Solid state camera

• US 4,589,030 A
• Filed: 07/25/1983
• Issued: 05/13/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Victor B. Kley
• Original Assignee: Victor B. Kley
• Inventors: Kley, Victor B.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schroeder, L. C.
• Application Number:
  US06/516,466
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: 358/212, 358/213, 358/225, 358/43, 358/206, 358/209, 358/41, 358/43, 250/216, 250/578, 350/356, 350/335
• US Class Current: 348/367
• 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 25/7013 using abutted sensors forming a long line
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 3/04 having a moving aperture also apertures covered by lenses

Abstract

An electronic camera has an array of solid state detectors upon which a plurality of selectively masked image regions are superimposed by an optic system. Electrical processing facilities operate an electrical optic mask to sequentially select the image regions to pass light therethrough onto the detector array. Readings from the detector array are processed and used by a video generator to produce an electrical video signal.

Claims

1. An electronic camera comprising:

a linear array of solid state light detectors, planar electro-optic mask means for defining different narrow slit-like image regions extending across the mask means and including electrically operated means for selectively passing light through the different image regions of the mask, said image regions each dimensionally corresponding to the array of light detectors,

objective means for projecting an image of an object on a first side of the mask means,

optic means for superimposing the different image regions from the second side of the mask means into a single line image which is collinear with the array of light detectors wherein each portion of the single line image includes the corresponding superimposed portions of all of the different slit-like image regions from the mask means, and

electrical processing means for operating the mask means and for reading the array of light detectors to produce electrical signals corresponding to the image of the object.

2. An electronic camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mask means includes an electo-optic layer of liquid crystal or ferro-optic material and electrode means for defining the different image regions of the mask.

3. An electronic camera as claimed in claim 2 wherein the mask means includes a second layer of electro-optic material with second electrodes defining image regions superimposed over the image regions defined by the first layer and electrodes for improving the percentage of light blocked by the mask means.

4. An electronic camera as claimed in claim 3 wherein the image regions of the second layer and electrodes each overlap a plurality of image and electrode regions defined by the first layer.

5. An electronic camera as claimed in claim 3 wherein the electrical processing means includes means for sequentially operating the light passing means to sequentially pass light through the different image regions of the mask means, and means for reading the output of the array of detectors during each corresponding operation of the mask means.

6. An electronic camera as claimed in claim 5 where the electrical processing means includes a computer having a random access memory and a video generator for producing electrical video signals from the information stored within the random access memory.

7. An electronic camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein the electrical processing means includes computer means for operating the mask means and for reading the array of light detectors;

the computer means including a random access memory, means for processing and storing information in the random access memory from the readings of the array of light detectors, and a video generator for generating an electrical video signal from the information stored in the random access memory.

8. An electronic camera comprising:

a linear array of solid state light detectors,

planar electro-optic mask means for defining different narrow slit-like image regions extending across the mask means and including electrically operated means for selectively passing light through the different image regions of the mask, said image regions each dimensionally corresponding to the array of light detectors,

objective means for projecting an image of an object on a first side of the mask means,

optic means including cylindrical lens means for focusing the slit-like image regions from the second side of the mask means on the linear array of light detectors, and

electrical processing means for operating the mask means and for reading the array of light detectors to produce electrical signals corresponding to the image of the object.

9. An electronic camera comprising:

a linear array of solid state light detectors,

planar electro-optic mask means for defining different narrow slit-like image regions extending across the mask means and including electrically operated means for selectively passing light through the different image regions of the mask, said image regions each dimensionally corresponding to the array of light detectors,

objective means for projecting an image of an object on a first side of the mask means,

optic means including light compression horn means for superimposing the slit-like image regions from the second side of the mask means on the linear array of light detectors, and

electrical processing means for operating the mask means and for reading the array of light detectors to produce electrical signals corresponding to the image of the object.

10. An electronic camera comprising:

an array of solid state light detectors,

planar electro-optic mask means for defining different image regions and including electrically operated means for selectively passing light through the different image regions of the mask, said image regions each dimensionally corresponding to the array of light detectors;

objective means for projecting an image of an object on a first side of the mask means;

optic means for superimposing the different image regions from the second side of the mask means on the array of light detectors;

electrical processing means including computer means for operating the mask means and for reading the array of light detectors to produce electrical signals corresponding to the image of the object;

said computer means including a randon access memory, means for processing and storing information in the random access memory from the readings of the array of light detectors, and a video generator for generating an electrical video signal from the information stored in the random access memory; and

said computer means further including means for simultaneously selecting a plurality of the mask image regions to simultaneously superimpose light from the selected plurality of mask image regions onto the detector array, means for comparing the detector array output with a previously stored reading of the detector array to determine whether a change in the selected plurality of mask image regions has occurred, and means responsive to determining that a change has occured for storing a new detector array reading and for sequentially selecting each of the selected plurality of mask image regions and for reading, processing and storing information from the readings in the random access memory.

11. An electronic camera as claimed in claim 10 wherein the computer means includes means for simultaneously selecting all of the plurality of mask image regions to superimpose light from all of the regions of the mask on the detector array, means for comparing a reading of the detector array with a previously stored detector array reading to determine if a change in the image has occurred, means responsive to the detection of a change in the image for selecting a first half of the plurality of image mask regions to superimpose light from the selected half of the image regions on the detector array, means for reading the detector array for the selected half of the image regions and for comparing the reading of the detector array with a previously stored reading to determine a change in the selected half, means responsive to a change in the selected half for selecting one fourth of the image regions, the selected one-fourth being within the half in which a change is detected to superimpose light from the selected one-fourth on the detector array, means for reading the detector array for the selected one-fourth of the image regions and for comparing the reading of the detector array with a previously stored reading to determine a change in the selected one-fourth, means responsive to a change within the selected one-fourth for sequentially selecting each mask image region within the selected one-fourth, means for reading the detector array for each selected region and for processing and storing corresponding information in the random access memory, means for selecting the next one-fourth in the event the previous one fourth was not the second or last one fourth, and means for selecting the second half in the event that the selected half was not the second half.