DIGITAL CAMERA

• US 20080284898A1
• Filed: 05/20/2008
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hermann Popp, Michael Koppetz, Robert Kandleinsberger, Tran Quoc Khanh
• Original Assignee: Hermann Popp, Michael Koppetz, Robert Kandleinsberger, Tran Quoc Khanh
• Inventors: Popp, Hermann, Koppetz, Michael, Khanh, Tran Quoc, Kandleinsberger, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,134,632 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/341
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 Control of cameras or camera modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/73 by influencing the exposure time

Abstract

The invention relates to a digital motion picture camera comprising at least one optoelectronic sensor device for the recording of motion pictures. The sensor device has, in an areal arrangement, a plurality of sensor elements for the generation of a respective received signal in dependence on a light exposure. The camera further has a control device for the controlling of the read-out of the received signals of the sensor elements as well as a digitizing device for the digitizing of the received signals. The camera moreover has an optical viewfinder for the visual observation of the motion pictures to be recorded and a beam deflection device which is interposed in front of the sensor device and by means of which the reception beam path can be split at least into one recording beam path for the sensor device and one viewfinder beam path for the optical viewfinder. The sensor device can be controlled by means of the controlling device for the recording of the motion pictures at a pre-settable variable picture recording frequency.

Claims

1. A digital motion picture camera, at least comprising

an optoelectronic sensor device (31) for the recording of motion pictures, with the optoelectronic sensor device having, in an areal arrangement, a plurality of sensor elements (53, 55, 57) for the generation of a respective received signal in dependence on a light exposure;

a control device (45, 47) for the control of the read-out of the received signals of the sensor elements, with the optoelectronic sensor device (31) being controllable by means of the control device (45, 47) for the recording of the motion pictures at a pre-settable variable picture recording frequency;

a digitizing device (35) for the digitizing of the received signals of the sensor elements;

an optical viewfinder (27, 29) for the visual observation of the motion pictures to be recorded; and

a rotationally movable mirror diaphragm (15) which is disposed upstream of the optoelectronic sensor device (31) and by means of which a received beam path (13) can be divided at least into a recorded beam path (19) for the optoelectronic sensor device and a viewfinder beam path (21) for the optical viewfinder;

wherein the sensor elements (53, 55, 57) are controlled for the generation of reference reception signals during an interruption of the light exposure.

2. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, wherein the starting point in time of the exposure of the sensor elements (53, 55, 57) and/or the end point in time of the exposure of the sensor elements is controllable by means of the control device (45, 47) for the variation of the picture recording frequency.

4. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cycle of a sequential resetting or read-out of the received signals of the sensor elements (53, 55, 57) is controllable for the variation of the picture recording frequency.

8. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, wherein the optoelectronic sensor device (31) has a CMOS sensor.

14. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, wherein the exposure time of the optoelectronic sensor device (31) is electronically controllable by the control device (45, 47).

16. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, wherein the exposure time of the optoelectronic sensor device is set by means of the rotationally movable mirror diaphragm (15).

19. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, wherein the rotationally movable mirror diaphragm (15) has one or more transmission openings (23), in particular transmission openings in the shape of sectors of a circle.

20. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, wherein the rotational frequency of the rotationally movable mirror diaphragm (15) is variably controllable by the control device (45, 47).

21. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cycle of the read-out of the received signals of the sensor elements (53, 55, 57) and the rotational frequency of the rotationally movable mirror diaphragm (15) can be synchronized with one another by means of the control device (45, 47).

23. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 19, wherein the size of the transmission opening (23) is variably controllable by means of the control device (45, 47).

24. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 2, wherein the sensor elements (53, 55, 57) are controllable for the generation of reference reception signals during an interruption of the light exposure.

25. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sensor elements (53, 55, 57) are controllable for the successive generation of a plurality of received signals which correspond to different exposure times and are associated with a single motion picture.

31. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one digital memory device (39) is provided for the storage of the digitized received signals, with the at least one digital memory device preferably being able to be coupled to the digital motion picture camera in an exchangeable manner.

32. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 31, wherein the at least one digital memory device (39) is controllable by the control device (45, 47) for the additional storage of at least one recording parameter.

33. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 31, wherein a clock is provided for the making available of a time signal, with the storage of an actual time signal together with motion picture data or with a recording parameter being controllable by means of the control device (45, 47).

34. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 31, characterized in that the at least one digital memory device (39) has an identification device by which an identification code can be transmitted to the control device (45, 47).

35. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 31, wherein the digital motion picture camera and the at least one digital memory device (39) are designed for a wireless transmission of data to be stored, with the motion picture camera preferably having a wireless transmitter and the at least one digital memory device (39) having a wireless receiver.

41. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, wherein the reference reception signals serve as reference levels which are offset with received signals produced during the light exposure of the optoelectronic sensor device.

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42. A digital motion picture camera, at least comprising

an optoelectronic sensor device (31) for the recording of motion pictures, with the optoelectronic sensor device having, in an areal arrangement, a plurality of sensor elements (53, 55, 57) for the generation of a respective received signal in dependence on a light exposure;

a control device (45, 47) for the control of the read-out of the received signals of the sensor elements, with the optoelectronic sensor device (31) being controllable by means of the control device (45, 47) for the recording of the motion pictures at a pre-settable variable picture recording frequency;

a digitizing device (35) for the digitizing of the received signals of the sensor elements;

an optical viewfinder (27, 29) for the visual observation of the motion pictures to be recorded; and

a rotationally movable mirror diaphragm (15) which is disposed upstream of the optoelectronic sensor device (31) and by means of which a received beam path (13) can be divided at least into a recorded beam path (19) for the optoelectronic sensor device and a viewfinder beam path (21) for the optical viewfinder;

wherein the sensor elements (53, 55, 57) are controlled for the successive generation of a plurality of received signals which correspond to different exposure times and are associated with a single motion picture.

43. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 42, wherein after the start of the exposure of the respective sensor element (53, 55, 57) the received signals accumulated in the meantime are taken up at a plurality of sequential points in time without a repeated resetting or cancellation of accumulated charge taking place.

44. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 42, wherein in the case that one of the received signals is located in a saturation region of the sensor device for the actually desired exposure time, the correct received signal value is determined by calculation on the basis of the further received signals corresponding to a shorter exposure time.

45. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 42, wherein in the event of an underexposure and of a received signal, which is accordingly too low, the correct signal value is extrapolated from such received signals which were determined for higher exposure times.

46. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 42, wherein the starting point in time of the exposure of the sensor elements (53, 55, 57) and/or the end point in time of the exposure of the sensor elements is controllable by means of the control device (45, 47) for the variation of the picture recording frequency.

47. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 42, wherein the cycle of a sequential resetting or read-out of the received signals of the sensor elements (53, 55, 57) is controllable for the variation of the picture recording frequency.

48. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 42, wherein each sensor element (53, 55, 57) has its own amplifier device (33) and/or its own digitizing device (35) associated with it which is preferably integrated in each case into the optoelectronic sensor device (31).

49. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 42, wherein the optoelectronic sensor device (31) has a CMOS sensor.

50. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 42, wherein the rotational frequency of the rotationally movable mirror diaphragm (15) is variably controllable by the control device (45, 47).

51. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 42, wherein the cycle of the read-out of the received signals of the sensor elements (53, 55, 57) and the rotational frequency of the rotationally movable mirror diaphragm (15) can be synchronized with one another by means of the control device (45, 47).