Image capturing apparatus, method for capturing image and camera
First Claim
1. An image-capturing apparatus comprising:
- a photoelectric conversion element group that captures a subject image with a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arrayed in a two-dimensional arrangement and individually generates electrical charges at said photoelectric conversion elements;
a charge storage element group having a plurality of charge storage elements which store the electrical charges generated at said photoelectric conversion element group;
a charge transfer route group that connect individual photoelectric conversion elements constituting said photoelectric conversion element group to said plurality of charge storage elements constituting said charge storage element group through different transmission routes;
an output circuit that outputs image signals corresponding to quantities of the electrical charges stored at said charge storage element group;
a blur detection circuit that detects a blur occurring at said image-capturing apparatus and outputs a detection signal; and
a route switching control circuit that selects charge transfer routes at said charge transfer route group in conformance to the detection signal output by said blur detection circuit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An image sensor comprises a photoelectric conversion element group and a charge storage element group connected through a plurality of charge transfer routes by achieving a multiplexed relationship. A hand movement detection unit detects a hand movement during an exposure period at the image sensor and generates an unsteady hand movement signal. A sensor control unit selects charge transfer routes so that the electrical charge corresponding to a single position of the subject image is stored at a single charge storage element in correspondence to the extent and the direction of the displacement of the subject image indicated by the hand movement signal.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. An image-capturing apparatus comprising:
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a photoelectric conversion element group that captures a subject image with a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arrayed in a two-dimensional arrangement and individually generates electrical charges at said photoelectric conversion elements;
a charge storage element group having a plurality of charge storage elements which store the electrical charges generated at said photoelectric conversion element group;
a charge transfer route group that connect individual photoelectric conversion elements constituting said photoelectric conversion element group to said plurality of charge storage elements constituting said charge storage element group through different transmission routes;
an output circuit that outputs image signals corresponding to quantities of the electrical charges stored at said charge storage element group;
a blur detection circuit that detects a blur occurring at said image-capturing apparatus and outputs a detection signal; and
a route switching control circuit that selects charge transfer routes at said charge transfer route group in conformance to the detection signal output by said blur detection circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 9)
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4. An image-capturing apparatus comprising:
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a photoelectric conversion element group that captures a subject image with a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arrayed in a two-dimensional arrangement and individually generates electrical charges at said photoelectric conversion elements;
a charge storage element group having a plurality of charge storage elements which store the electrical charges generated at said photoelectric conversion element group;
a charge transfer route group that connects photoelectric conversion elements adjacent to one another in said photoelectric conversion element group to a charge storage element in said charge storage element group corresponding to said adjacent photoelectric conversion elements through different charge transfer routes;
an output circuit that outputs image signals corresponding to quantities of the electrical charges stored at said charge storage element group;
a blur detection circuit that detects a blur occurring at said image-capturing apparatus and outputs a detection signal; and
a route switching control circuit that selects charge transfer routes at said charge transfer route group in conformance to the detection signal output by said blur detection circuit. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
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8. An image-capturing method, comprising:
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capturing a subject image at a photoelectric conversion element group having a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arrayed in a two-dimensional arrangement;
detecting a blur occurring at said photoelectric conversion element group;
calculating an extent and a direction of a displacement of the subject image occurring on said photoelectric conversion element group through an arithmetic operation based upon the blur;
switching a charge transfer route group that connects individual photoelectric conversion elements constituting said photoelectric conversion element group to a plurality of charge storage elements constituting a charge storage element group through transmission routes different from one another in correspondence to the extent and the direction of the displacement;
storing charges output from said photoelectric conversion element group at said charge storage element group; and
outputting image signals in correspondence to quantities of the electrical charges stored at said charge storage element group.
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Specification