Solid-state image-pickup sensor and device

• US 20050259169A1
• Filed: 05/04/2005
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Miyahara, Hideharu, Ito, Hiroshi, Matsuda, Seisuke
• Application Number:
  US11/121,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20050259169A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/308
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/41 Extracting pixel data from a plurality of image sensors simultaneously picking up an image, e.g. for increasing the field of view by combining the outputs of a plurality of sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/445 by skipping some contiguous pixels within the read portion of the array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/745 Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/75 Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 3/1562 for selective scanning, e.g. windowing, zooming

Abstract

A solid-state image-pickup sensor comprises a plurality of vertical scan circuits, a plurality of horizontal scan circuits, a pixel section including pixels arranged in a two-dimensional array and performing photoelectric conversion, each of the pixels being connected to one of the plurality of vertical scan circuits and connected to the plurality of horizontal scan circuits, and a selection unit for controlling each of the horizontal scan circuits to independently select and output photoelectrically converted signals read from plural ones of the pixels arrayed in the horizontal direction.

Claims

1. A solid-state image-pickup sensor comprising:

a plurality of vertical scan circuits;

a plurality of horizontal scan circuits;

a pixel section including pixels arranged in a two-dimensional array and performing photoelectric conversion, each of the pixels being connected to one of the plurality of vertical scan circuits and connected to the plurality of horizontal scan circuits; and

selection means for controlling each of the horizontal scan circuits to independently select and output photoelectrically converted signals read from the plurality of pixels arrayed in the horizontal direction.

2. The solid-state image-pickup sensor according to claim 1, wherein plural ones of pixels arranged in the two-dimensional array are selected in at least one of the vertical direction and the horizontal direction to form a pixel group, the selected pixels within the pixel group are connected to the vertical scan circuits differing from each other, and the photoelectrically converted signal from each of the pixels within the pixel group is outputted from different one of the plurality of horizontal scan circuits.

3. The solid-state image-pickup sensor according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of vertical scan circuits include means for independently controlling an accumulation time in each of the pixels within the pixel group connected to the plurality of vertical scan circuits.

4. The solid-state image-pickup sensor according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of vertical scan circuits include means for independently controlling accumulation start timing and accumulation end timing in each of the pixels within the pixel group connected to the plurality of vertical scan circuits.

5. A solid-state image-pickup device comprising:

a solid-state image-pickup sensor comprising a plurality of vertical scan circuits;

a plurality of horizontal scan circuits;

a pixel section including pixels arranged in a two-dimensional array and performing photoelectric conversion, each of the pixels being connected to one of the plurality of vertical scan circuits and connected to the plurality of horizontal scan circuits; and

selection means for controlling each of the horizontal scan circuits to independently select and output photoelectrically converted signals read from the plurality of pixels arrayed in the horizontal direction, and

read control means for controlling the plurality of vertical scan circuits, the plurality of horizontal scan circuits, and the selection means.

6. A solid-state image-pickup device comprising:

a solid-state image-pickup sensor comprising a plurality of vertical scan circuits;

a plurality of horizontal scan circuits;

a pixel section including pixels arranged in a two-dimensional array and performing photoelectric conversion, each of the pixels being connected to one of the plurality of vertical scan circuits and connected to the plurality of horizontal scan circuits; and

selection means for controlling each of the horizontal scan circuits to independently select and output photoelectrically converted signals read from the plurality of pixels arrayed in the horizontal direction, wherein plural ones of pixels arranged in the two-dimensional array are selected in at least one of the vertical direction and the horizontal direction to form a pixel group, the selected pixels within the pixel group are connected to the vertical scan circuits differing from each other, and the photoelectrically converted signal from each of the pixels within the pixel group is outputted from different one of the plurality of horizontal scan circuits, and

read control means for controlling the plurality of vertical scan circuits, the plurality of horizontal scan circuits, and the selection means.