JPH08307776A - Image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide an image pickup system in which the image signal with high resolution which can not be obtained by a conventional video camera can be obtained by using a CCD for public welfare. CONSTITUTION: The optical axis variable optical element is arranged in the optical system of a video camera and this device is provided with a moving amount memory 10 storing the data of moving amount for varying the optical axis and an image memory 6. By synchronizing with the fetching of image data to be fetched into the image memory 6, the optical axis variable optical element is driven in accordance with the moving amount data from the moving amount memory 10. The light to be irradiated to the part except an opening part performing the photoelectric conversion of a CCD to be a solid image pickup element is guided to the opening part. Because the number of picture element determining the resolution of the solid image pickup element can be apparently increased, an image with high resolution can be obtained.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image pickup device, and in particular,
High resolution imaging using a lens equipped with a variable apex prism (fluid prism) that can change the angle of the optical axis or a variable optical element such as a movable reflecting mirror and a CCD solid-state image sensor. The present invention relates to an imaging device suitable for obtaining a screen.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an optical axis variable optical element, a variable liquid optical device having a structure in which a special liquid is put between two plate glasses arranged in parallel planes and enclosed by an expandable bellows surrounding each plate glass. In the apex angle prism, each glass plate is provided with a structure capable of being rotated in a horizontal (left and right) direction and a vertical (up and down) direction by an actuator,
A variable apex angle prism is known in which the inclination of the optical axis is controlled by changing the angle between the plate glasses arranged in parallel planes.

As an image pickup device to which this is applied, ICC
E; DIGEST OF TECHNICAL PAP
ERS (Inter-national Conference on Consumer Elec
tronics) pages 6-7 (JUNE 8-10, 1993).
Are listed in. This is to prevent the shaking of the image due to camera shake that occurs in the hand-held shooting of the video camera.

In the technique described in the above-mentioned publicly known document, first, left and right and up and down shakes of a video camera are detected by a shake angle detection sensor, and according to the detection result, the variable apex angle prism of an image Drive control is performed in a direction that compensates for movement. By performing such control, it is possible to obtain a stable image with no shake in monitor output.

That is, the incident angle is corrected by the variable apex angle prism so that the image projected on the image pickup device does not move even if the incident angle from the subject changes due to camera shake.

[0006]

The conventional image pickup apparatus provided with the lens having the variable apex angle prism as described above has a system designed to realize a camera shake correction system. The angle of the optical axis is controlled so that the image projected on is always the same.

By the way, in a consumer video camera, a single plate type camera using one CCD solid-state image pickup device (hereinafter abbreviated as CCD) as an image pickup device is generally used. Therefore, the resolution as a captured image is almost determined by the number of pixels of the CCD itself. At the present time, as a high pixel type, approximately 600,000 pixel types have been put into practical use for consumer use.

For this reason, in order to obtain a camera having higher resolution performance, a multi-plate type camera is constructed by using a plurality of image pickup elements, or a special and expensive commercial image pickup having a further increased number of pixels. Either using the element or giving up the moving image shooting from the beginning, there was no choice but to consider a scanner type image capturing device using a line sensor.

Under such circumstances, the present invention makes full use of an operation and control method which is completely different from the above-mentioned prior art, and uses inexpensive consumer parts to provide an inexpensive and high-definition imaging device. Is what you are trying to get.

The operating principle of the present invention is to finely and precisely control a variable apex angle prism used in a conventional image stabilizing device to finely move an image forming screen finer than the pixel pitch of the solid-state image pickup device. By capturing an image for each image and synthesizing the images, an image having a finer pitch than the pixel pitch of the solid-state image pickup device is obtained.

That is, in an image pickup apparatus equipped with a lens having a variable apex angle prism, an optical image is shifted so that an image shifted by 1 / N (N is an integer) of the pitch of the number of pixels is projected on the light receiving surface of the image pickup element. The same effect as moving the image sensor horizontally and vertically is obtained by finely controlling the axis angle contrary to the conventional technique, and is called so-called wobbling image capturing, swing image capturing, or the like. The same effect as that of the image pickup method is obtained by a different operation principle.

By doing so, an image pickup system for obtaining a high-resolution image signal which cannot be obtained by using the optical element used in the consumer movie, the conventional lens and the image pickup element is obtained. Although it can be provided, it is indispensable to perform image shifting with high accuracy in order to realize this system. Therefore, a high precision control method and its adjustment method become important.

An object of the present invention is to provide a practical and inexpensive image pickup device by showing the configuration of the above high-definition image pickup device and the control and adjustment methods thereof.

In the present invention, since there are almost no moving parts and the driving time and the reading from the image pickup device can be completed in a short time, the simplicity and operation which cannot be obtained by the scanner type image input device. Have sex.

Therefore, as one of its applications, it is suitable for realizing a high-resolution image pickup system in which a clear and accurate palm print is electronically collected in a short time.

[0016]

In order to achieve the above object, the image pickup device according to the present invention shifts the position of image formation by an amount of equal division between pixels arranged on the light receiving surface in the left-right direction and in the vertical direction. It includes an optical element such as a variable apex angle prism, an actuator for driving the prism, a memory circuit for storing a picked-up image signal, and an image processing circuit for synthesizing an image signal from the memory circuit.

Further, in realizing the above shift, the control data in which the variation of the optical element such as the variable apex angle prism is absorbed is stored in the memory in advance, and the fine movement control is performed based on the stored control data to obtain an accurate result. A movement amount memory that enables various drive controls is provided. Also, in the case of a variable apex rhythm arranged in the front part of the lens, if the focal length of the lens is different, even if the formed image on the imaging surface is slightly moved by the same amount, different variable apex angles are obtained. It is necessary to change the angle of the prism. That is, as the focal length becomes shorter and the shooting angle of view becomes wider, the angle of looking into the subject becomes larger, and it is necessary to increase the angle of light bent by the variable apex angle prism. Therefore, when the taking lens is a zoom lens, data for changing the drive amount according to the zoom value is stored in the memory in advance.

The optical axis can be similarly changed by using a movable reflecting mirror or a movable parallel plate glass in addition to the variable apex angle prism.

[0019]

Of the two optical plate glasses forming the variable apex angle prism described above, one glass plate is in the horizontal (left or right) direction, and the other glass plate is in the vertical (up or down) direction. The rotation is controlled to a predetermined angle by. By utilizing the combination of each of the control in the horizontal direction and the control in the vertical direction, it is possible to set the incident angle of the light to the lens arbitrarily, and
Shift vertically.

In shifting, the formed image is divided into left, right, upper and lower parts by an amount equally divided between picture elements. A video signal is recorded in the memory circuit at each shift. Up, down, left and right,
If you shift by the same divided amount, you can finally obtain a video signal that is interpolated equally between the picture elements on the imaging surface, so the image processing circuit places this video signal at the shifted position. If combined as described above, a high-definition video signal equivalent to an image picked up by an image pickup device having several times more pixels than the original image pickup device can be obtained.

As a result, an image signal having a high resolution can be effectively obtained by the conventional lens having the variable apex angle prism, the image pickup device, the camera circuit, and the circuit having the electric signal processing band.

Further, since the fine movement control of the variable apex angle prism is performed by the data stored in the memory, the fine movement control can be performed with high precision by absorbing the variation of the prism.
Further, by using the zoom-compatible data or the like, it is possible to obtain a high-resolution image at a low cost even in an image pickup apparatus having various lenses.

[0023]

The details of the present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments.

<First Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the schematic arrangement of an image pickup apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, 1 is a taking lens, 2 is a variable apex angle prism, 3 is a solid-state image pickup device (normally a CCD type image pickup device is often used, so it will be referred to as CCD hereinafter), 4
Is a camera circuit that outputs a video signal.

Reference numeral 5 denotes an image signal processing circuit, which is one screen unit generated by the camera circuit 4 (for example, 1 in the case of the NTSC system).
This is a frame-by-frame screen that completes two images.
Processing (including generation time of 30 seconds) is performed. The image signal processing circuit 5 includes an image memory 6
The memory control circuit 7, the signal processing circuit 8, and the timing control circuit 12 are provided.

Further, in FIG. 1, 9 is an optical axis moving circuit, 1
Reference numeral 0 is a movement amount memory that stores data for fine movement control, and 11 is an actuator.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 1, the image of the subject is passed through the variable apex angle prism 2 and the lens 1 and then to the CCD.
An image is formed on the image pickup surface of No. 3. The image information photoelectrically converted by the CCD 3 is input to the camera circuit 4. The image signal input to the camera circuit 4 is converted into an image signal that can be displayed on a monitor or the like, and is input to the image memory 6. The image memory 6 is controlled by the memory control circuit 7 and takes in and records the image signal output from the camera circuit 4. At that time, the memory control circuit 7 is controlled by the timing control circuit 12 which receives the synchronization signal from the camera circuit 4.
The timing of the operation of is controlled. As a result, the memory control circuit 7 controls the capture into the image memory 6 in synchronization with the image signal output from the camera circuit 4.

After that, the image data stored in the image memory 6 is read by the memory control circuit 7, processed by the signal processing circuit 8 as high-definition image data,
It is output as a high definition video signal 81.

The timing control circuit 12 outputs the optical axis movement amount and the movement direction to the optical axis movement circuit 9 in synchronization with the acquisition of the image data. Upon receiving this output, the optical axis moving circuit 9
Inputs the data of the desired fine movement amount of the variable apex angle prism 2 from the movement amount memory 10, calculates the drive amount of the desired movement amount of the optical axis, outputs it to the actuator 11, and controls it. The actuator 11 drives the variable apex angle prism 2 to change the inclination of the optical axis.

As described above, the variable apex angle prism 2 is controlled so as to be driven minutely, and the light irradiated to the portion other than the opening portion of the light receiving surface of the CCD 3 is guided to the opening portion to obtain a plurality of images. Data is stored in the image memory 6, and the once stored image data is combined into one image by the signal processing circuit 8 to obtain a high definition video signal 81 which is a high definition image.

The principle and operation of this embodiment will be described below in more detail with reference to FIGS.

First, the operation of the variable apex angle prism 2 for shifting the optical axis will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2A shows shooting in a normal state. In the figure, reference numeral 41 is a subject, and for example, as an image of the subject, an image represented by a captured image 42 is printed on the subject 41.

Now, assuming that the variable apex angle prism 2 is provided on the object side of the lens 1, and the two glass plates of the variable apex angle prism 2 are kept in a parallel plane state at this time, then the light beam from the object 41 at this time. Indicates a locus indicated by a broken line, and the captured image is similar to the captured image 42 in the subject 41.
You will be shooting the center of.

Now, the variable apex angle prism 2 is shown in FIG.
Driven as described above, the optical axis bends as shown by the broken line due to the difference in refractive index between the variable apex angle prism 2 and the air, and the same effect as if the lens is directed upward can be obtained. Therefore, the image of the subject 41 captured becomes like the captured image 43.

Similarly, depending on the direction in which the variable apex angle prism 2 is driven, the photographed image can be moved in any of up, down, left and right directions.

Next, the operation of obtaining a high-definition image by utilizing such image movement will be described with reference to the schematic diagrams of FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 3A is a schematic view of the light receiving surface of the CCD, showing an opening and an example of a subject image. In the figure, reference numeral 20 is an opening of the CCD, which is arranged in rows and columns. In addition, the wedge-shaped image with diagonal lines in the figure is a subject image 35 formed on the light-receiving surface of the CCD 3 for explaining the photographing operation, and a subject having a wedge-shaped shape (not shown) is used as a lens. It is an image formed by 1. In addition, in FIG. 3A, 30 is a number given to a specific opening, and in the positional relationship of this example, since the wedge-shaped subject image 35 is hardly projected on the opening 30,
The output from the opening 30 does not appear to be affected by the subject image 35.

Only the light projected on the opening 20 is photoelectrically converted, and the photoelectrically converted charges are output to the camera circuit 4 as a video signal. Except for the opening 20, the light-shielding portion 21 that does not allow light to pass through is shielded from all the incident light and is not photoelectrically converted.

The subject image 3 is formed on the light receiving surface of the CCD 3 as described above.
5 is imaged, when a video signal obtained by photoelectric conversion of the opening 20 is reproduced on a monitor (not shown) or the like, the subject image 35
Since only the portion of the picture element projected is changed, the image becomes as shown in FIG. 3B on the monitor screen.

In the example of the image shown in FIG. 3B,
Since only the light emitted to the opening 20 becomes a video signal,
Of course, the original wedge shape cannot be determined.

Next, FIG. 4 shows a process of generating an image when the image generating method to be realized by the present invention is executed. In FIG. 4A, by changing the angle of the variable apex angle prism 2 of the subject image 35, the minute image forming position is changed as shown by the minute movement 1, the minute movement 2 and the minute movement 3. In this case, the position of each image of the subject image 35 is shown.

In this embodiment, a total of four picked-up images are recorded in the image memory 6, such as an image before the minute movement, an image when the minute movement 1 is performed, and an image when the next minute movement is performed. It shall be.

When observing the movement between the opening and the projected subject image 35 every time such a minute movement is made, when the subject position is used as a reference, the subject image 35 is fixed and relatively moved. If the opening 20 moves, the movement of the opening 20 has a positional relationship as shown in FIG.

This is because the position of the opening 30 is located at positions such as 31, 32, and 33 with respect to each minute movement, and the opening 2 of FIG.
0 is the virtual opening 2 indicated by the broken line in FIG.
It is better to think that they are placed in the two positions respectively.

More specifically, for the minute movement 1 (movement to the right by the movement amount ΔH) in FIG.
The opening 30 is formed in the movement direction shown in (b) corresponding to the minute movement 1.
Is equivalent to the movement of the opening 30 to the position of the virtual opening 31 indicated by the broken line.
3 also has openings 30 at the positions of the virtual openings 32, 33.
Moves.

In this way, the subject image 35 is moved from the minute movement 1 to the minute movement 3 and four images at each position are recorded in the image memory 6, and then the positions of the openings of the images are changed. The high-definition video signal 8 is synthesized by the signal processing circuit 8 so as to reproduce the image signal previously stored at the position.
Output as 1.

An image of this output displayed on a monitor or the like is shown in FIG. 4 (c). As is clear from the figure,
An image obtained by interpolating between the original openings of the CCD 3 is obtained. In the image of FIG. 4C, the original opening 20 of the CCD 3 is filled with the video signal generated by the virtual opening 22, and the image is picked up by a high-definition image pickup device having four times the number of pixels. It is a high definition image equivalent to the image.

As is apparent from FIG. 4C, the original wedge image 35 is reproduced to some extent, and the effect of the present invention can be clearly seen.

In this embodiment, the case has been described in which the horizontal movement is ΔH and the vertical movement is ΔV, and the resolution is increased by 4 times. However, the fine movement amount is further reduced and the resolution is further increased. Needless to say, the image capturing is possible, and the minute movement control and the signal processing method in that case can be easily realized from the above description, and thus detailed description thereof will be omitted.

<Second Embodiment> Next, how to store the data stored in the movement amount memory 10 will be described with reference to the second embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image pickup apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 5, the components having the same numbers as those in FIG. 1 correspond to the components having the same numbers in FIG. Has the same function.

In FIG. 5, reference numeral 15 is a movement amount adjusting circuit for performing a series of detection and adjustment operations for obtaining the movement amount data stored in the movement amount memory 10, and 151 is the movement amount adjusting circuit 1.
5 is an adjustment start switch for inputting the start of operation, and reference numeral 152 is a changeover switch for enabling the actuator 11 to be driven by the movement amount adjusting circuit 15 when the movement amount adjusting circuit 15 starts the adjusting operation. In the case of fine shooting, the output of the optical axis moving circuit 9 is the actuator 1
It is turned on so that it is connected to 1.

First, when the adjustment start switch 151 is input, the changeover switch 152 is switched so as to input the output of the movement amount adjustment circuit 15 to the actuator 11. After that, the movement amount adjusting circuit 15 causes the actuator 1
While controlling 1, the signals from the image memory 6 are input and compared to measure and convert the movement amount data, which is then stored in the movement amount memory 10 and the adjustment operation is completed.

An example of this moving amount adjusting method is shown in FIG.
This will be described below. In the figure, 41 is an example of a subject for adjustment in the present embodiment, and 42 and 43 are captured images when the subject 41 is captured.

FIG. 6A shows an example in which the variable apex angle prism 2 is largely changed to photograph the upper part. The image of the photographed subject 41 in this case is as shown by 42. On the other hand, FIG. 6B shows an example in which the variable apex angle prism 2 is largely changed to photograph the lower part, and the image of the photographed subject 41 in this case is 43. So, comparing the output images of each shooting,
As shown in (c) of FIG. 6, the amount of movement of the subject in each shooting can be measured by comparing the edge portions of the images of the subject.

In FIG. 6C, this is the amount of change for V direction adjustment indicated by 44, and the actuator changes from the control data in the case of photographing above the variable apex angle prism 2 to the control data in the case of photographing below. The change amount 44 for V direction adjustment is generated by the change amount of the control data (referred to as movement data for detection) with respect to. Therefore, if the amount of movement of the shooting screen is now 3 picture elements as shown in (c) of FIG.
As the movement data of 1/2 picture element pitch, the reciprocal data amount of 3 (picture element) × 2 = 6 (= detection movement data / 6) is based on the movement data for detection. The data is the amount of movement required for a minute movement (hereinafter referred to as unit V direction movement amount data).

The horizontal direction can be obtained in exactly the same manner. Further, although the above description has been made on the premise of the movement amount for obtaining a four-fold high-definition image, it goes without saying that a completely similar method can be used when obtaining data for obtaining another resolution.

Next, FIG. 6 (d) shows an example in which the adjustment subject is changed to make the adjustment more quickly. In this example, for example, a circular adjustment subject (hereinafter referred to as a reference subject) is imaged, and then the variable apex angle prism 2 is largely displaced and controlled in the H direction and the V direction, and the subject is moved respectively. An example is shown in which the position (for example, the position of the center of gravity) is obtained, and the movement amount data is obtained based on the amount of change as in the previous case.

To collect the data in the vertical direction, the amount of movement on the image pickup surface when the variable apex angle prism 2 is greatly changed as shown in FIGS.
If the movement amount is converted into a pixel conversion and the movement amount data given to the actuator is divided by the value, the movement amount data can be obtained. The unit V direction movement amount data can be obtained by expressing the movement amount on the screen by 1/2 the pitch of the picture element and dividing the movement amount of the actuator. Similarly, in the horizontal direction, the movement data in the horizontal direction is obtained based on the amount of change in the H direction.

The moving axis of the variable apex angle prism 2 and CC
When the axes of the array of D3 are not parallel, as shown in (d) of FIG. 6, after moving in the V direction, a V direction change error that shifts in the H direction appears, and after moving in the H direction, shifts in the V direction. H-direction change error appears.

Therefore, in order to absorb these errors, V
When moving in the direction, the error may be eliminated by moving in the V direction based on the V direction movement data obtained earlier and by slightly moving in the H direction by an amount corresponding to the V direction change error.

In this case, the movement amount for error elimination can be calculated as follows in the case of a V direction change error, for example. In the case of this V direction change error, the moving direction for eliminating the error is the H direction. Therefore, first, the H-direction change amount is obtained from the position of the H-direction change subject, and the H-direction movement data is obtained. That is, in the case of quadruple high-resolution shooting, H for moving by a pixel pitch of 1/2 of one picture element
The movement data of one unit in the direction is obtained.

H required to eliminate the V direction change error
The amount of movement in the direction is only the amount of change in the V direction that corresponds to a pixel pitch that is ½ of the V direction with respect to the amount of change in the V direction when a large amount is previously obtained. Therefore, the H-direction movement amount data for error elimination to be given to the actuator 11 may be obtained based on the error elimination H-direction movement amount on the sensor surface for the amount of eliminating the V-direction change error.

Then, 1 / pixel of the pixel in the H direction obtained earlier
Since one unit of H-direction movement amount data for moving by two pitches and the movement amount on the H-direction sensor surface for error elimination were found, V input to the actuator 11 from these was found.
The H-direction movement amount data for error elimination of the direction change error can be calculated. That is, the error-resolving H-direction movement amount data = unit H-direction movement amount data / (error-resolving H-direction movement amount × 2). Here, “× 2” is because the unit H direction movement amount data is based on the movement amount of 1/2 pixel pitch.

As described above, the movement amount data for canceling the V direction change error of the variable apex angle prism 2 is obtained, but similar data is obtained for the H direction change error and recorded in the movement amount memory 10. If the bidirectional change error of V and H is corrected according to them, the error caused by the misalignment of V, H, that is, the axial alignment of the variable apex angle prism 2 and the CCD 3 in the directions of both XY axes can be eliminated, and the error can be further improved. It is possible to precisely control the fine movement of the imaging position.

Of course, in the above, in order to obtain the V direction change error, the H direction change error was ignored and calculation was performed. However, when the conditions such as the mounting accuracy are further bad, the correction amount including both direction change errors is included. Needless to say, may be calculated, but details are omitted.

In this embodiment, the adjustment is started after the adjustment start switch 151 is input. However, this switch does not have to be a mechanical switch. The operation may be performed by one or several operations of the added switch, or a control communication line or the like may be newly added to perform the control. It is needless to say that the adjustment may be performed arbitrarily at the operator's discretion, every time the power is turned on by inserting an appropriate subject, or when the image pickup apparatus is assembled.

The method of calculating the movement amount data for correcting the error caused by the mounting error has been described above. However, when the data of the movement amount memory 10 of the variable apex angle prism 2 also requires data of other items. There is an example,
This will be explained by the following examples.

<Third Embodiment> FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the schematic arrangement of an image pickup apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
In the figure, the components having the same numbers as the components in FIG. 1 have the same functions as the components having the same numbers in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 7, the lens 1 of this embodiment has a zoom function and a zoom lens 101. Further, in the figure, 13 is a zoom value detection circuit for detecting the zoom value of the zoom lens 101.

The focal length of the zoom lens changes, and as a result, the viewing angle at which the CCD 3 looks at the subject changes. The state of the change is shown in FIG. In the figure, the horizontal axis is the zoom magnification, and the vertical axis is the viewing angle. As the focal length is longer, that is, the viewing angle is smaller, it is necessary to reduce the apex angle change amount of the variable apex angle prism 2 for keeping the same amount of movement of the image on the image plane of the CCD 3. Therefore, when the zoom of the lens 1 is changed, it is necessary to change the apex angle change amount of the variable apex angle prism 2 according to the zoom value.

Therefore, the moving amount memory 10 stores the optical axis moving amount data according to the zoom value, takes out the optical axis moving amount data according to the detection value from the zoom value detecting circuit 13, and the optical axis moving circuit 9 The actuator 11 is driven to control the variable apex angle prism 2.

As the movement amount data, for example, several points such as tele, wide, and middle may be measured and calculated by the method described in FIG. 5, and these may be stored in the movement amount memory 10. For zoom values other than the above, the movement amount may be calculated by interpolation using the stored data. In that case, if the change error in the V and H directions is similarly converted into a data string and stored in the movement amount memory 10 and the movement control in which the error is suppressed is performed, an even better high-definition image can be obtained.

<Fourth Embodiment> FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the schematic arrangement of an image pickup apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.
In the figure, components having the same numbers as the components in FIG. 7 have the same functions as the components having the same numbers in FIG. 7. The present embodiment is an example in which the variable apex angle prism 2 is driven including the case where the camera shake correction control is performed as in the conventional known example.

In FIG. 9, reference numeral 16 denotes a shake angle detection circuit for detecting shake such as hand shake of the image pickup apparatus by a gyro or the like, and 1
Reference numeral 7 denotes a camera shake correction control circuit, which calculates a camera shake correction amount based on the shake angle detection value from the shake angle detection circuit 16 and the zoom value from the zoom value detection circuit 13, and outputs shake correction data. Reference numeral 18 denotes a mix circuit, which is a camera shake correction control circuit 1
The camera shake correction data from 7 and the optical axis moving data from the optical axis moving circuit 9 are mixed and output to the actuator 11, so that the camera shake correction and the fine movement control of the optical axis are simultaneously performed. By doing so, even if the image pickup apparatus is held by hand, it is possible to obtain an effect as if the image was fixed on a table such as a tripod, and a high-definition image is stably obtained by moving the optical axis.

Next, examples of the image capturing order will be described. The outline of the image capturing / combining process has been described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4 in the first embodiment of FIG.
There are CCD reading and image capturing methods according to the implementation method of the CCD 3 and the like, and some examples thereof will be described below.

<Fifth Embodiment> FIG. 10A shows a CCD.
Two well-known screen scanning methods for carrying out image reading of No. 3 are shown below. (A-1) in the same figure is an interlaced imaging in which a video signal for one screen is read during two vertical scans, that is, a field A shown by a solid line and a field B shown by a broken line. (A-2) in the same figure is non-interlaced imaging in which a video signal for one screen is read by one vertical scan.

Even in the interlaced image pickup, in FIG. 10A, the charge inside the CCD 3 is shown to be read out in two steps, but in addition to that, photoelectric reading in the CCD 3 is performed by reading out one field. There is a reading method in which all the converted charges are read out, and in the next field, an image signal at a position shifted vertically by one horizontal line is read out to maintain the interlaced relationship. It is a pixel mixing readout that mixes the video signals of two horizontal lines in the vertical direction,
It is known as a two-row simultaneous read method for reading two horizontal lines at once.

In any case, in the present invention, a high-definition imaged image is obtained by taking in the photoelectric conversion charges obtained corresponding to the opening 20 and then combining them.

The outline of the processing is shown in FIG. In the figure, t1 to t8 indicate the image capturing order. First, at t1, the above-described opening 30 of FIG.
The variable apex angle prism 2 is controlled so that
At time 2, the captured image signal is taken into the image memory A. Next, at t3, the prism control shown by the minute movement 1 is performed so as to form the opening 31 of FIG. 4B, and then the image signal is taken into the image memory B at t4. Thereafter, similarly, at t8, the image signal is taken into the image memory D. Here, the image memories A to D are memory areas allocated in the image memory 6, and the same operation can be obtained even if each memory circuit is provided.

Next, the image information fetched in the image memories A to D is synthesized by the signal processing circuit 8 to obtain a high definition image.

The synthesis procedure is shown in FIG. By reading and synthesizing the contents of the image memories A to D as shown in the figure, a signal output shown in a synthesized high-definition image is obtained,
The image shown in FIG. 4 (c) is obtained. In this synthesizing procedure, the image memory is read out from the image memory B,
The image memory A, the image memory D, the image memory C, ... Are due to the movement control of the formed images being performed in the order shown in FIG. 4, and other movement control is performed. In such a case, it goes without saying that the reading and combining procedures are appropriately set according to each case.

Next, various examples of image reading such as image reading of the CCD 3 and optical axis movement control will be described below.

<Sixth Embodiment> FIG. 11 shows a sixth embodiment of the present invention in the case where all the photoelectric conversion charges are read in interlaced imaging and in reading of each field such as pixel mixed reading or two-row simultaneous reading. It is a figure which shows operation | movement.

In the figure, (1) is a V pulse indicating a vertical synchronization period, and (2) is a sensor accumulated image indicating an image signal accumulated in the CCD 3 in each period.
iB indicates the distinction between the field A and the field B.

(3) is a sensor output which is a read output from the CCD 3, and (4) is an optical axis moving pulse which drives and controls the variable apex angle prism 2 to move the formed image, and a pulse output is output. The optical axis moves in the meantime.

(5) represents an image signal for one screen for constructing a high-definition image, which is one of the sensor outputs (3) above.
Image names are added to the image signals of the frames corresponding to the image signals captured in the respective image memories A to D in the image capturing described in FIG. After capturing, the images are combined to generate a high-definition image.

(6) is a camera shake correction control signal output from the camera shake correction control circuit 17, and the variable apex angle prism 2 is controlled in accordance with this signal to perform camera shake correction.

(7) to (11) are enlarged views of the time axis of the V pulse in (1), and (7) shows the V pulse, and (8) shows the change of the sub potential of the CCD 3 or the like. The pulse of the realized electronic shutter, (9) is the vertical CC from the pixel when the CCD 3 is an interline CCD sensor.
This is a transfer pulse for transferring photoelectric conversion charges to D.

A period between the electronic shutter of (8) and the transfer pulse of (9) is a pixel accumulation period, which is indicated by (10). In the case of mixed reading, the shutter time of all video signals becomes equal to this period. (11) is an optical axis movement pulse.

The acquisition of the image signal is basically the same as in FIG.
Although the steps are performed in the order shown in 0 (b), there are various methods for realizing the details depending on the selection of the sensor or the like. FIG. 11 is an example thereof, and when the optical axis movement is completed in a short time, it is possible to more closely capture an image signal for forming a high-definition image. In this example, an electronic shutter pulse is used. ,
An example is shown in which the optical axis is moved while the photoelectric conversion charges on the pixel are not accumulated.

<Seventh Embodiment> The operation of the seventh embodiment of the present invention in the case of the interlaced one-row read sensor is shown in FIG. 12 and will be described below. In FIG.
The waveform having the same name as the waveform of No. 1 has the same effect as the waveform having the same name in FIG. 11.

In FIG. 12, (2) and (3) are CCs.
The image signals of the two fields generated from the N line and the N + 1 line of D3 are shown, and the image signal of one field is generated by accumulating in the 2V period for reading one row.

It takes a period of 4V to obtain the image A of the high definition image forming image (6) which is one frame image for generating the high definition image. Therefore, in this embodiment, the control of the optical axis movement is performed during the other period, which is indicated by the pulse of the optical axis movement of (5).
As a result, in order to capture one image, as shown in the upper part of the V pulse of (1) in this example, 6V period is required, and this period is required to capture one high-definition image. 1/4 of
It is the cycle period.

Of course, this period can be shortened by moving the optical axis during a period other than the period in which the image for forming the high-definition image is accumulated, and an example thereof will be described in the following embodiment. To do.

<Eighth Embodiment> FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an operation in the case of an interlaced one-row reading sensor according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention, in which the waveform has the same name as that of FIG. The waveform is a waveform having the same action as the waveform with the same name in FIG.

In FIG. 13, the photoelectric conversion period for generating the image A of the high definition image forming image of (6) is (1)
It is understood that the optical axis movement may be performed in the period of V3 to V5 of the V pulse of, and the period other than that.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the 4V period is applied to the acquisition of one image A, and this is indicated by the period of 1/4 cycle of the V pulse in (1). As a result, FIG.
The high-definition constituent image can be taken in in a shorter period than the second seventh embodiment.

<Ninth Embodiment> Next, an embodiment of image capturing in the case of a non-interlaced read sensor will be described. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the operation of the non-interlaced read sensor according to the ninth embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 14, (1) is a V pulse,
(2) is an image signal accumulated in the sensor by photoelectric conversion,
(3) represents the sensor outputs that read the stored images.

Since the sensor of this example is a non-interlaced sensor, one screen of video signal photoelectrically converted in one vertical synchronization period is output. Therefore, the image during the V3 period of the V pulse of (1) is accumulated in the sensor during the V2 period, so the optical axis movement may be performed during the other period, and the optical axis movement of (4) is performed. It is represented by the drive waveform of. As a result, image A of the image for high-definition image composition of (5)
The cycle for taking in only requires the period shown in the 1/4 cycle above the V pulse in (1).

Further, as explained in FIG. 11 above,
If an electronic shutter is used, it can be further shortened, and an example thereof will be described with reference to the next embodiment.

<Tenth Embodiment> FIG. 15 shows the first embodiment of the present invention.
It is a figure which shows operation | movement in the case of the non-interlaced read-out sensor by 0th Example, In this figure, the waveform with the same name as the name of the waveform shown in FIG. 11 and FIG. 14 is the same in FIG. 11 and FIG. This waveform has the same effect as the waveform of the name.

If the electronic shutter of (5) and the transfer pulse of (6) have a phase relationship as shown in FIG. 15, the accumulation period of the sensor is the period shown by the accumulation period of (7), other than the accumulation period. It is possible to move the optical axis in a certain period. The drive pulse for executing the optical axis movement in this case is shown by (4).

As is clear from the waveform of this example, the image A
It takes 4V period to capture the image signals up to D
It is shown by one cycle of the V pulse of (1).

Although the embodiment for taking in the image signal for constructing the high-definition image as quickly as possible has been described above, the reverse of course is also possible. For example, it takes time to move the optical axis, or the output is performed. To capture the image signal
Alternatively, it is needless to say that a long period of time may be required due to the fact that it takes time to transfer the image A to a device such as a personal computer or a work station after the image A is captured. May perform the capturing operation by setting an appropriate interval based on each of the above-mentioned embodiments.
In the case of a long cycle, the setting and the like are easy, and therefore the details are omitted.

<Eleventh Embodiment> FIG. 16 shows the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image pickup apparatus according to one embodiment, in which the components having the same numbers as the components in FIG. 9 have the same functions as the components having the same numbers in FIG. 9.

In FIG. 16, reference numeral 19 is a high-definition control circuit, which is a variable apex angle prism 2, lens 1, CCD of FIG.
3, a circuit including the image signal processing circuit 5, the movement amount memory 10 and the like other than the camera circuit 4 as well as the actuator 11.

Reference numeral 41 represents a terminal, which represents a video signal output from the camera circuit 4. Reference numeral 52 denotes the video signal 41 for generating the high definition video signal 81.
Discrimination of which image memory is loaded when loading to D,
That is, it is a timing signal that indicates which movement position the movement of the variable apex prism 2 corresponds to. Reference numeral 51 is a mix circuit of the timing signal 52 and the video signal 41, and the output is recorded in the digital recording device 50. The digital recording device 50 is a recording device using a magnetic tape, a semiconductor memory, or the like, and can faithfully reproduce the recorded video signal. Therefore, if the video signal 41 once recorded is reproduced together with the timing signal 52, a high-definition video signal can be generated by performing the same processing as the signal processing described in FIGS.

In order to realize this, the reproduction signal from the digital recording device 50 is divided into a reproduction video signal 54 and a reproduction timing signal 55 by the separation circuit 53, and this signal has the same circuit configuration as the image signal processing 5. It is input to the image signal processing circuit 505. The image signal processing circuit 505 has the same function as the image memory 6, the memory control circuit 7, the signal processing circuit 8, and the timing control circuit 12,
06, a memory control circuit 507, a signal processing circuit 508, and a timing control circuit 512.

When the reproduction timing signal 55 is input to the timing processing circuit 512, the image signal processing circuit 505 causes the memory control circuit 507 to open the apertures 30 in the image memories A to D, for example, as described with reference to FIG. ~ 33
The reproduced video signal 54 corresponding to is fetched. After that, the signal processing circuit 508 synthesizes the image signals from the image memory 506 according to a synthesis procedure to obtain a high-definition video signal 801.

In this way, the digital recording device 50
The high definition video signal 8 similar to the high definition video signal 81
01 can be played. Of course, if faithful recording and reproduction is possible, the recording device is not limited to digital,
It goes without saying that an analog type recording device may be used.

Further, the essence of this embodiment is that the video signal 41 is a video signal whose position is slightly shifted by the variable apex angle prism 2, and even if the video signal is output to the monitor, it is simply imaged by a normal lens. You can watch it without any difference from the image,
By processing this video signal by the image signal processing circuit 5 or the image signal processing circuit 505, a high-definition video signal 81 or a high-definition video signal 8 which is a further high-definition video signal.
01 can be obtained. Therefore, not only the stationary subject but also the moving subject can be brought close to the stopped state by performing the camera shake correction control. With the configuration of FIG. It becomes possible to obtain a signal.

<Twelfth Embodiment> FIG. 17 shows the first embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image pickup apparatus according to a second embodiment, in which the components having the same numbers as in FIG. 7 have the same functions as the components having the same numbers as in FIG. 7.

The lens 1 of this embodiment includes a focusing lens 102 for focusing, in addition to a zoom lens 101 having a zooming action, and as a detection system,
A zoom value detection circuit 13 that detects the zoom value of the zoom lens 101 and a focus value detection circuit 14 that detects the subject distance of the focusing lens 102 are provided.

In the embodiment of FIG. 7, it has been explained that the viewing angle of the lens 1 changes depending on the zoom value, and therefore the data for controlling the optical axis movement needs to be changed according to the zoom value. This means that not only when the zoom lens 101 is operated, but also when the focus lens 102 is moved, the same viewing angle change occurs. This is because not only the distance to the subject changes, but also the focal length of the lens itself changes due to changes in the arrangement relationship of the lenses.For example, in a zoom lens, the focus position is wide and the focus ring (commonly known as helicoid). It is known that when a lens is rotated by using the so-called ".

Therefore, in the present embodiment of FIG. 17, in addition to the embodiment of FIG. 7, that is, in order to obtain the movement control data of the variable apex angle prism 2 when the object distance changes with the change of the zoom magnification. This is stored in the moving amount memory 10 and the moving amount data is output from the moving amount memory 10 to the optical axis moving circuit 9 according to the values of the zoom value detecting circuit 13 and the focus value detecting circuit 14. There is.

An example of data collection in the movement amount memory 10 in this case is shown in FIG. 18 and will be described below. In the figure, the horizontal axis is the zoom magnification, and the vertical axis is the viewing angle. In this example, data collection points are shown when the zoom magnification is wide, middle, and tele, and when the subject distance is infinite and close.

The control data of the variable apex angle prism 2 at the above six points may be collected and stored in the movement amount memory 10 in the same manner as the method described in the embodiment of FIGS.

The movement amount of the lens position other than the sampling point may be obtained by interpolating the data of each point,
It goes without saying that the number of data collection points such as the intermediate distance may be increased if necessary.

In this embodiment, the focusing is performed by moving the lens in front of the lens 1, that is, the front lens, to focus the image. Of course, as shown in the next embodiment, another lens is used. A lens may be used.

<Thirteenth Embodiment> FIG. 19 shows the first embodiment of the present invention.
It is a block diagram which shows the schematic structure of the imaging device which concerns on 3 Example, In this figure, the component which has the same number as FIG. 17 has the same function as the component which has the same number of FIG.

The lens 1 of this embodiment includes a zoom lens 103 having a zooming action, and a focusing rear lens 104 as a so-called rear lens in the rear part of the lens for focusing. Although the lens 1 of the present embodiment is different in configuration from that of FIG. 17, it is the same that there is a variable power system and a focus adjustment system, and their values are used by the zoom value detection circuit 13 and the focus value detection circuit 14. And the moving amount data corresponding to the value is stored in advance in the moving amount memory 10 and is output to the optical axis moving circuit 9 to perform highly accurate optical axis moving control. Since the data collection method and the like are the same as those in FIG. 18, the details are omitted.

In each of the above embodiments, the case where a high-definition video signal is obtained has been described. Therefore, it can be considered that a luminance signal is usually assumed as a video signal, but of course, the same applies to a color image. It goes without saying that a high-definition image can be obtained by storing it in a memory and performing image signal processing. For example, as color signals, R,
Needless to say, a high-definition color video signal can be obtained by considering G and B image signals and processing them as video signals as described in each embodiment. Further, it goes without saying that a high-definition color video signal can be obtained even if the video signal is processed as a luminance signal and a color signal in the same manner. In that case, even if the video signal is converted to a baseband signal, It goes without saying that even if the output signals of the above are used as they are, a high-definition video signal can be obtained by combining them.

Although it has been stated that there is no limitation in increasing the definition of the color video signal, the highest resolution of the high definition video signal can be obtained when the CCD 3 is a monochrome sensor. It goes without saying that is possible. Therefore, an example of colorization using a monochrome sensor will be described with reference to the following embodiments.

<Fourteenth Embodiment> FIG. 20 shows the first embodiment of the present invention.
It is a block diagram which shows the schematic structure of the imaging device which concerns on 4th Example. In the figure, the component which has the same number as FIG. 1 has a function equivalent to the component which has the same number of FIG.

In FIG. 20, reference numeral 201 denotes a color filter, and as shown in FIG. 21, a red (R) color filter 20.
2, a green (G) color filter 203 and a blue (B) color filter 204 are provided, and these color filters 202 to 20 are provided.
4 are selectively inserted into the optical path of the CCD 3, respectively.

Reference numeral 200 denotes a filter changing device for the color filter 201. The filter changing device 200 comprises a driving device 208, a driving circuit 206, an operation detecting section 207, and a control circuit 205.

In this embodiment, each color filter 202 to 20 is used.
A high-definition video signal is taken into the image memory 6 for each 4 and then converted into a color high-definition video signal by the signal processing circuit 8.

Therefore, for each color filter, recording is performed by the memory control circuit 7 in the image memories A to D of the image memory 6 in accordance with the timing signal of the timing control circuit 12, but one high-definition image signal is recorded. Timing control circuit 12 which color filter is used for each capture
Further, the color filter changing device 200 takes in the signal, and the color filter changing device 200 changes the R, G, B color filters according to the signal. Then, the control circuit 205 controls the drive circuit 206 according to the signal from the timing control circuit 12, and the drive device 208 drives the color filter 201. At that time, the operation detection unit 207 detects which filter is inserted in the optical path, feeds back the detection output to the control circuit 205, and the control circuit 205 sets a color filter according to the output from the timing control circuit 12. Insert it securely in the optical path.

The color signal is generated in this way, but it goes without saying that there are various other construction methods.
An example thereof will be described by the following examples.

<Fifteenth Embodiment> FIG. 22 shows the first embodiment of the present invention.
It is a block diagram which shows the schematic structure of the imaging device which concerns on 5th Example, In this figure, the component which has the same number as FIG. 20 has the same function as the component of the same number of FIG.

In FIG. 22, a color separation system 134 separates the incident light from the lens 1 into R, G and B colors. CCDs 133, 132, and 131 photoelectrically convert the R, G, and B image images decomposed by the color separation system 134.
The output of each CCD is subjected to signal processing by the camera circuit 4 and becomes a color video signal.

As described above, in order to generate the high definition video signal 81, if the color signals such as the luminance signal and the color difference color signals or the R, G, B primary color signals are stored in the image memory 6, A high-definition video signal can be generated with any signal, and thus details thereof will be omitted.

The case where a high-definition video signal is obtained by moving the optical axis by the variable apex angle prism 2 has been described above, but needless to say, there are other implementation methods, which will be described by the following embodiments. .

<Sixteenth Embodiment> FIG. 23 shows the first embodiment of the present invention.
It is a figure which shows the principal part structure of the imaging device which concerns on 6th Example, Comprising: In this figure, the component of the same number as each said figure has an effect | action equivalent to the component of the same number of said each figure.

In FIG. 23, 140 is a movable mirror,
It is an alternative to the variable apex angle prism 2 of each of the above-described embodiments.

FIG. 24 is a diagram showing the structure of the movable mirror 140. As shown in the figure, the movable mirror 140 is configured to rotate vertically and horizontally, and is driven by the actuator 11. As a result, the incident light can move in the vertical and horizontal directions, and can have substantially the same action as the variable apex angle prism 2.

By performing such an operation, by the same processing as the method described in FIGS. 1 to 4,
It becomes possible to generate a high definition video signal.

Here, in the case of the movable mirror 140, the image formed is a mirror image, so that so-called mirror reading or the like may be performed in the CCD to change it to a normal image.

As means for changing the optical axis, other than this, a parallel glass plate may be inserted and the optical axis may be moved by changing its inclination.

<Seventeenth Embodiment> FIG. 25 shows the first embodiment of the present invention.
It is a block diagram which shows the schematic structure of the imaging device which concerns on 7th Example, In this figure, the component which has the same number as FIG. 1 has a function equivalent to the component which has the same number of FIG.

In FIG. 25, 135 is a color CCD image pickup device, 136 is a lens, and 401 is a camera circuit.

The light incident from the lens 136 is the CCD 13
5 is input to the image signal processing circuit 5 and is converted into a color image pickup signal by the camera circuit 401 and input to the image signal processing circuit 5.

In this embodiment, a monochrome video signal is output from the camera circuit 4 and a color video signal is output from the camera circuit 401, and these are combined to generate a high-definition color video signal. There is.

The color video signal from the camera circuit 401 is stored in the image memory 6. On the other hand, the video signal from the camera circuit 4 generates a high-definition video signal as described in FIG. Since this high-definition video signal is monochrome, the color signal of the color video signal is combined by the signal processing circuit 8 to generate a color high-definition video signal.

There are various methods for this generation. For example, the lens 136 and the lens 1 are the same, and the CCD 135 and CC
If the pixel arrangement is the same as that of D3, it is possible to obtain the video signal of the same image. Therefore, the signal from CCD3 is used as the luminance signal and the signal from CCD135 is used as the video signal.
A high definition color video signal may be generated. in this case,
After generating low-frequency R, G, B color video signals from color video signals, superimposing high-frequency components of monochrome video signals to generate high-definition R, G, B color video signals. Although possible, details are omitted.

When the lens 136 and the lens 1 are different, the color video signal of the camera circuit 401 and the camera circuit 4 are used.
The angle of view of the high-definition video signal generated from may differ, but at this time, an operation such as electronic zoom is performed, and after setting the color video signal and the high-definition monochrome video signal to the same angle of view, The color signal generation described above may be performed.

Since the high-definition image signal and the color image signal include the same subject in the present embodiment, it is only necessary to extract the color component of the subject and perform the operation of coloring the high-definition image signal. That is, it is possible to obtain a color high-definition video signal with a certain degree of color reproduction, and the image signal processing circuit 5 may perform a process therefor.

Of course, this is also the case when the two-plate image pickup method is used in the image pickup method shown in FIG. 22, and one sensor is monochrome and the other sensor is color.

<Eighteenth Embodiment> FIG. 26 shows the first embodiment of the present invention.
It is a schematic block diagram of the imaging device which concerns on 8th Example. In the figure, 402 is the lens 136 and CCD 13 of FIG.
5, a color camera including a camera circuit 401,
Reference numeral 3 is the lens of FIG. 16, variable apex angle prism 2, CCD
3, an optical axis moving type high-definition camera including a camera circuit 4 and a high-definition control circuit 19, and 404 is a color camera 402.
Is a recording device for recording the color video signal, the video signal of the optical axis moving type high definition camera 403, and the timing signal.

The recording device 404 is a recording device similar to the digital recording device 50 shown in FIG. 16, and reproduces a high definition video signal.

In this embodiment, since the recorded color video signal, the timing signal and the video signal can be reproduced faithfully, the synthesizing method shown in FIGS.
First, a high-definition video signal can be generated from a timing signal and a video signal, and a high-definition color video signal can be combined with a color video signal. Since the synthesizing method is the same as that described above, the details are omitted.

<Nineteenth Embodiment> FIG. 27 shows the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing an outline of an imaging system according to a ninth embodiment.
8 is an external view of the system of FIG. 27, and FIG.
8, the components having the same numbers as in FIG.
It has the same function as the component of the same number in FIG.

The present embodiment is for inputting a fingerprint or palm print for identifying an individual as a subject, and a high-definition input device of the present invention enables input of a faithful fingerprint pattern or the like.

27 and 28, reference numeral 405 denotes a triangular prism, which constitutes a sampling portion in which the pattern of the contact surface between the subject and the triangular prism 405 matches the pattern of the fingerprint or palm print. Reference numeral 406 denotes a light source for illumination, which illuminates the contact surface of the subject, and the sampling pattern is adapted to obtain high contrast by utilizing the total reflection of the contact surface.

As shown in FIG. 28, the triangular prism 40
The sampling unit 5 appears on the outer surface of the housing 407, and
The color camera 402 on the upper part of the outer surface of 07 is installed to photograph the person to be sampled who receives the sample.

In this embodiment, unlike the embodiment shown in FIG. 26,
The subject 407 is photographed in high definition by the optical axis moving type high-definition camera 403, but the color camera 402 is characterized in that the whole image is photographed and the collection site is always photographed (the photographing by the cameras 402, 403). The objects themselves are different), and the configurations themselves of the cameras 402 and 403 and the recording device 404 are the same as those in FIG.

Furthermore, as an application example of the configuration of FIG. 26,
Although the lens of the color camera 402 and the lens of the optical axis moving type high-definition camera 403 may be the same or different in the embodiment of FIG. 25, this is positively changed so that the color camera 402 can provide a full view of the subject. Needless to say, a high-definition image can be colorized because a color image of the entire view can be captured even in such a case.

In such a case, a high-definition image pickup device such as a scanner type may be set instead of the optical axis moving high-definition camera 403.

[0161]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, a desired definition can be realized with a CCD having a smaller number of pixels than the desired definition. Therefore, since the number of pixels is small, the CCD element can be small, and the optical system can be made small. Therefore, downsizing of the system that can obtain high-definition images,
The price can be reduced, and its industrial value is enormous.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image pickup apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation explanatory view of the variable apex angle prism in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a light receiving surface of a CCD used in an embodiment of the present invention, an example of a subject image, and an explanatory diagram showing a photographed image.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the movement of the subject image on the light receiving surface of the CCD and the output image when the subject image is slightly moved in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image pickup apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a method of calculating movement amount data according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image pickup apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a characteristic diagram showing the relationship between zoom magnification and viewing angle.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image pickup apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an image pickup apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of an image capturing / combining operation.

FIG. 11 is an image pickup apparatus according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 9 is a timing diagram of an image capturing operation in the case of an interlaced mixed read sensor.

FIG. 12 is an image pickup apparatus according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 9 is a timing chart of an image capturing operation in the case of an interlaced one-row reading sensor.

FIG. 13 is an image pickup apparatus according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 9 is a timing chart of an image capturing operation in the case of an interlaced one-row reading sensor.

FIG. 14 is an image pickup apparatus according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention,
It is a timing chart of an image capturing operation in the case of a non-interlaced read sensor.

FIG. 15 is a timing chart of an image capturing operation in the case of a non-interlaced read sensor by the image pickup apparatus according to the tenth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image pickup apparatus according to an eleventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image pickup apparatus according to a twelfth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a characteristic diagram showing the relationship between the zoom magnification and the viewing angle depending on the difference in subject distance.

FIG. 19 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image pickup apparatus according to a thirteenth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image pickup apparatus according to a fourteenth embodiment of the present invention.

21 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a color filter in FIG.

FIG. 22 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image pickup apparatus according to a fifteenth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 23 is a configuration diagram of essential parts of an image pickup apparatus according to a sixteenth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 24 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a movable mirror in FIG. 23.

FIG. 25 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image pickup apparatus according to a seventeenth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 26 is a schematic configuration diagram of an imaging device according to an eighteenth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 27 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image pickup system for inputting a fingerprint or a palm print, according to a nineteenth embodiment of the present invention.

28 is an external view of the imaging system in FIG. 27.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Lens 2 Variable Vertical Angle Prism 3 CCD 4 Camera Circuit 5 Image Signal Processing Circuit 6 Image Memory 7 Memory Control Circuit 8 Signal Processing Circuit 9 Optical Axis Movement Circuit 10 Movement Distance Memory 11 Actuator 12 Timing Control Circuit 13 Zoom Value Detection Circuit 14 Focus Value detection circuit 15 Movement amount adjustment circuit 16 Shake angle detection circuit 17 Shake correction control circuit 18 Mix circuit 19 High-definition control circuit 20 Opening part 21 Light-shielding part 22 Virtual opening part 30 Opening part 31, 32, 33 Virtual opening part 35 Object image 41 video signal 42, 43 photographed image 50 digital recording device 51 mix circuit 52 timing signal 53 separation circuit 54 playback video signal 55 playback timing signal 81 high-definition video signal 101 zoom lens 102 focusing lens 103 focusing lens 103 04 Focus Rear Lens 131, 132, 133 CCD 134 Color Separation System 135 CCD 136 Lens 140 Movable Mirror 200 Color Filter Change Device 201 Color Filter 202 Red (R) Color Filter 203 Green (G) Color Filter 204 Blue (B) Color filter 205 control circuit 206 drive circuit 207 operation detection unit 208 drive device 401 camera circuit 402 color camera 403 optical axis moving type high-definition camera 404 recording device 405 triangular prism 406 illumination light source 407 housing 505 image signal processing circuit 506 image Memory 507 Memory control circuit 508 Signal processing circuit 512 Timing control circuit 801 High-definition video signal

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Toshio Murakami 292 Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Hitachi, Ltd. Visual Media Research Laboratories

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A photographing lens, an image pickup device for photoelectrically converting an image formed by the photographing lens, a camera circuit for converting a signal of an image photoelectrically converted by the image pickup device into a video signal, and the camera circuit. An image memory for storing the video signal output from the memory, a memory control circuit for controlling the image memory, and a signal processing circuit for producing a desired single video signal from the signals of a plurality of images stored in the image memory. And an image forming position of the image formed by the photographing lens, which is arranged in a photographing optical system including the photographing lens, from an opening for receiving light in the imaging element to an adjacent opening. An optical element configured to be movable within a distance, a movement amount memory that stores movement amount data for moving within the distance, an actuator that moves the optical element, the memory A timing control circuit for controlling the timing of a control circuit; timing is controlled by the timing control circuit, and movement amount data for changing the image forming position by the optical element by the actuator is input from the movement amount memory, An optical axis moving circuit that controls an actuator, and an imaging device. 2. The zoom value detection circuit according to claim 1, further comprising: a zoom value detection circuit for detecting a zoom value of the photographing lens, wherein data of a driving amount of the actuator according to the zoom value is stored in the movement amount memory. An imaging device characterized by. 3. The movement amount memory according to claim 1, further comprising a focus value detection circuit that detects a photographing distance of the photographing lens, and stores movement amount data of the actuator according to the focus value in the movement amount memory. An imaging device characterized by: 4. A photographing lens, an image pickup device for photoelectrically converting an image formed by the photographing lens, a camera circuit for converting a signal of an image photoelectrically converted by the image pickup device into a video signal, and the camera circuit. An image memory for storing the video signal output from the memory, a memory control circuit for controlling the image memory, and a signal processing circuit for producing a desired single video signal from the signals of a plurality of images stored in the image memory. And a movable mirror disposed in a photographing optical system including the photographing lens and supported by a supporting structure capable of changing an optical axis in the vertical and horizontal two-dimensional directions of the image sensor, or movable. An optical axis variable optical element such as a parallel plate glass and an image forming position of the image by the taking lens are moved to a distance equal to or less than an interval from an opening for receiving light in the imaging element to an adjacent opening. A movement amount memory for accommodating the data, an actuator for changing the optical axis by the optical axis variable optical element, a timing control circuit for controlling the timing of the memory control circuit, and a timing control circuit for controlling the timing, An image pickup apparatus, comprising: an optical axis moving circuit that inputs movement amount data for changing the image forming position of the optical axis variable optical element by the actuator from the movement amount memory and controls the actuator. . 5. A photographing lens, an image pickup device for photoelectrically converting an image formed by the photographing lens, a camera circuit for converting a signal of an image photoelectrically converted by the image pickup device into a video signal, and the camera circuit. An image memory for storing the video signal output from the memory, a memory control circuit for controlling the image memory, and a signal processing circuit for producing a desired single video signal from the signals of a plurality of images stored in the image memory. And an image forming position of the image formed by the photographing lens, which is arranged in a photographing optical system including the photographing lens, from an opening for receiving light in the imaging element to an adjacent opening. An optical element configured to be movable within a distance, a movement amount memory that stores movement amount data for moving within the distance, an actuator that moves the optical element, the memory A timing control circuit for controlling the timing of the control circuit, the timing is controlled by the timing control circuit,
Movement amount data for changing the image formation position by the optical element by the actuator is input from the movement amount memory, and an optical axis movement circuit for controlling the actuator, and movement amount data in the movement amount memory are measured. Adjustment start input means for starting an adjusting operation, and driving the actuator by a signal from the adjustment start input means, reading an image obtained from the driven image pickup device from the image memory, and moving amount on the image pickup device. And a movement amount adjusting circuit which measures the movement data from a signal for driving the actuator and a movement amount on the image pickup element, and then stores the movement data in the movement amount memory. apparatus. 6. A photographing lens, an image pickup device for photoelectrically converting an image formed by the photographing lens, a camera circuit for converting a signal of an image photoelectrically converted by the image pickup device into a video signal, and the camera circuit. An image memory for storing the video signal output from the memory, a memory control circuit for controlling the image memory, and a signal processing circuit for producing a desired single video signal from the signals of a plurality of images stored in the image memory. And an image forming position of the image formed by the photographing lens, which is arranged in a photographing optical system including the photographing lens, from an opening for receiving light in the imaging element to an adjacent opening. An optical element configured to be movable within a distance, a movement amount memory that stores movement amount data for moving within the distance, an actuator that moves the optical element, the memory A timing control circuit for controlling the timing of the control circuit, the timing is controlled by the timing control circuit,
Movement amount data for changing the image formation position by the optical element by the actuator is input from the movement amount memory, and an optical axis movement circuit for driving the actuator and a shake for detecting a shake angle of the image pickup apparatus due to camera shake or the like. An angle detection circuit, a camera shake correction control circuit that corrects a shake of an image pickup apparatus such as a camera shake by drive control in a direction in which the shake of the optical element is canceled by the detection output of the shake angle detection circuit, and the camera shake correction control circuit And a mix circuit for adding actuator control signals of the optical axis moving circuit and transmitting the signal to the actuator. 7. The video signal recording device according to claim 1, further comprising: a video signal recording device, wherein the timing control circuit outputs a timing signal indicating a driving state of the optical element, and the camera circuit outputs the timing signal. An image pickup apparatus, wherein the timing signal is recorded in the recording apparatus together with the video signal of FIG. 8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the recorded video signal and the timing signal are reproduced.
A separation reproduction circuit for reproducing a reproduction video signal and a reproduction timing signal; an image memory for storing the video signal output from the separation reproduction circuit; a memory control circuit for controlling the image memory based on the reproduction timing signal; An image pickup apparatus, comprising: a signal processing circuit that creates a desired single video signal from a plurality of image signals stored in a memory. 9. The timing control according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of optical filters are arranged in an optical system of the taking lens, and a driving body which drives the plurality of optical filters is controlled by the timing control. An image pickup apparatus, which is driven by a circuit, exchanges the optical filters, performs shooting, and synthesizes the shot images into a video. 10. The color separation system according to claim 1, wherein a color separation system is arranged in an optical system of the taking lens, an image pickup device is provided for each spectral color, and each image pickup device takes an image. An image pickup apparatus, which combines the formed images into a video image. 11. A color camera for photographing a color image signal according to claim 1, or a recording device for the image signal according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the image of the color camera is included. A signal is recorded in the recording device, a timing signal indicating a driving state of the optical element is output from the timing control circuit, and the timing signal is recorded in the recording device together with a video signal from the camera circuit. Image pickup device. 12. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a color camera that captures a color video signal of the entire view of the subject.