear does not affect the subject S, and the image collapse of the subject S is prevented.

17 and 18 show the writing of the video signal into the memory section 29 and the memory section 2 in this embodiment.
9 is a flowchart showing a read operation from 9;

In step 101, the writing of the digital video signal of the first field to the memory unit 29 is started based on the control signal output from the MPU 28, that is, the address data. Step 102 is repeatedly executed until the writing is completed, and when it is completed, the process proceeds to step 103. In step 103, the writing of the digital video signal of the second field into the memory unit 29 is started based on the control signal output from the MPU 28, that is, the address data.

In step 104, the MPU 28 outputs a control signal, that is, address data and the like to the memory unit 29, and the reading of the digital video signal of the first field from the memory unit 29 is started. Memory part 2 at this time
The order of reading pixel data from 9 is shown in FIGS.
As described above with reference to, it depends on whether or not the user has rotated the CCD 21. This rotation is determined by the rotation detection signal output from the light receiving unit rotation detection switch 38.

In step 105, predetermined signal processing is performed on the digital video signal of the first field. This signal processing is gamma correction, aperture, synchronization signal addition, gain adjustment, etc., performed in the DSP 26. After this processing, the digital video signal of the first field is output from the DSP 26. Step 106 is repeatedly executed until the signal processing of the digital video signal is finished, and when it is finished, the routine proceeds to step 107. Step 10
In 7, the writing of the digital video signal of the next first field to the memory unit 29 is started based on the control signal output from the MPU 28, that is, the address data.

In step 108, the MPU 28 outputs a control signal, that is, address data and the like to the memory section 29, and the reading of the digital video signal of the second field from the memory section 29 is started. Memory part 2 at this time
The order of reading pixel data from 9 is step 10
Similar to 4, it is determined according to the rotation detection signal output from the light receiving unit rotation detection switch 38.

In step 109, similar to step 105, signal processing is performed on the digital video signal of the second field. Step 110 is repeatedly executed until the predetermined signal processing of the digital video signal is completed, and when it is completed, the process returns to step 103 and the above-described operation is repeated.

Step 103 of this flowchart
In steps 104 and 107, a process of writing the digital video signal of one field into the memory unit 29 and reading the digital video signal of the other field from the memory unit 29 is performed. As an example of the configuration of the memory unit 29 for realizing this, two field memories may be arranged in parallel, and a switching switch for selecting a field memory may be provided at the input end and the output end of these field memories.

In this case, by controlling the changeover switch not to be connected to one field memory at the same time, for example, a digital video signal can be written in one field memory and a digital video signal can be read out from the other field memory. Becomes

In this embodiment, an interline transfer type CCD is used as an example of the CCD 21. However, the CCD 21 is not limited to this, and the light receiving portion also serves as a vertical transfer CCD. A frame interline transfer system CCD having both the interline transfer system and the frame transfer system is also applicable.

According to this embodiment, since the CCD 21 is rotatable with respect to the optical system housing portion 12, the high brightness portion H is determined by the photographer based on the position of the high brightness portion HP with respect to the subject.
C so that P is located on the drain portion 44 side of the CCD 21
The vertical direction of the CD 21 can be determined. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the video signal charges in the range AR2 on the side of the subject S from the high brightness part HP from passing through the high brightness part HP at the time of transfer, and to transfer the video signal charges from the light receiving part 48 of the CCD 21 to the vertical transfer CCD 42. Prior to the transfer, the residual charge one field before is swept out from the drain section 44 to the drain 43 at a high speed through the vertical transfer CCD 42. Therefore, smear does not occur on the subject S, and the range AR1 in which smear occurs due to excess charges does not appear on the subject S side, so that image collapse is prevented.

[0060]

As described above, according to the present invention, since it is possible to prevent the video signal charge in the range including the subject from passing through the high brightness portion, it is possible to prevent the smear from affecting the subject. There is an effect that so-called image collapse can be prevented and good image quality can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a connection state of circuits of an image pickup apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a CCD.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a rotating mechanism.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view showing a CCD unit.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing a CCD unit.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating generation and removal of smear in a CCD.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a subject image and smear on a monitor.

FIG. 8 is a timing chart showing generation timings of various pulses in a field period.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an imaging target having a high-intensity part above a subject.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an image pickup target formed on a light receiving portion of a CCD.

FIG. 11 is a diagram schematically showing pixel data written in a memory.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a state in which pixel data read from a memory is displayed on a monitor.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an imaging target having a high-intensity part below a subject.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an image pickup target formed on a light receiving portion of a CCD.

FIG. 15 is a diagram schematically showing pixel data written in a memory.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a state in which pixel data read from a memory is displayed on a monitor.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart for explaining the operation.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart for explaining the operation.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a positional relationship between an image formed on a CCD and a CCD according to a conventional technique.

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing an image and smear displayed on a monitor according to a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Imaging Device 12 Optical System Storage 12a Lens Unit 13 Imaging Device Storage 14 Camera Body 21 CCD 41 Photodiode 42 Vertical Transfer CCD 43 Horizontal Transfer CCD 44 Drain 29 Memory 38 MPU 61 CCD Unit 70 CCD Rotation Mechanism

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A light receiving part for generating charges according to a formed image, and a vertical transfer part for transferring the charges generated in the light receiving part toward a horizontal transfer part for outputting to the outside. The light receiving section and the horizontal transfer section are arranged so that, in the state where the image including the high brightness section is formed on the light receiving section, the high brightness section is formed on a portion relatively far from the horizontal transfer section. An imaging device characterized in that. 2. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least the light receiving portion and the horizontal transfer portion are provided rotatably around an axis parallel to the optical axis.