Television cameras
First Claim
1. A television camera comprisinga single objective lens structure for receiving light from a scene;
- first and second solid state image sensors;
an image intensifier interposed between only said first image sensor and said objective lens; and
light switching means for switching the light received by said objective lens to either said first or said second image sensor in accordance with the ambient light conditions.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Television cameras using solid-state image sensors may be required to provide a good image of a scene under all normal night and day ambient light conditions. The available solid-state image sensors can cope satisfactorily with normal daylight, but do not have sufficient sensitivity to operate under night time conditions, so it is common to amplify the incident illumination with an image intensifier. To stop the intensifier from becoming overloaded by daylight, neutral density optical filters can be moved in front of the intensifier as the light level increases, but this is not a satisfactory solution. The invention proposes a camera incorporating two solid-state sensors, one of which is intensified and one of which is not, in the same camera head, and "switching" one or the other into operation (depending upon the ambient lighting conditions) by switching the light received by the camera to the appropriate sensor.
22 Citations
7 Claims
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1. A television camera comprising
a single objective lens structure for receiving light from a scene; -
first and second solid state image sensors; an image intensifier interposed between only said first image sensor and said objective lens; and light switching means for switching the light received by said objective lens to either said first or said second image sensor in accordance with the ambient light conditions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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Specification