Image pickup apparatus including a solid-state imager having a plurality of light receptive areas
US7248295B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 20, 2003 |
| Grant date | Jul 24, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 24, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N25/71
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A solid-state imager 20 outputs image signals corresponding to picture elements received from light-receptive areas thereof. A sample-and-hold circuit 24 performs a sample-and-hold operation for the image signals at prescribed times. A driving circuit 22 generates driving pulses and sample-and-hold pulses. A horizontal charge-transfer circuit of each light-receptive area is driven with the driving pulses, and the sample-and-hold circuit 24 is driven with the sample-and-hold pulses in synchronization with the driving pulses. The driving circuit 22 intermittently drives the horizontal charge-transfer circuit and the sample-and-hold circuit after the output of at least one of the first and last image signals. Consequently, noise that would be produced in picture elements located at the junctures between adjoining light-receptive areas can be reduced, and loss of image quality that would be caused by the effects of operations in subsequent processes performed in various circuits can be reduced.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.