Solid state image sensor drive apparatus

• US 4,809,077 A
• Filed: 04/21/1987
• Issued: 02/28/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Hamada, Masataka, Norita, Toshio, Taniguchi, Nobuyuki, Karasaki, Toshihiko, Ishida, Tokuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Jin F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRINICH, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US07/041,080
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 358/213.19, 358/213.26, 358/213.29, 358/213.31, 358/213.27
• US Class Current: 348/298
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/71 Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/73 by influencing the exposure time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/00 Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/533 by using differing integration times for different sensor regions

Abstract

A solid state image sensor drive apparatus in accordance with the present invention enables a solid state image sensor to start integration of photoelectric current in response to an integration clear signal so that electric charges are accumulated to a prescribed level and transferred to a shift register. The accumulated electric charges transferred to the shift register are read out successively based on a transfer signal so that it is supplied to a microcomputer performing various operations. At this time, if a request for interruption is inputted from a load to the microcomputer, the transfer signal supplied to the shift register is stopped and the content of the shift register is not supplied to the microcomputer. When the interruption processing in the microcomputer is completed, the transfer signal is supplied again to the shift register so that transfer of data from the shift register to the microcomputer is restarted.

Claims

1. A solid state image sensor drive apparatus comprising:

a plurality of light receiving elements for receiving light impinged thereon and outputting electric charges,

electric charge accumulating means for accumulating the electric charge outputted from each of said light receiving elements,

accumulation time control means for controlling the accumulation time of the electric charges in said electric charge accumulating means and generating a stop signal designating the stop of the accumulation,

an analog shift register for storing the electric charges accumulated in said electric charge accumulating means,

transfer means for transferring, in parallel, the electric charges accumulated in said electric charge accumulating means to said analog shift register in response to the stop signal from said accumulation time control means,

data reading means for reading data stored in said analog shift register,

transfer signal generating means for generating a transfer signal for successively transferring to said data reading means the electric charges stored in said analog shift register, and

control means for interrupting and restarting the transmission of the transfer signal from said transfer signal generating means during a period when said data reading means successively reads the electric charges stored in said analog shift register based on the transfer signal.

2. A solid state image sensor drive apparatus comprising:

a plurality of light receiving elements for outputting electric charges representing the amount of received light,

transfer means for successively outputting serially a signal corresponding to the electric charge generated from each of said light receiving elements,

transfer signal generating means for generating a transfer signal for performing transfer operation by said transfer means,

analog-to-digital converting means for successively performing analog-to-digital convertion of the signal successively outputted from said transfer means, based on the transfer signal, and

processing means for successively receiving data obtained by the analog-to-digital convertion by said analog-to-digital converting means, performing processing operation based on the received data in response to an end of input of all of data, and stopping the operation of said transfer signal generating means in the processing operation when said processing means needs another processing operation to be performed during the receipt of the data.

3. A solid state image sensor drive apparatus comprising:

a plurality of light receiving elements for outputting electric charges representing the amount of received light;

transfer means for successively outputting serially a signal corresponding to the electric charge generated from each of said light receiving elements,

transfer signal generating means for generating a transfer signal for performing transfer operation by said transfer means,

analog-to-digital converting means for successively performing analog-to-digital conversion of the signal successively outputted from said transfer means,

data processing means for processing data obtained by the analog-to-digital conversion by said analog-to-digital converting means, and

control means for interrupting and restarting the transfer operation of said transfer means during a period when said transfer means successively outputs the signal corresponding to the electric charge based on the transfer signal.