Signal processing system having selected output from plural readout devices

• US 4,985,758 A
• Filed: 05/14/1990
• Issued: 01/15/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Seiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Groody, James J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Powell, Mark R.
• Application Number:
  US07/522,457
• Time in Patent Office: 246 Days
• Field of Search: 358/41, 358/43, 358/44, 358/48, 358/54, 358/212, 358/213, 358/213.11, 358/213.26, 358/213.27, 358/213.28, 358/213.29, 358/471, 358/474, 358/482, 358/483 , 358/494
• US Class Current: 348/283
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14868 CCD or CID colour imagers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/125 Colour sequential image capture, e.g. using a colour wheel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/11 Arrangement of colour filter arrays [CFA]; Filter mosaics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/133 including elements passing panchromatic light, e.g. filters passing white light
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/60 Noise processing, e.g. detecting, correcting, reducing or removing noise
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/70 SSIS architectures; Circuits associated therewith
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/713 Transfer or readout registers; Split readout registers or multiple readout registers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/72 using frame transfer [FT]

Abstract

A signal processing system has an image pickup device and a plurality of different color filters which generate a plurality of color signals. A memory stores the color signals, and a plurality of readout devices divides the signals from the memory into the plurality of color signals. A switching device sequentially supplies the color signals to a common output terminal. The switching device is formed on one chip, together with the memory and the plurality of readout devices. Control circuitry controls the switching device to output a dot-sequential signal. A processor processes the dot-sequential signal into a luminance signal.

Claims

1. A signal processing chip comprising:

(a) a chip;

(b) a storage unit on said chip for storing a plurality of signals of different colors;

(c) a plurality of readout units on said chip for dividing the color signals from each line of said storage unit, and for reading out the divided color signals;

said plurality of readout units comprising a charge transfer structure;

(d) switching means on said chip for selectively supplying to a common output terminal the color signals read out by said plurality of readout units as a color sequential signal;

(e) an output amplifier arranged at an end of each one of said plurality of readout units; and

(f) a dummy amplifier which has the same electrical characteristics as said output amplifiers and which is arranged so that the color signals read out by said plurality of readout units are not inputted to it.

2. A chip according to claim 1, further including means for subtracting an output of said dummy amplifier from outputs of said output amplifiers.

3. A signal processing system comprising in combination:

(a) one image pickup means and a plurality of optical filters having different color transmission characteristics associated with said image pickup means, said image pickup means generating a plurality of color signals corresponding to radiation incident thereon through said optical filters;

(b) storage means for storing the signals;

(c) a plurality of readout means for dividing the signals from said storage means into said plurality of color signals and for reading out the divided color signals;

(d) switching means for sequentially supplying to a common output terminal the color signals read out by said plurality of readout means, said switching means being formed on one chip together with said storage means and said plurality of readout means;

(e) controlling means for controlling said switching means to output a dot-sequential signal; and

(f) processing means for processing the dot-sequential signal into a luminance signal.

4. A processing system according to claim 3, wherein said plurality of readout means are arranged to read out signals from a plurality of predetermined portions of said storage means.

5. A processing system according to claim 3, wherein said plurality of readout means are arranged to read out signals corresponding to a plurality of portions of a horizontal line of an image from said storage means.

6. A processing system according to claim 3, wherein said plurality of optical filters constitutes a color stripe filter for color-coding light incident on said image pickup means.

7. A processing system according to claim 6, wherein said plurality of optical filters have different primary color transmission characteristics.

8. A processing system according to claim 7, wherein each of said readout means is arranged to read out a color signal corresponding to ones of said optical filters having a respective one of the different primary color transmission characteristics.

9. A processing system according to claim 8, wherein said controlling means controls said switching means such that the color signals read out by said plurality of readout means are selectively supplied to said common output terminal in an order corresponding to the arrangement of said optical color filters.

10. A processing system according to claim 3, wherein said plurality of readout means comprise a charge transfer structure.

11. A processing system according to claim 10, wherein said plurality of readout means comprise one part having a predetermined number of cells and another part having a number of cells which differs from the predetermined number.

12. A signal processing system comprising in combination:

(a) storage means for storing a plurality of signals of different colors;

(b) a plurality of readout means for dividing the color signals from each line of said storage means, and for reading out the divided color signals, said plurality of readout parts comprising a charge transfer structure;

(c) switching means for selectively supplying to a common output terminal the color signals read out by said plurality of readout means as a color sequential signal, said switching means being formed on one chip together with said storage means and said plurality of readout means;

(d) controlling means for controlling said switching means to output a signal;

(e) an output amplifier arranged at an end of each one of said plurality of readout means; and

(f) a dummy amplifier which has the same electrical characteristics as said output amplifiers and which is arranged so that the signals read out by said plurality of readout means are not inputted to it.

13. A processing system according to claim 12, further including means for subtracting an output of said dummy amplifier from outputs of said output amplifiers.

14. An image sensing device including:

(a) an image sensing unit including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix having rows and columns;

(b) a storage unit for storing signals formed by said pixels of said image sensing unit;

(c) a plurality of readout units, including at least three readout units, for reading out signals corresponding to one horizontal line of an image from said storage unit in a divided manner, each of said plurality of readout units including a respective predetermined number of cells which have a charge transfer function;

(d) conversion units respectively arranged at output terminals of said plurality of readout units, said conversion units each being arranged to convert a charge signal to a predetermined signal;

(e) switching means for selectively supplying outputs from said conversion units to a common output terminal; and

(f) controlling means for controlling said switching means so as to recombine the signals corresponding to one horizontal line of an image read out from said storage unit in a divided manner by said plurality of readout units.

15. An image sensing device according to claim 14, wherein each said conversion unit is an amplifier which converts said charge signal to a voltage signal.

16. An image sensing device according to claim 14, wherein ratios of the respective predetermined numbers of cells of the plurality of readout units are expressible as ratios of integers.

17. An image sensing device according to claim 14, further including a color filter for color-coding light incident on said image sensing unit.

18. An image sensing device according to claim 17, wherein said color filter comprises a combination of a plurality of filter elements of different colors, and wherein each of said readout units is arranged to read out signals corresponding to ones of said filter elements of a different respective color.

19. A device comprising:

(a) storage means for storing signals;

(b) a plurality of readout units for reading out the signals from said storage means, said plurality of readout units including one part having a predetermined number of cells and a second part having a number of cells which differs from the predetermined number by more than two;

(c) switching means for selectively supplying to a common line the signals read out by said plurality of readout units;

(d) an image sensing unit for supplying image signals to said storage unit; and

(e) a color filter for color-coding light incident on said image sensing unit.

20. A device according to claim 19, wherein said plurality of readout units are arranged to read out signals from a plurality of predetermined portions of said storage means.

21. A device according to claim 19, wherein said plurality of readout units are arranged to read out signals corresponding to a plurality of portions of a horizontal line of an image from said storage means.

22. A device according to claim 19, wherein said color filter comprises a plurality of groups of color filter elements, each of said groups of color filter elements having a different color and corresponding to a different one of said readout units, and wherein each of said readout units comprises a number of cells, and the number of cells of each readout unit is substantially equal to the number of color filter elements in the corresponding group of color filter elements.

23. A device according to claim 19, further comprising:

color separation means for separating the signals supplied to said common line into a plurality of color signals; and

level adjusting means for adjusting the level of at least one of the color signals.

24. A device comprising:

(a) a storage unit for storing a plurality of signals of different colors;

(b) a plurality of readout units for reading out the color signals from said storage unit, all of said readout units storing color signals from a same line of said storage unit;

(c) an output amplifier arranged at an end of each of said plurality of readout units;

(d) a dummy amplifier having the same characteristics as said output amplifiers, said dummy amplifier being arranged so that the color signals read out by said plurality of readout units are not inputted to it;

(e) means for substracting an output of said dummy amplifier from outputs of said output amplifiers; and

(f) switching means for selectively supplying to a common line the color signals read out by said plurality of readout units as a color sequential signal.

25. A device according to claim 24, wherein said plurality of readout units are arranged to read out signals from a plurality of predetermined portions of said storage unit.

26. A device according to claim 24, wherein said plurality of readout units are arranged to read out signals corresponding to a plurality of portions of a horizontal line of an image from said storage unit.

27. A device according to claim 24, further including an image sensing unit for supplying image signals to said storage unit.

28. A device according to claim 27, further including a color filter for color-coding light incident on said image sensing unit.

29. A device according to claim 28, wherein said color filter comprises a combination of a plurality of different color filter elements.

30. A device according to claim 29, wherein each of said readout units is arranged to read out signals corresponding to ones of said filter elements of a respective color.

31. A solid-state signal processing device including:

(a) a storage unit for storing data; and

(b) a plurality of readout units having a charge transfer function arranged so as to read out data from said storage unit;

said plurality of readout units comprising one part having a predetermined number of cells and a second part having a number of cells differing from the predetermined number, wherein the number of cells of said one part is substantially two times the number of cells of said second part.

32. A solid-state signal processing device including:

(a) a storage unit for storing data; and

(b) a plurality of readout units having a charge transfer function arranged so as to read out data from said storage unit, said plurality of readout units comprising two readout units;

said plurality of readout units comprising one part having a predetermined number of cells and a second part having a number of cells differing from the predetermined number, wherein the number of cells of said one part is substantially two times the number of cells of said second part.

33. A device comprising:

(a) storage means for storing signals;

(b) a plurality of readout units for reading out the signals from said storage means, said plurality of readout units including one part having a predetermined number of cells and a second part having a number of cells which differs from the predetermined number by more than two; and

(c) switching means for selectively supplying to a common line the signals read out by said plurality of readout units;

wherein the number of cells of said one part is substantially two times the number of cells of said second part.

34. A device comprising:

(a) storage means for storing signals;

(b) a plurality of readout units for reading out the signals from said storage means, said plurality of readout units including one part having a predetermined number of cells and a second part having a number of cells which differs from the predetermined number by more than two; and

(c) switching means for selectively supplying to a common line the signals read out by said plurality of readout units;

wherein said readout units are arranged to read out signals from a plurality of predetermined portions of said storage means; and

wherein the number of cells of said one part is substantially two times the number of cells of said second part.

35. An image sensing apparatus comprising:

(a) a storage unit for storing data;

(b) three readout units having a charge transfer function for reading out the data from said storage unit, each of said three readout units comprising a respective predetermined number of cells;

(c) an image sensing unit for supplying image data to said storage unit; and

(d) switching means for selectively switching in a predetermined order three signals respectively output from said three readout units.

36. An apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the respective predetermined number of cells of said three readout units are all the same.

37. An apparatus according to claim 35 wherein said switching means selectively supplies the output signals from said three readout units to a common output terminal.

38. An apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said three readout units are respectively arranged such that said three readout units read out data from said storage unit in a divided manner.

39. An apparatus according to claim 38, wherein said three readout units are respectively arranged such that said three readout units read out data corresponding to a horizontal line of an image from said storage unit in a divided manner.

40. An apparatus according to claim 35, further comprising a color filter for color-coding light incident on said image sensing unit.

41. An apparatus according to claim 40, wherein said color filter comprises a combination of a plurality of different color filter elements.

42. An apparatus according to claim 41, wherein each of said three readout units is arranged to read out data corresponding to ones of said filter elements of a respective color.

43. An image sensing apparatus comprising:

(a) an image sensing unit for converting incident radiation into image data;

(b) three readout units having a charge transfer function for reading out the image data from said image sensing unit; and

(c) switching means for selectively switching in a predetermined order signals output from said three readout units;

wherein each of said three readout units comprises a respective number of cells, the respective numbers of cells of said three readout units being all the same.

44. An apparatus according to claim 43, wherein said switching means selectively supplies the output signals from said three readout units to a common output terminal.

45. An apparatus according to claim 43, wherein said three readout units are respectively arranged such that said three readout units read out data from said image sensing unit in a divided manner.

46. An apparatus according to claim 45, wherein said three readout units are respectively arranged such that said three readout units read out data corresponding to a horizontal line of an image from said image sensing unit in a divided manner.

47. An apparatus according to claim 43, further comprising a color filter for color-coding light incident on said image sensing unit.

48. An image sensing apparatus comprising:

(a) an image sensing unit for converting incident radiation into image data;

(b) three readout units having a charge transfer function for reading out the image data from said image sensing unit;

(c) switching means for selectively switching in a predetermined order signals output from said three readout units; and

(d) a color filter for color-coding light incident on said image sensing unit;

wherein said color filter comprises a combination of a plurality of filter elements of different colors.

49. An image sensing device including:

(a) an image sensing unit including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix having rows and columns, said pixels forming data representing a sensed image;

(b) a plurality of readout units, including at least three readout units, for reading out data corresponding to one horizontal line of said sensed image from said image sensing unit in a divided manner, said units having a charge transfer function, each of said plurality of readout units including a respective predetermined number of cells which have a charge transfer function;

(c) switching means for selectively supplying outputs from said plurality of readout units to a common output terminal; and

(d) controlling means for controlling said switching means to recombine the data corresponding to one horizontal line of an image read out from said image sensing unit in a divided manner by said plurality of readout units.

50. An image sensing device according to claim 49, wherein ratios of said respective predetermined numbers of cells of said plurality of readout units are expressible as ratios of integers.

51. An image sensing device according to claim 49, further including a color filter for color-coding light incident on said image sensing unit.

52. An image sensing device according to claim 51, wherein said color filter comprises a combination of a plurality of color filter elements of different colors, and wherein each of said readout units is arranged to read out data corresponding to ones of said filter elements of a different respective color.

53. An image sensing device according to claim 49, further comprising a storage unit for storing said data formed by said pixels of said image sensing unit.

54. An image sensing device according to claim 53, wherein said storage unit has a charge transfer function.

55. An image sensing device according to claim 49, further comprising conversion units respectively arranged at output terminals of said plurality of readout units, said conversion units each being arranged to convert a charge signal to a predetermined signal.

56. An image sensing device according to claim 55, wherein said switching means selectively supplies the signals converted by said conversion units to said common output terminal.