Timing control for a digitally interfaced camera using variable line readout intervals
First Claim
1. A digital camera for capturing images and transferring the captured images to a host computer, said camera comprising:
- an image sensor exposed to image light for capturing the images and generating image signals;
a timing generator, incorporating a line request control signal, for controlling the readout of lines of photosites from the image sensor, wherein consecutive line readout is separated by a blanking time and the timing generator varies the blanking time between lines;
an A/D converter for converting the image signals into digital image data;
a digital memory for storing at least one line of digital image data; and
a digital interface for providing the digital image data read from the digital memory to the host computer, wherein the timing generator initiates a new line readout in response to the line request control signal indicating the fullness of the digital memory.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A digital camera is designed to capture images and transfer the captured images to a host computer. The camera includes an image sensor exposed to image light for capturing the images and generating image signals; a timing generator, incorporating a line request control signal, for controlling the readout of lines of photosites from the image sensor; an A/D converter for converting the image signals into digital image data; a digital memory for storing at least one line of digital image data; and a digital interface for providing the digital image data read from the digital memory to the host computer. By initiating a new line readout in response to the line request control signal indicating the fullness of the digital memory, the camera is able to use the image sensor as an analog frame memory, instead of having a full digital frame memory in the camera, so that only a small line store is required.
76 Citations
7 Claims
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1. A digital camera for capturing images and transferring the captured images to a host computer, said camera comprising:
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an image sensor exposed to image light for capturing the images and generating image signals; a timing generator, incorporating a line request control signal, for controlling the readout of lines of photosites from the image sensor, wherein consecutive line readout is separated by a blanking time and the timing generator varies the blanking time between lines; an A/D converter for converting the image signals into digital image data; a digital memory for storing at least one line of digital image data; and a digital interface for providing the digital image data read from the digital memory to the host computer, wherein the timing generator initiates a new line readout in response to the line request control signal indicating the fullness of the digital memory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for capturing images and transferring the captured images to a host computer, said method comprising the steps of:
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capturing the images and generating image signals; controlling the readout of lines of photosites from the image sensor responsive to a line request control signal, including the step of varying a blanking time between lines; converting the image signals into digital image data; storing at least one line of digital image data; providing the digital image data read from the digital memory to the host computer; and initiating a new line readout in response to the line request control signal indicating the fullness of the digital memory.
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Specification