KR100270951B1 - High density image pick-up apparatus and signal processing thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A high density image pick-up apparatus and a signal processing method thereof are provided to be capable of providing a high-resolution image while using a single plate type imaging device and of providing performance equal with the case of triple plate type imaging device even concerning color reproducibility by deviating image forming positions on the light receiving plane of the imaging device by controlling an optical axis between an optical system and the imaging device. CONSTITUTION: By longitudinally and laterally vibrating an X-Y vibrator(40) at equal speed, images formed by an optical system(10) are successively deviated on the light receiving plane of the imaging device(42) and as a result, scanning is executed at equal speed while deviating plural sub-picture elements, which are to originally come between the picture elements of the imaging device(42), onto the picture element. With this scanning, an image signal output from the imaging device(42) is converted digital and that digital image signal is temporarily stored in a sub-field memory(46) for the unit of a sub-field. Then, by synthesizing the sub-pixel signals stored in the plural sub-field memories(46), the respective image signals of the imaging device(42) are generated. Concerning the X-Y vibrator(40), an objective lens tracking mechanism can be applied.

Description

High density image pickup device and signal processing method

1 is a block diagram showing an image pickup apparatus using a single-plate solid-state image pickup device having a conventional high density color filter array.

2 is a block diagram showing an image pickup apparatus using a three-plate solid-state image pickup device having a conventional high density color filter array.

3 is a block diagram showing a high density image pickup apparatus according to the present invention.

4 illustrates the principles of the present invention.

5 is a view showing an embodiment of the scan trajectory of the X-Y vibrator according to the present invention.

6 is a view showing an embodiment of a complementary color filter single plate type image pickup device according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of the signal processor of FIG.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a high density image pickup device and a signal processing method thereof, and more particularly to a high density image pickup device using a single plate type image pickup device and excellent in color reproducibility.

An image pickup device such as a color video camera picks up a color image using an image pickup element such as a CCD.

In the CCD camera application field, two methods are mainly used as a conventional method for obtaining high quality color image information.

First, as shown in FIG. 1, a single-plate image pickup composed of an optical lens 10, a single-plate image pickup element 12, an analog digital converter 14, a signal processor 16, and a display 18. There is a device. The single-plate video imaging device includes a color filter array 20 on the image pickup element 12 for color image pickup.

Second, as shown in FIG. 2, the optical lens system 10, the prism 22, the RGB three-plate image pickup elements 24, 26, 28, three analog digital converters 30, 32, 34, and signals There is a three-plate type image pickup device composed of a processor 36 and a display 38. The three-plate type uses three monochromatic image pickup devices by separating three primary colors (G. G. B) through a prism from a subject to be imaged.

However, a method using a high density image pickup device, which is the first method of the related art, requires a high resolution image pickup device for high density, and thus, there is a limitation in manufacturing process limitations, and the price is also very expensive. There are disadvantages, and as the pixels become denser, the operating frequency of the signal processing becomes very high, which makes it difficult to implement a signal processing integrated circuit. Accordingly, there is a disadvantage in terms of power consumption of the system. In addition, in terms of a signal processing algorithm, color reproducibility is limited as a single plate is used to reproduce colors through interpolation of pixels of different color information around a pixel.

The second method, which uses a plurality of single-color image pickup devices, has a higher color reproducibility than the single-plate high-density image pickup device, but uses a prism and three image pickup devices to separate different colors. As it is used, it is difficult to use it for small applications because it is difficult to manufacture the optical system and the price increase factor due to the parallel processing of the three front end signal processing of the camera signal processing.

In order to solve the problems of the prior art, an object of the present invention is not only to use a high density image pickup device, but also to obtain a high resolution image without using multiple image pickup devices. It is to provide a high-density image pickup device and a signal processing method thereof that can achieve the same performance as used.

In order to achieve the above object, the apparatus of the present invention includes an optical lens unit for concentrating the light quantity ratio of an input subject, an image pickup element for converting optical image information input through the optical lens unit into an electrical degradation amount, an optical lens unit and an image pickup An XY vibrator and an image pickup device disposed between the devices and oscillating in a horizontal and vertical direction in a pixel interval of the image pickup device so as to form a time-shifted image on the light-receiving surface of the image pickup device. An analog digital converter for digitally converting image information of an electrical signal provided from the digital pixel; subpixel decomposition of operation timings of a plurality of subfield memories, an image pickup device, and a plurality of subfield memories for storing digital image information in subfield units A timing controller for controlling with a nong, And a signal processor for synthesizing the subpixel signals stored in the plurality of subfield memories to generate each pixel signal of the image pickup device.

According to the method of the present invention, the XY vibrator is vibrated in a horizontal and vertical direction so that optical image information input through the optical lens unit forms a time-shifted image on the light receiving surface of the image pickup device. Scanning subpixels at a constant speed, digitally converting image information of an electrical signal provided from an image pickup device, storing digital image information in units of subfields, and subpixel signals stored in a plurality of subfield memories. Synthesizing and generating each pixel signal of the image pickup device.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in more detail the present invention.

3 shows the configuration of a high density image pickup apparatus according to the present invention. In the high-density image pickup device of the present invention, an optical lens unit 10 for concentrating a light amount of a subject, and an image pickup station image pickup device 42 for converting optical image information input through the optical lens unit 10 into an electrical charge amount. Disposed between the optical lens unit 10 and the image pickup element 42, and horizontally and within the pixel interval of the image pickup element 42 so as to form a time-shifted image on the light receiving surface of the image pickup element 42. XY vibrator 40 which vibrates in a vertical direction and scans a plurality of subpixels at constant speed, analog digital converter 44 which digitally converts image information of an electrical signal provided from image pickup element 42, and subfields of digital image information. Subpixel decomposition of operation timings of the plurality of subfield memories 46, the image pickup device 42, and the plurality of subfield memories 46 for storing in units of units. A signal processor 50 and a signal processor 50 for synthesizing the subpixel signals stored in the plurality of subfield memories 46 to generate each pixel signal of the image pickup device 42. And a display or recording device 52 for displaying or recording an image by inputting a signal generated by the < RTI ID = 0.0 > On the image pickup element 42, a color filter array is provided.

That is, in the present invention, the XY vibrator 40 is subjected to constant velocity oscillation in the horizontal and vertical directions so that the optical image information input through the optical lens unit 10 forms a time-shifted image on the light receiving surface of the image pickup element 42. Constant-speed scanning of a plurality of subpixels set within the pixel interval of the image pickup device 42, digital conversion of image information of an electrical signal provided from the image pickup device 42, and digital image information in subfield units Each pixel signal of the image pickup device 42 is generated by combining the subpixel signals stored in the memories 46 and the subpixel signals stored in the plurality of subfield memories 46.

Referring to FIG. 4, the principle of the present invention will be described. 4 indicates original pixels of the image pickup element 42, and the limit of the amount of image information that can be obtained within the same time is limited to the number of pixels of the image pickup element 42. As shown in FIG. In addition, information between pixels, such as ×, Δ, and □, represents signals that do not exist in the related art, which are obtained through image interpolation techniques of two adjacent pixels. For example, to obtain imaginary information of (0, 0.5), two adjacent pixels, i.e., (0, 0) and (0, 1), are first interpolated to ((0, 0) + (0). And 1)) / 2 to obtain virtual information of (0, 0.5).

However, in the present invention, information between the pixel and the pixels, that is, information of x, Δ, and □, which cannot be obtained within the same time, is shifted from the image pickup element 42 through the X-side and Y-side constant velocity vibrations of the XY vibrator 40. By forming an image, at different times, one obtains information of x, Δ, and □, which are not obtained at the same time with one pixel. For example, if the XY vibrators 40 are all oscillating in the order of 0.5 pixels on the x-axis at the pixel position at (0, 0), information about three subpixels is obtained with one pixel present at (0, 0). Can be obtained by varying the time with each other.

Extending this concept, the XY vibrator 40 has a resolution of 1 / K (K is a subpixel resolution) pixel as one pixel. Information of 2K subpixels between pixels can be obtained.

This is equivalent to the amount of information that can be obtained with a high density image pickup element having 2K times the pixels. However, depending on the size of the pixels of the image pickup device and the structure of the intervals between the pixels, the overlapping needs to be considered from the point where the information of the subpixels and the information of the pixels overlap each other.

According to the above description, it can be seen that the maximum vibration range of the X-Y vibrator is less than one pixel. Accordingly, the search range of one pixel is shown in FIG. 4.

5 shows an embodiment of a constant velocity scan trajectory of the X-Y vibrator. The scan trajectory may start from the Y direction.

6 shows an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a color filter single plate CCD camera which is now widely used.

The light information obtained by capturing the subject input through the optical lens system 10 obtains the image information shifted with respect to the single plate type CCD 42 by the constant velocity vibration of the X-Y vibrator 40. The information of the image formed on the single plate CCD 42 is different from each other according to the CFA (Color Filter Array) 41 pattern of the single plate CCD 42 (where one pixel is the information in the thick line of the CCD pattern. , S2r, S1b, and S2b) are arranged in horizontal and vertical repetition, and the XY vibrator 40 By vibrating) at one pixel resolution, information in adjacent pixels, which had been obtained through interpolation in the prior art, can be obtained at different time zones. The information thus obtained is separated into S1r, S2r, S1b and S2b in the field memory 46 via the analog digital converter 44 and stored in the first to fourth subfield memories 46A, 46B, 46C and 46D. Information having four times the resolution can obtain an image having four times the resolution through a simpler signal processor 50 that does not require the horizontal and vertical interpolation processing functions.

7 shows a schematic configuration of a signal processor. A first synthesizer for synthesizing the subpixel signals stored in the first and second subfield memories 46A and 46B among the four subfield memories 46 to generate the first color difference signal CR and the luminance signal Y. 50A and a second synthesizer 50B for synthesizing the subpixel signals stored in the third and fourth subfield memories 46C and 46D to generate a second color difference signal CB and a luminance signal Y. And a color matrix unit 50C for outputting a plurality of primary color signals generated from the generated first and second color difference signals CR and CB and the luminance signal Y.

As described above, in the present invention, by using a limited time image pickup device with a time difference by forcibly applying constant velocity oscillation to the input image as described above, the pixel-to-pixel-free information can be obtained, and accordingly, a high density having several times the resolution It is possible to obtain the same or higher resolution as using an image pickup device or three image pickup devices.

The present invention is particularly effective for still image signal processing, such as digital still cameras, and does not have the burden of real-time processing and can be applied to applications requiring high resolution images, and the application of CCD cameras (CAMCORDER), closed Application to a circuit television system (CCTV) or the like will greatly contribute to the improvement of color reproducibility and resolution.

Claims (4)

An optical lens unit for concentrating the amount of light of an input object, an image pickup element for converting optical image information input through the optical lens unit into an electrical deterioration amount, and disposed between the optical lens unit and the image pickup element, the image An XY vibrator which vibrates in a horizontal and vertical direction in a pixel interval of the image pickup device so as to form a time-shifted image on the light-receiving surface of the pickup device in a constant velocity scan of a plurality of subpixels, and an electrical signal provided from the image pickup device. An analog digital converter for digitally converting image information, controlling operation timings of a plurality of subfield memories for storing the digital image information in units of subfields, the image pickup device, and the plurality of subfield memories with subpixel resolution. Timing controller, and the said Of sub-field by combining sub-pixel signal stored in the memory, the image pickup device comprising the signal processor for generating a signal each pixel of the image pickup element. By uniformly vibrating the XY vibrator in the horizontal and vertical directions so that the optical image information input through the optical lens unit forms a time-shifted image on the light receiving surface of the image pickup device, the plurality of subpixels set within the pixel interval of the image pickup device are uniformly Scanning; digitally converting image information of an electrical signal provided from the image pickup device; and storing the digital image information in units of subfields; synthesizing subpixel signals stored in the plurality of subfield memories And generating each pixel signal of the image pickup device. An optical lens unit for concentrating the amount of light of an input subject, a complementary color filter image pickup device for converting optical image information input through the optical lens unit into an electrical charge amount, and disposed between the optical lens unit and the complementary color filter image pickup device And an XY vibrator which vibrates horizontally and vertically in the pixel interval of the complementary color filter image pickup device in a constant speed to scan four subpixels so as to form a time-shifted image on the light receiving surface of the complementary color filter image pickup device, and the image pickup An analog digital converter for digitally converting image information of an electrical signal provided from a device, four subfield memories for storing the digital image information in units of subfields, the complementary color filter image pickup device, and four subfield memories Timings with subpixel resolution A timing controller for controlling and synthesizing the subpixel signals stored in the first and second subfield memories of the four subfield memories to generate the first color difference signal and the luminance signal, and further, the third and fourth subfields. And a signal processor for synthesizing the subpixel signals stored in the memory to generate a second color difference signal and a luminance signal, and to output a plurality of primary color signals generated from the generated first and second color difference signals and the luminance signal. High density complementary color filter image pickup device. The optical image information inputted through the optical lens unit oscillates the XY vibrator in the horizontal and vertical directions at a constant speed so that the image of the complementary color filter image pickup element is offset in time. Scanning subpixels at constant speed, digitally converting image information of an electrical signal provided from the complementary color filter image pickup device, and storing the digital image information in four subfield memories, the four subfield memories Synthesizing the subpixel signals stored in the first and second subfield memories to generate a first color difference signal and a luminance signal, and the subpixels stored in the third and fourth subfield memories of the four subfield memories. Synthesizing the signals to generate a second color difference signal and a luminance signal; And outputting a plurality of primary color signals generated from the generated first and second color difference signals and the luminance signal.