JPS59149478A - Picture recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve sensivitity by reading signals of two adjacent horizontal picture element arrays of a solid-state image pickup element by a single scan, and processing and recording the signals of those two picture element arrays together. CONSTITUTION:The solid-state image pickup element 302 is driven by an element driving circuit 301 to make a scan, and an output signal (a) of the odd- numbered horizontal picture-element array outputted from an output gate 303 and the output signal (b) of an even-numbered horizontal picture-element array outputted from an output gate 30 are put together. Then, the signal is processed and led to the input terminal 308 of a picture recording device 307 to be recorded in a recording area 309. Consequently, signals corresponding to an input picture stored in the solid-state image pickup element 302 are all recorded. Thus, the sensitivity is increased twice.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus for recording an output video signal of a solid-state image sensor.

Conventional configuration and its problems A general method of scanning order for each horizontal pixel column of a general solid-state image sensor used in a video camera is as shown in the drawing in FIG. In the second field, scan the horizontal pixel rows in which pixel 1 is lined up every other row in the vertical direction (scanning shown by the solid line in Figure 1), and in the second field scan the remaining horizontal pixel rows that were not scanned first ( A common method is to output a single image (frame image) signal during scanning (as indicated by the dotted line in FIG. 1). Hereinafter, this method will be referred to as a sequential scanning method.

However, when an image recording device is configured by combining such a solid-state image sensor and a field image recording device, the signals recorded in the recording device are the first and second signals output from the solid-state image sensor. Among a frame signal consisting of field signals, if only one field signal is used, the other one field signal is discarded without being recorded, resulting in a disadvantage that the signal usage efficiency is poor.

This kind of field image recorder is (1)
A field image has only half the amount of information as a frame image, but since general images have a strong correlation in the vertical direction, when comparing reproduced images, the resolution in the vertical direction deteriorates, but there is no big difference.

(2) The number of images that can be recorded on one recording medium is twice as many for field images as for frame images.

For this reason, it has a wide range of applications in fields where very good image quality is not required.

Purpose of the Invention In view of the above circumstances, the present invention provides a method for using a solid-state image sensor whose pixels are configured to output a frame image in a field image recording device without discarding the output signal from the solid-state image sensor. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image recording device that records images with high efficiency in signal use and therefore has high sensitivity.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION For the above purpose, the present invention simultaneously reads signals of two adjacent horizontal pixel columns in one horizontal scan of a solid-state image sensor whose pixels are configured to output a frame image, and The present invention provides an image recording device characterized in that a sum signal of signals of two pixel columns is recorded in a field image recording device via a signal processing circuit.

Description of examples Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 shows the first embodiment of the present invention, and it is assumed that the solid-state image sensor 302 used here has a pixel configuration and scanning as shown in FIG. .

In other words, the pixel configuration is the same as that of the conventional solid-state image sensor shown in Figure 1, but the scanning method is to scan two adjacent pixel columns simultaneously in one horizontal scan, and in the next horizontal scan, This method involves scanning two horizontal pixel columns that have been moved by two columns in the vertical direction. Hereinafter, this method will be referred to as a simultaneous two-line scanning method. The solid-state image sensor 302 is driven by an element drive circuit 301, and scanning as shown in FIG. 2 is performed. Then, the output signal a of the odd horizontal pixel column output from the first output gate 303 and the second output gate -1%! '0
The outputs 1j@4b of even-numbered pixel columns output from 4 are added together in an adder circuit 305.
6, the image recording device 30'70 input terminal 3
Recording area 309 for field images guided by 0B
With the above configuration, all signals corresponding to the input image stored in the solid-state image sensor will be recorded.
The sensitivity is doubled compared to the conventional example in which only half of the accumulated signals are recorded, and an image recording device with high sensitivity can be obtained.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the solid-state image sensor has a configuration in which the signals of odd and even horizontal pixel columns are output independently and added by an external adding circuit. It is clear that a configuration may be adopted in which the solid-state image sensor is built in and the solid-state image sensor outputs a sum signal of two horizontal pixel columns.

Next, a second embodiment will be explained.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, which includes a recording device 408 capable of switching recording modes between field image recording and frame image recording, and a pixel configuration configured to output frame images. In an image recording apparatus configured with a solid-state image sensor 403, the scanning method of the solid-state image sensor 4'O3 (7) is changed to the scanning method shown in FIG. The solid-state image sensor 403 is configured to switch to the scanning method shown in FIG. 2 when in mode A, and increase the sensitivity during field recording. It is configured to enable two scanning modes, including the simultaneous two-row scanning method shown in FIG. shall be When the changeover switch 402 is switched to the A terminal, the solid-state image sensor 403 is simultaneously scanning two lines, and
Changeover switches 406 and 406 also operate in conjunction with changeover switch 402 and switch to the A terminal. Therefore output gates 3o3 and 304;j.
The output signals a and b are added by an adding circuit 305, processed by a signal processing circuit 306, and sent to a recording area 4 for field images via an input terminal 409 of a recording device 408.
11, and recording of the field image is completed. This is as described in the first embodiment.

Next, when the selector switch 402 is switched to the B terminal, the selector switches 405 and 406 are also switched to the B terminal, and the solid-state image sensor 403 is sequentially scanned, and the output gate 303 is switched to the first terminal. The signal a of the odd horizontal pixel columns is outputted as the output signal of the field, and the signal a of the even numbered pixel columns is outputted from the output gate 304 as the output signal of the next field. These two signals are output with a time difference of 1 field, so 1
The field switch 404 sets the first field period to C.
The terminal and the second field period are switched field by field, such as the D terminal, and are sequentially sent to the signal processing circuit 30'6 via the changeover switch 405, where the signals are sequentially processed. The output of the signal processing circuit is transferred to a recording device input terminal 409 via a field changeover switch 407 which is switched in conjunction with a field changeover switch 404, and the first field video signal is transferred to a recording area where the first field video signal is recorded. 411, and in the next field period, the video signal of the second field is recorded via the recording device input terminal 410 in the recording area 412 where the video signal of the second field is recorded, and the recording of the frame image is completed. .

With the above configuration, the scanning mode of the solid-state image sensor can be changed depending on the recording mode of the recording device, depending on the recording mode of the recording device, when vertical resolution is required and frame images are recorded, and when vertical resolution is not required and field images are recorded. It is possible to switch between the two modes, and it is possible to improve the sensitivity when recording field images.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, when a solid-state image sensor whose pixels are configured to output a frame image is used in a field image recording device, it is possible to record an image with twice the sensitivity of the conventional example. You can get the equipment.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an operation explanatory diagram showing a general scanning method of a conventional solid-state image sensor, FIG. 2 is an operation explanatory diagram showing a scanning method of a solid-state image sensor used in the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory diagram showing a scanning method of a solid-state image sensor used in the present invention. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the first embodiment of the image recording device of
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention. 301.401 Element drive circuit, 302°40
3 solid-state image sensor, 303 output gate for odd-numbered polka dot F pixel column signal, 304 output gate for even-numbered horizontal pixel column signal, 305 addition circuit, 306...signal processing circuit, 307, 408...-recording device, 402. 405,
406 Recording mode changeover switch, 404,4
07 -Feel lid changeover switch. Name of agent: Patent attorney Toshio Nakao and 1 other person No. 1
Figure / Figure 2 / Horizontal Figure 3

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) The brightness of two adjacent horizontal pixel columns in the solid-state image sensor is read out simultaneously in one horizontal scan, and the sum signal of the signals of the two pixel columns is processed through a signal processing circuit to form an image of one field. An image recording device characterized by recording as a signal. (2) The scanning state of a solid-state image sensor whose pixel array is configured to output a frame image and the horizontal pixel rows of the solid-state image sensor can be determined simultaneously by scanning the signals of two adjacent horizontal pixel rows in one scan. In the first scanning state, the entire screen is scanned in one field period, and in the first field, signals of odd or even horizontal pixel columns are sequentially scanned column by column.
A switching means for switching to a second scanning state in which the signals of the remaining pixel rows are sequentially scanned column by column in the field and the entire screen is scanned in one frame period, and a recording mode of the recording device in conjunction with the switching means. An image recording apparatus characterized in that the output of the solid-state image sensor is recorded by switching between field image recording and frame image recording.