JPS62195983A - Solid-state image pickup element and image pickup device using it - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To selectively read a video signal suitable for the respective modes of a movie and a still by providing the second vertical transfer circuit at a position opposite to the first vertical transfer circuit by placing a photoelectric transfer part therebetween and changing over the transfer mode of a charge pattern by changing over a connection circuit. CONSTITUTION:When a movie photographing is selected by a mode change over switch 11, an H signal is outputted from a mode control circuit 12 to make the connection circuit 5 conductive. Accordingly, the charge pattern of the photoelectric transfer part is transferred to a storage part 2 by four phase clock signals phi1-phi4 from the first vertical transfer circuit 4. When a still photographing is selected by the mode change over switch 11, a still camera operates. When an operating button is operated, a shutter 15 is closed and the exposure period is completed, the charge pattern is doubled and read according to an accordion system by the second vertical transfer circuit 8.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a solid-state imaging device and an imaging device using the device. The present invention relates to a camera that can output a suitable video signal.

(Prior Art) In recent years, solid-state imaging devices have been widely used as imaging devices, and for example, the frame transfer type 00D (hereinafter referred to as FTOOD) is well known.

This FTOOD transfers the signal charges formed corresponding to the image formed on the photoelectric conversion section in parallel to the 8-field section alternately for each odd and even field, and reads them out from the storage section in accordance with the scanning order.

However, in a video camera system using this IFTOCD, a bare signal consisting of an odd field and an even field read out from the FTOOD is used as an image signal for one frame to reproduce a movie on a television receiver. Since a TV receiver is made up of approximately 500 vertical scanning lines, the signal from IFTooD is also output accordingly.On the other hand, this IFTooD is used to produce still images where imperfections in the image are easily noticeable. When used in the production of prints, the vertical 50
If the number of pixels is about 0, the number of pixels is insufficient and a satisfactory resolution cannot be obtained.

Therefore, in the conventional method, vertical signals are interpolated on the printer side to obtain 1000 vertical signals. However, since the interpolated signal is not the original signal, it does not have sufficient resolution.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) As a means to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks,
There is a device that realizes a multi-pixel structure using a charge transfer method called an accordion method, which is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 8.

However, even in this method, IFTOOD requires a large number of charge transfer stages because the charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion section are read out once through the accumulation section, resulting in image deterioration in still printing.

In addition, it is possible to consider using highly integrated elements to obtain high resolution, but such elements are difficult to manufacture, and even if they could be manufactured, the signal readout scanning circuit would be large and the aperture ratio would be reduced. and decreased sensitivity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a solid-state image sensor that can selectively output video signals suitable for each of movie and still modes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a photographing apparatus incorporating the solid-state image sensor and capable of producing good television images and still prints.

(Means and effects for solving the problems) That is, the above object of the present invention is to provide a photoelectric conversion section, a storage section, a vertical transfer path defined by connecting the photoelectric conversion section and storage Ms, and a vertical transfer path in the vertical transfer path. consists of first and second vertical transfer circuits that control charge transfer and first and second horizontal transfer paths, and the charge pattern formed in the light conversion section by the first vertical transfer circuit is transferred horizontally to #S1. It has a first transfer mode in which it is transferred to a transfer path and read out, and a second transfer mode in which transfer is controlled by an accordion method and read out directly to a second horizontal transfer path without going through the storage section, and the transfer mode is connected to the vertical transfer path. This is achieved by a solid-state imaging device characterized in that it has a connection circuit between it and the first vertical transfer circuit, and the charge pattern transfer mode is switched by switching the connection circuit.

Another object of the present invention is to incorporate a solid-state image sensor configured as described above, and a mode changeover switch and a mode control circuit for instructing the connection circuit to select a charge pattern transfer mode. This is achieved by the equipped imaging device.

That is, when shooting a movie, the first vertical transfer circuit performs normal frame transfer, and when shooting stills, the charge is not passed through the storage section, and the second vertical transfer circuit performs accordion-type charge transfer to double the number of pixels. Obtain still prints with high resolution.

(Embodiments) Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an elliptical diagram of a solid-state image sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The figure is based on a so-called frame transfer type solid-state imaging device, and a photoelectric conversion section 1 consisting of a plurality of light receiving elements arranged in a matrix and a storage section 2 are each shown by blocks. The optical image irradiated during the exposure period is photoelectrically converted by the photoelectric conversion section 1, and a 1tM' pattern corresponding to the image is formed. This charge pattern is frame-shifted by a transfer electric fence 6 in which a plurality of vertical transfer paths arranged in an H-formation across the photoelectric conversion section and the storage section are arranged in the vertical direction, and is temporarily stored in the storage section 2 . At this time, the transfer electrode 6 is connected to the normal first vertical transfer circuit j! ! 4, and in this example element, 4 electrodes are controlled as one unit.
Phase drive is performed.

Note that the vertical transfer circuit and vertical transfer path that control the storage section are omitted from the drawing.

A connection circuit 5 is arranged between the vertical transfer path and the first vertical transfer circuit 4. This connection circuit 5 is composed of a plurality of MOE+) transistor switches (not shown), and becomes conductive when an H signal is supplied to the common gate by an external signal, and transfers the output of the first vertical transfer circuit 4.
! Supply to pole 3.

Furthermore, when the L signal is supplied, the MOS transistor switch is cut off, and no control is performed from the first vertical transfer circuit 4.

The charge pattern stored in the storage section 2 is sent to a first horizontal transfer path 6 provided along the output end of the storage IN, and read out via an amplifier 7 for each line.

Note that the photoelectric conversion section is composed of a large number of pixels, and one
The pixels are horizontally bounded by channel stoppers and vertically bounded by potential barriers created under the electrodes. That is, among the four vertically adjacent electrodes, the photoelectrically converted signal charges are accumulated in the central 2'-pole.

In addition to the above-described configuration, the solid-state image sensor 100 according to the present invention further includes a second vertical transfer circuit 8 disposed at a position facing the first vertical transfer circuit 4 with the photoelectric conversion unit 1 in between.
Further, a second horizontal transfer path 9 is arranged above the photoelectric conversion section facing the storage section 2 .

The second vertical transfer circuit 8 transfers the charge pattern accumulated in the photoelectric conversion unit 1 in a direction opposite to the previous transfer direction using an accordion method, and directly outputs it to the second horizontal transfer path 9.

Regarding the accordion method, the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1986-
Publication No. 12768 and 111iDM.

1984, page 40, Ph1lips Re8ear
-ch Labo, Netherlands, this method is roughly as follows. That is, in the first step, the width of the vertical cell where the signal charge exists is doubled starting from the exit end (in the device of this example, the upper row on the side where the second horizontal transfer path exists). Expand one by one until the width becomes . Therefore, charges are accumulated in one of the two transfer electrodes. When the width of all cells has been doubled, half of the signal charges closer to the exit have already been pushed out from the exit. At this time, since the width of all cells is doubled, the remaining half of the signal charges in the second stage will have four electrodes per cell, and can be read out in the usual manner. The signal read out in this way has double the number of pixels.

The signals sent to the second horizontal transfer path 9 are sequentially shifted in the horizontal direction in a conventional manner and read out via the amplifier 10.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the N& device incorporated into the solid-state image sensor 100 according to the present invention.

;- The photographic device is compatible with both Moopi and Still modes. Therefore, the mode selector switch 1 is used for the 4 main shooting devices.
1 is provided, and can be arbitrarily switched as a video camera or still camera depending on the purpose. A mode control circuit 12 is controlled based on the switching operation of the mode changeover switch 11, and a command from the mode control circuit 12 sets the connection circuit 5 of the solid-state image sensor to be conductive or non-conductive.

That is, when movie shooting is selected by the mode changeover switch 11, an H signal is output from the mode control circuit 12, and the connection circuit 5 is placed in a conductive state.

Therefore, the charge pattern of the charge conversion section is transferred to the storage section 2 by the four-phase lock signal (.phi., to .phi.4) from the first vertical transfer circuit 4. Thereafter, the video signal read out from the first horizontal transfer path 6 is interlaced and the even and odd fields are read out alternately.

Further, the mode control circuit 12 controls the opening and closing operations of the photographing lens 14 and the shutter 15 via the optical system control circuit 13. That is, while movie shooting is selected and the shooting button is operated, the shutter 15 is kept open, and a light image continues to be incident on the solid-state image sensor 100 at all times.

Further, although the optical system control circuit 1 is not described in detail, it is also provided to control the position of the photographic lens 14 and perform focus control.

The movie output read by the solid-state image sensor is taken out of the camera through conventional video processing circuitry 16; either recorded on a magnetic recording medium or projected directly onto a television receiver.

On the other hand, when still photography is selected by the mode changeover switch 11, the actual photography apparatus operates as a still camera. That is, when the mode changeover switch 11 is operated, the L signal is output from the mode control circuit 12, and the connection circuit 5 is made non-conductive. Thereafter, when the photographing button is operated, the shutter 15 is opened only once according to a command from the optical system control circuit 13, and a charge pattern of an optical image is formed on the photoelectric conversion section 1. When the shutter 15 closes and the exposure period ends, the charge pattern is doubled and read out in an accordion manner by the second vertical transfer circuit 8.

The second vertical transfer circuit 8 is closed during the exposure period according to a command from the mode control circuit 12, and when the exposure period ends, driving is started and maintenance of the four-phase transfer mode is instructed.

The charge pattern is read out from the second horizontal transfer path 9 via an amplifier 10 in the usual manner, and an image signal corresponding to one field is formed. This image signal is recorded on a magnetic recording medium through the image processing circuit 16 or output directly to a printer to obtain a still print.

(Effects of the Investigation) As described above, the solid-state image sensor of the present invention has two charge transfer modes, one for performing normal frame transfer and the other for performing charge transfer using an accordion method. be. Therefore, for example, in the case of an imaging device using a solid-state imaging device having 500 vertical pixels arranged, a standard television signal can be obtained by selecting the frame transfer mode. Furthermore, if the accordion charge transfer mode is selected, 1000 vertical pixels can be obtained, and a high-resolution video signal for print images can be obtained. Moreover, when this accordion method is selected, the charges generated in the photoelectric conversion section are directly read out to the second horizontal transfer path without passing through the storage section, so the total number of charge transfer stages is half that of the frame transfer mode. Therefore, there is less deterioration of the resulting pudding.

In addition, since a mode changeover switch is provided on the imaging device so that the two transfer modes can be arbitrarily switched at any time, movie shooting signals (NTSO? interlaced) and still shooting signals (brightness signals, Color difference signals and non-interlaced signals can also be switched and output.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a solid-state imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1...Photoelectric conversion unit 2...Storage unit 6...Transfer electrode 4...First vertical transfer circuit 5...
Connection circuit 6..First horizontal transfer path 7.10..Amplifier 8..Second vertical transfer circuit 9..Second horizontal transfer path 11..Mode changeover switch 12..Mode control circuit 16..Optical system control Circuit 14...Photographing lens 1
5...Shutter 16...Video processing circuit 100...Solid-state image sensor 1st j

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) A photoelectric conversion section, an accumulation section, a vertical transfer path defined by connecting the photoelectric conversion section and the accumulation section, and first and second channels for controlling charge transfer in the vertical transfer path. A first transfer mode is composed of a vertical transfer circuit and first and second horizontal transfer paths, and a charge pattern formed in the photoelectric conversion section by the first vertical transfer circuit is transferred to the first horizontal transfer path and read out; It has a second transfer mode in which transfer is controlled by an accordion method and read directly to the second horizontal transfer path without going through the storage section, and a connection circuit is provided between the vertical transfer path and the first vertical transfer circuit. What is claimed is: 1. A solid-state image sensing device, characterized in that the charge pattern transfer mode is switched by switching the connection circuit. 2) The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the second vertical transfer circuit is provided at a position opposite to the first vertical transfer circuit with the photoelectric conversion section sandwiched therebetween. 3) The charge pattern transferred by the first vertical transfer circuit through the vertical transfer path is read out by the first horizontal transfer path arranged along the output end of the storage section, and transferred by the second vertical transfer circuit. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 2, wherein the charge pattern is read out by a second horizontal transfer path arranged along an edge of the photoelectric conversion section facing the storage section. element. 4) a photoelectric conversion section, a storage section, a vertical transfer path defined by connecting the photoelectric conversion section and storage section, first and second vertical transfer circuits that control charge transfer in the vertical transfer path, and a first and a second horizontal transfer path, and in which an optical image is exposed to the element through an imaging optical system and a shutter. A first transfer mode in which the formed charge pattern is transferred to a first horizontal transfer path and read out, and a second transfer in which transfer is controlled by an accordion method and read out directly to a second horizontal transfer path without going through the storage section. and a connection circuit between the vertical transfer path and the first vertical transfer circuit, and commands the connection circuit of the solid-state image sensor whose charge pattern transfer mode is switched by switching the connection circuit. An imaging device comprising a mode changeover switch and a mode control circuit. 5) When movie shooting is selected by the mode changeover switch, the charge pattern is read out by the first vertical transfer circuit of the solid-state image sensor, and when still shooting is selected, the charge pattern is read out by the second vertical transfer circuit. An imaging device according to claim 4, characterized in that: