JPS63185284A - Solid-state image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize a function equivalent to an optical teleconverter by setting the frequency of a read-out clock at an appropriate value, and simultaneously clearing an area other than the read out area, when a bit of image picked-up picture information is read out from the central part of the surface of a solid- state image pickup element. CONSTITUTION:At a teleconverter mode, the clock frequency to a horizontal and a vertical shift registers 21, 22 is controlled by a clock controller 24. For instance, when the magnification is double, the clock frequency is set at 1/2 as much as an usual mode. Accordingly, the same horizontal line is read out continuously by the number of times corresponding to the magnification of the teleconverter. At the teleconverter mode, clear selectors 23, 23' operate and clear horizontal line parts 14, 16 during a horizontal blanking period or a vertical blanking period. Accordingly, in addition to that the teleconverter photographing of the central part of a picture field is possible, a blooming resistance characteristic is improved because all image picked-up picture can be cleared.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application J] The present invention relates to a solid-state imaging device with a teleconverter function.

[Prior Art] In conventionally known solid-state imaging devices, optical means, ie, teleconverter lenses, have been used to realize the teleconverter function.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, when a teleconverter lens is used, there is a drawback that the size of the entire dividing device corresponding to the lens increases.

On the other hand, it has been considered to enlarge and read out the central part of the 10 image planes of a solid-state image sensor, but since the image plane other than the enlarged part is also exposed, it would lead to negative effects such as blooming, making it difficult to realize. It is said that

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned points, an object of the present invention is to provide a solid-state imaging device configured to realize a teleconverter function by appropriately reading captured image information from the central region of the surface of an imaging element.

[Means for Solving Problem 5 1] In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a solid-state imaging device equipped with a non-destructively readable solid-state imaging device. Area setting means for setting a readout area and lfM from the enlarged readout area
The apparatus includes a clock control means for setting a readout period when reading the image +I11 information, and a clearing means for clearing an area other than the enlarged readout area.

[Function] In the present invention, when reading captured image information from the central part of the surface of the solid-state image sensor, by setting the frequency of the readout clock to an appropriate value and clearing the area outside the readout area, It is possible to achieve the same functionality as an optical teleconverter.

[Example] Below, the present invention will be explained in detail based on examples.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing the surface of a solid-state image sensor. In both of these figures, 11 is the imaging surface of the solid-state image sensor, 12 is the actual imaging surface of teleconverter imaging L) ni,'j (during enlarged readout), 13 is the readout start point during teleconverter imaging, 14, +
5. l[i is the horizontal line part, of which 14°1
6 indicates an unnecessary horizontal line portion during teleconverter photography.

21 is a horizontal shift register, 22 is a vertical shift register, 23 and 23' are clear selectors, 24 is a clock controller, 25 is a clear pulse input terminal, 26 is a horizontal pulse input terminal, 27 is a video output terminal, 28 is a television A converter switching signal input terminal, 29 a D-type flip-flop, and 30 a vertical synchronization signal (Vsync) input terminal.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

In the normal photographing mode, only reading is started from the upper left end of the imaging surface 11, and the clear selector 23.about.23' does not operate. Furthermore, since the solid-state image sensing device used in this embodiment is a non-destructive read-out device as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-127611, etc., the vertical shift register 22
The horizontal lines selected by are cleared at once after being read. This clearing operation is performed by inputting a clear pulse from the clear pulse input terminal 25.

When photographing with the teleconverter mode, mode cera] is activated by a teleconverter switching signal input manually to the terminal 28. Thereby, reading out of the captured image is started from point 13 within the imaging plane. The coordinates representing this reading start point 13 are determined by a horizontal shift register 21 and a vertical shift register 22.

At this teleconverter mode 1 hour, it is horizontal.

The clock frequency to the vertical shift registers 21,22 is controlled by a clock controller 24. For example, if the magnification is 2B, the clock frequency should be set to l! Set the clock frequency to the station for the expansion IB rate or 3 times the paddy in % of the time.

Therefore, the same horizontal line is read out successively a number of times corresponding to the magnification factor of the teleconverter. Example is 2
When enlarging a horizontal line, the same horizontal line is read twice in succession, and then that line is cleared. Then, the next horizontal line is accessed by the vertical shift register 22.

Clear selector 23 when in teleconverter mode.
23' operates to clear the horizontal line section 14.15 during the horizontal blanking period or during the vertical blanking period. This clear selector 23, 23' clears all these horizontal lines 14, 16 at the same time (in contrast, the horizontal line section 15 is cleared line-by-line).

The clearing by the clear selector 23, 23' may be performed during any blanking period, but the anti-blooming characteristic is further improved if it is performed every horizontal blanking period. In this way, even when in teleconverter mode, it is possible to clear the entire imaging surface.

Switching between the communication mode and the teleconverter mode is as follows:
The vertical synchronizing signal Vsyn is output by the D-type flip-flop 29.
Since this is performed in synchronization with c, transient image deterioration can be avoided.

In the embodiments described so far, the clear selectors 23 and 23' are used to clear the entire imaging plane, but it is also possible to provide these functions to a single vertical shift register. In this case, the functions to be performed by the vertical shift register 22 are as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 3 shows the operation of the vertical shift register 22 in the normal shooting mode. "H" shown in the figure indicates a horizontal line to be accessed by this vertical shift register.

FIG. 4 shows the operation of the vertical shift register 22 during teleconverter mode. In this case, in order to clear unnecessary screens during the vertical blanking period, vertical shift registers 1 to a-1 and b+l-n are set to 'H'.
Therefore, each of these stages 1 to a-1, b+] to n corresponds to the horizontal line portion 14°16 shown in FIG. During stage b, the operation is the same as in the normal shooting mode, or the clock frequency of the vertical shift register 22 is controlled by the clock controller 24 so that it is +/(enlargement magnification) compared to the normal shooting mode.

Thus, when controlling the vertical register 22 as shown in FIG. 4, the unnecessary imaging plane is cleared every vertical blanking period.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, in the present invention, when reading captured image information from the central part of the surface of a solid-state image sensor, the frequency of the readout clock is set to an appropriate value, and the area other than the readout area is Since it has a clear configuration, it is possible to take teleconverter shots at the center of the screen, and the entire imaging surface can be cleared, improving anti-blooming characteristics.

Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the magnification factor can be switched in synchronization with the vertical synchronization signal, making it possible to avoid transient image deterioration.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an enlarged view showing the imaging plane, and Figs. 3 and 4 are explanatory diagrams of operations for making the clear function coexist with the vertical shift register. be. 11... Imaging surface, 12... Actual imaging surface during teleconverter shooting, 21...
- Horizontal shift register, 22... Vertical shift register, 23, 23'... Clear selector, 24... Clock controller. Mizute 4 ton up line

Claims (1)

[Claims] A solid-state imaging device including a solid-state imaging device capable of non-destructive readout, comprising: area setting means for setting an enlarged readout area of a predetermined size on the surface of the image sensor; and image pickup from the enlarged readout area. What is claimed is: 1. A solid-state imaging device comprising: a clock control means for setting a readout cycle when reading out image information; and a clearing means for clearing an area other than the enlarged readout area.