Method and apparatus for producing a composite still picture of a moving object in successive positions

• US 4,005,261 A
• Filed: 11/20/1975
• Issued: 01/25/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sato, Hiroki, Takahashi, Hiroh
• Primary Examiner(s): Britton, Howard W.
• Application Number:
  US05/633,686
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• Field of Search: 178/6.8, 178/DIG. 1, 178/DIG. 33, 340/173 CR, 273/183 R, 273/54 D, 273/DIG. 28
• US Class Current: 348/579
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/807 Photo cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0003 Analysing the course of a movement or motion sequences during an exercise or trainings sequence, e.g. swing for golf or tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/00 Training appliances or apparatus for special sports training of parachutists B64D23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/36 for golf
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/254 involving subtraction of images
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/003 Repetitive work cycles; Sequence of movements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2625 for obtaining an image which is composed of images from a temporal image sequence, e.g. for a stroboscopic effect sequence generated by event triggered capturing H04N7/188

Abstract

A storage-type image pick-up tube having a shutter associated therewith and a memory device are synchronously operated to produce a composite video signal which, when repeatedly applied to a video monitor or other image display device, provides a composite still picture of a moving object in an initial position and changes from such position at intervals over a period of time. The synchronous operations comprise a first step of opening the shutter while operating the pick-up tube to pick-up an image of the object in its initial position and to produce a corresponding first video signal which is simultaneously stored in the memory device, a second step of closing the shutter while reading-out any signal previously stored in the memory device and storing the read-out signal in the pick-up tube, a third step of opening the shutter while operating the pick-up tube to pick-up an image of the object in a subsequent position and to produce a corresponding signal from which the signal then stored in the pick-up tube is subtracted for providing a resultant signal which is stored in the memory device in superposed relation to the signal previously stored in the memory device, and repeating the second and third steps cyclically at intervals for the duration of the prescribed period of time.

Claims

1. A method of operating a storage-type image pick-up tube provided with a shutter, and a memory device for producing a composite video signal representing an image of a moving object in an initial position and changes from said position of the object at intervals over a period of time, comprising:

a first step of opening said shutter while operating said pick-up tube to pick-up an image of said object in an initial position thereof and to produce a corresponding first video signal, and simultaneously applying said first video signal to said memory device for storage in the latter;

a second step of closing said shutter while readingout the signal previously stored in said memory device and storing the read-out signal in said pick-up tube;

a third step of opening said shutter while operating said pick-up tube to pick-up an image of said object in a subsequent position thereof and to produce a corresponding signal from which the signal then stored in the pick-up tube is subtracted for providing a resultant signal representing the changes in said subsequent position from said initial position, and simultaneously applying said resultant signal to said memory device for storage in the latter in superposed relation to the signal previously stored in the memory device; and

repeating said second and third steps cyclically at intervals for the duration of said period of time so that, at the conclusion of said period of time, said memory device has stored therein a final composite video signal corresponding to said first signal with the successive resultant signals superposed thereon.

2. The method according to claim 1;

in which, at the conclusion of said period of time, said final composite video signal stored in said memory device is repeatedly read-out to an image display device for causing the latter to display a composite still picture representing said initial position of the moving object and the changes from said initial position at said intervals over said period of time.

3. Apparatus for producing a composite video signal representing a moving object in an initial position and changes from said position of the object at intervals over a period of time, comprising:

shutter means having an open condition and a closed condition;

storage-type image pick-up means shielded by said shutter means in said closed condition of the latter and including an input terminal and an output terminal, said pick-up means having a storage mode for storing a signal applied to said input terminal and an image pick-up mode for picking-up an image of the object through said shutter means in the open condition of the latter and producing a corresponding video signal from which any signal previously stored in said pick-up means is subtracted for providing a resultant video signal at said output terminal;

memory means connected with said output terminal of the pick-up means and having a writing mode in which a video signal appearing at said output terminal is stored in said memory means in superposed relation to any signal previously stored in said memory means, and a read-out mode in which the signal stored in said memory means is read-out therefrom;

means for applying the read-out signal from said memory means to said input terminal of said pick-up means for storage in the latter; and

control means which, at intervals during said period of time, simultaneously establishes said open condition of the shutter means, said pick-up mode of the pick-up means and said writing mode of the memory means, and, between said intervals, simultaneously establishes said closed condition of the shutter means, said storage mode of the pick-up means and said read-out mode of the memory means.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3;

further comprising image display means; and

in which said means for applying the read-out signal from said memory means to said input terminal of the pick-up means includes switch means which, at the conclusion of said period of time, is actuable to apply the repeatedly read-out signal from said memory means to said image display means so that the latter displays a composite still picture representing said object in said initial position and the changes from said position at said intervals during said period of time.