Image pickup apparatus

• US 4,910,413 A
• Filed: 01/17/1989
• Issued: 03/20/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tamune, Michihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Westin, Edward P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shami, Khaled
• Application Number:
  US07/298,208
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• Field of Search: 250/578, 250/225, 358/213.27, 358/213.28, 358/213.13, 358/294
• US Class Current: 250/578.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/48 Increasing resolution by shifting the sensor relative to the scene

Abstract

An image pickup apparatus comprises an image pickup element, a displacement member for displacing an image incident upon the image pickup element relative to the image pickup element, and a control circuit for controlling the operation of the displacement member in response to the output of the image pickup element.

Claims

1. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

(a) photoelectric conversion means for converting an optical image incident thereon into an output electric signal;

(b) displacement means for displacing such incident optical image relative to said photoelectric conversion means; and

(c) control means for controlling the operation of said displacement means in response to said output signal of said photoelectric conversion means.

2. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said photoelectric conversion means includes an area image sensor.

3. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said displacement means includes an optical system for effecting such displacement.

4. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said optical system includes a polarizing element having polarization characteristics changeable in response to electrical input thereto and further comprising a double refraction plate.

5. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means includes means for detecting high-frequency components of said output signal of said photoelectric conversion means, such detecting means generating an output signal indicative of the magnitude of said high frequency components.

6. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said control means renders said displacement means operative selectively in accordance with said output signal of said detection means.

7. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said photoelectric conversion means includes a light receiving surface, said displacement means being operative for displacing such incident image over a plurality of areas of said light receiving surface.

8. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 7, wherein displacement means is operative in a horizontal displacement direction and wherein said plurality of areas are respectively disposed on said light receiving surface in the vertical direction.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said displacement means further includes driving means for periodically operating said displacement means.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means is arranged to stop the operation of said driving means in response to said electric signal of said image pickup means.

9. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

(a) image pickup means for converting an optical image into an electric signal, said image pickup means including a plurality of picture elements arranged in rows and columns;

(b) a plurality of displacement means arranged correspondingly with said picture elements in the direction of said rows and adapted to respectively displace said optical image relative to said picture elements; and

(c) control means for controlling the operation of said plurality of displacement means in response to said electric signal of said image pickup means.

10. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said displacement means is further arranged corresponding with said picture elements in the direction of said columns.

13. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein each of said plurality of displacement means includes an optical system for effecting such displacement.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said optical system includes polarizing means having variable polarization characteristics and a double refraction plate.

15. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said control means includes means for detecting a high frequency component of said electric signal, said detecting means generating an output corresponding to the magnitude of said high frequency component.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said control means renders said displacement means operative selectively in accordance with said output of said detection means.

17. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

(a) photoelectric conversion means for converting an optical image incident thereon into an output electric signal;

(b) displacement means for displacing such incident optical image relative to said photoelectric conversion means; and

(c) control means for selectively stopping the operation of said displacement means in response to said output signal of said photoelectric conversion means.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said control means is arranged to compare a condition in said output signal of said photoelectric conversion means with a reference condition and to selectively stop the operation of said displacement means in accordance with the result of the comparison.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said condition in said output signal of said photoelectric conversion means is a magnitude of a predetermined frequency component which is less than the magnitude of said reference condition.

20. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said condition in said output signal of said photoelectric conversion means is a magnitude of a predetermined frequency component which is a high band component.