JPS63164597A - Image pickup device for stereoscopic vision - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the accuracy of performance with a simple constitution by alternately switching the output signals of a 1st and 2nd solid image pickup elements every picture to process the signals and setting up a signal storing time more than the time of one picture. CONSTITUTION:The solid state image pickup elements 14, 15 in a 1st and 2nd case bodies 10, 11 are driven by a driving pulse outputted from a driving circuit 21 correspodingly to a synchronizing signal outputted from a synchronizing signal generating circuit 22. Shift pulses are alternately impressed to respective elements 14, 15 in each field and the photodiode accumulating time of the signal can be secured in one frame period until the impression of the succeeding field shifting pulse. The signals are switched every 60Hz by a switch circuit 16 and successively sent to a luminance signal processing circuit 18 and a color separating circuit 19. Consequently, right and left eye signals are obtained and a stereoscopic vision image can be obtained by using a liquid crystal shutter for switching right and left signals.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a stereoscopic imaging device used as a video camera.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, as a stereoscopic imaging device that captures a stereoscopic image,
A pair of television cameras, at least one of which has an external synchronization function, are arranged at a predetermined interval, and the output signals of the television cameras are alternately switched and controlled. It was configured to obtain image signals for In other words, the horizontal and vertical drive pulses of the two television cameras are synchronized, and the vertical synchronization pulses allow the image signal of one television camera to be obtained in odd fields, and the image signal of the other television camera to be obtained in even fields. It can be switched to obtain . In this case, as the output signal of each television camera, 1/2 of either the odd or even field of the output signal is used. For example, in one television camera, field shift pulses are applied every 60 Hz as shown in Figure 3 (a), and the signals accumulated over a period of 60 To for one field are the same as shown in Figure 3 (b). As shown by the solid line in Figure (C), every 30) Iz is read out as every other right eye image signal.

At the same time, the other television camera is synchronized with the one and the field shift pulse is 608 as shown in (d) of the same figure.
! As shown in the figure (e), the signals accumulated in one field and a period of 60 Hz are added every other left eye image signal @( The same figure (f
) is read out as (indicated by a solid line).

However, the stereoscopic imaging device described above has a problem of low S/N because, due to its configuration, 1/2 of the output signal of the television camera is discarded without being used. was.

Therefore, the above-mentioned stereoscopic imaging device is equipped with a one-field memory and an adder, and one-half of the output signal to be discarded (for example, an even field signal) is stored for one field period, and one-half of the output signal for subsequent output is stored. Means for adding to an output signal (for example, an odd field signal) have been considered.

However, in the above-mentioned method using one-field memory or adder, the signal is twice as large as the conventional one, increasing the 6 dBS/N, but since random noise has no correlation, the actual 3 dBS/N is improved. However, due to the increase in the number of component parts, it becomes larger and more expensive.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) This invention was made in order to solve the above-mentioned problem that the output signal is not used effectively, and has a simple configuration and high precision performance. It is an object of the present invention to provide a stereoscopic imaging device that can obtain stereoscopic vision.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means and Effects for Solving the Problems) This invention provides a solid-state image pickup device corresponding to an optical system, and a first and a second solid-state image pickup device arranged at a predetermined interval. comprising an imaging section, a driving means for driving and controlling the first and second solid-state imaging devices, and a signal processing means for obtaining an image signal by alternately switching the output signal of the solid-state imaging device for each screen; By setting the signal accumulation time of the output signal of the solid-state image sensor to be longer than the period of one screen, effective use of the output signal of the solid-state image sensor is realized.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a stereoscopic imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which reference numerals 10 and 11 denote first and second casings forming imaging sections for the right eye and the left eye, For example, they are installed with an interval of approximately 50 mm to 100 mm, which is approximately the same as the interval between the right eye and left eye of a human being.

The first and second housings 10.11 include an imaging lens 12.
．． 13 and solid-state i-devices 14 and 15 such as COD are arranged in substantially the same manner with an optical low-pass filter and a colored glass filter interposed therebetween. This first and second housing 10.11
The output terminals of the solid-state imaging devices 14 and 15 are connected, for example, to a switch circuit 16 of a signal processing section that is separately arranged via a cable, and a preamplifier 17 is connected to the output terminal of the switch circuit 16. . A luminance (Y) signal processing circuit 18 and one color separation circuit are connected to the output terminal of the preamplifier 17, and a first and a color separation circuit of the color encoder 20 are connected to each output terminal of the luminance signal processing circuit 18 and color separation circuit 19. 2 input terminals are connected. Further, the solid-state image sensor 14
．． A drive circuit 21 is connected to each input terminal of 15. This drive circuit 21 is connected to a synchronization signal generation circuit 22, and outputs a predetermined drive pulse signal to the solid-state image sensor 14, 15 in response to a synchronization drive pulse signal of this synchronization signal generation circuit 22.

Furthermore, 23 in the figure is a power supply circuit to which AC power of ACI OOV is supplied and generates a desired power supply voltage.

With the above configuration, the solid-state image sensors 14 and 15 of the first and second housings 10 and 11 are synchronized with the drive pulse signal output from the drive circuit 21 in response to the synchronous drive pulse signal of the sync signal generation circuit 22. When driven, an optical image captured by the imaging lens 12, 13 is formed on each photosensitive surface (not shown). At the same time, each of the solid-state image sensors 14 and 15 is connected to one of the right-eye solid-state image sensors 14, for example, as shown in FIG.
As shown in (a), a field shift pulse synchronized with the vertical synchronization pulse is applied at twice the normal interval, for example, every odd field, and to the other left-eye solid-state image sensor 15, as shown in (d) of the same figure, A field shift pulse synchronized with the vertical synchronizing pulse is applied at twice the normal interval, for example, every odd field. This field shift pulse transfers the signal electric field generated by light hitting the photodiodes arranged on the photosensitive surface of the solid-state image sensor 14, 15 to the vertical transfer section, thereby converting the electric field accumulated up to that point into a photo. The photodiode is replaced with a diode, and the empty photodiode is again controlled to an accumulation state. As a result, the solid-state image sensors 14 and 15 have a photodiode storage time that is secured in one frame period until the next field shift pulse is applied, as shown in FIGS. , accumulates the signal during that accumulation time. As a result, the right and left eye output signals transferred to the vertical transfer section become one-field signals as shown in (C) and (f) of the same figure, and are input to the switch circuit 16 of the signal processing section. This switch circuit 16 switches the input signal using a vertical synchronizing pulse generated every 60 Hz, and sequentially outputs the signal to the preamplifier 17 as right and left signals. These right and left signals are transmitted to the luminance signal processing circuit 18.
Luminance signal processing is performed in the color separation circuit 19, and color separation is performed in the color separation circuit 19 to separate a high-band luminance signal and a narrow-band R-G-
B signal and the color encoder 20 outputs the normal NT signal.
It is converted into an SC signal and output. As a result, the optical images captured by the imaging lenses 12.13 of the first and second housings 10.11 are obtained as right-eye and left-eye image signals in a synchronous relationship, and are input into, for example, a color receiver. A stereoscopic image is achieved by using a liquid crystal shutter that switches left and right.

In this way, the stereoscopic imaging device is configured to read out the signal charge accumulated in one frame period with one field shift pulse, so that the signal accumulation period is two times shorter than that of the conventional device. Since the signal amount is doubled, the signal amount is doubled accordingly.
This increases the sensitivity by as much as possible. In addition, since there is no change in the noise level, the components can be simplified compared to conventional methods that use memory and adders to improve sensitivity, and the S/N ratio is also low. It will improve from 3o to 6o.

Further, in the above embodiment, the output signal of the solid-state image sensor 14 for the right eye corresponds to an odd field, the output signal of the solid-state image sensor 15 for the left eye corresponds to an even field, and the signal accumulation time is set to 2 fields (1 frame) period r1. Although the explanation has been given on the case where the field is configured to be set, it is also possible to configure the reverse of the odd-even state of this field. In this case, the signal accumulation time is one field (
By setting it to a period longer than 1 screen), effective effects can still be expected.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the case where the application is applied to the NTSC system has been explained, but the invention is not limited to this, and the PAL system, the SE system, etc.
It is also applicable to the CAM method, etc., and similar effects can be expected. Therefore, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[Effects of the Invention] As described in detail above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a stereoscopic imaging device that has a simple configuration and can achieve high precision performance.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a circuit configuration diagram showing a stereoscopic imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a timing chart shown to explain the operation of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a conventional stereoscopic imaging device. 3 is a timing chart shown to explain the imaging device. 10.11...first and second casings, 12.13...
・Imaging lens, 14.15... Solid-state image sensor, 16.
...Switch circuit, 17...Preamplifier, 18...
Luminance signal processing circuit, 19... Color separation circuit, 20...
Color encoder, 21... Drive circuit, 22... Synchronization signal generation circuit, 23... Power supply circuit. Applicant's representative Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue (f) Output signal of solid-state image sensor 15 (f) Left side output signal Fig. 2 Fig. 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] A solid-state imaging device is provided corresponding to the optical system, and first and second imaging units are arranged with a predetermined interval;
and a driving means for driving and controlling the second solid-state image sensor, and a signal processing means for obtaining an image signal by alternately switching the output signal of the solid-state image sensor for each screen, and the output signal of the solid-state image sensor is A stereoscopic imaging device, characterized in that the signal accumulation time is set to be longer than the period of one screen.