Image sensing apparatus with optical-axis deflecting device

• US 6,018,363 A
• Filed: 04/24/1995
• Issued: 01/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Horii, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Tuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Ngoc-Yen, VU, NGOC YEN T
• Application Number:
  US08/426,834
• Time in Patent Office: 1,737 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207, 348/208, 348/219-220, 348/222, 348/224, 348/228, 348/229, 348/230, 348/264, 348/266, 348/270, 348/271, 348/272, 348/273, 348/274, 348/275, 348/276, 348/277 , 348/279, 348/335, 348/344, 348/369, 348/340, 348/343
• US Class Current: 348/219.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/58 Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/84 for processing colour signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/133 including elements passing panchromatic light, e.g. filters passing white light
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/136 using complementary colours
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/48 Increasing resolution by shifting the sensor relative to the scene

Abstract

An image taking apparatus includes an image taking sensor 10 having a high-resolution mode and a normal mode; synchronous signal generators 7 and 8 for generating synchronous signals corresponding to the high-resolution mode and the ordinary mode, respectively; a first memory 17 for storing image signals taken in the high-resolution mode; a second memory 35 for storing image signals taken in the normal mode; and a video signal encoder 33 for processing the image signals stored in the second memory 35 in accordance with a predetermined image signal system, wherein, in the high-resolution mode, image signals are stored in the first memory 17 to output digital image signals, and, in the normal mode, image signals are stored in the second memory 35, video signals 34 being output from the encoder 33.

Claims

1. An image sensing apparatus comprising:

optical-axis deflecting means for deflecting an optical axis of an optical system;

image sensing means for converting an image formed by the optical system on an image sensing plane to an image signal;

first signal processing means for performing a first predetermined signal processing on the image signal output from said image sensing means, the first predetermined signal processing including storing the image signal in a first memory;

second signal processing means for causing said optical-axis deflecting means to deflect the optical axis to a plurality of positions and for performing a second predetermined signal processing for combining the image signals on the image signals output from said image sensing means corresponding to a plurality of deflected positions of said optical-axis deflecting means, the second predetermined signal processing including storing the combined image signals in a second memory;

mode selecting means for selecting a first signal processing mode causing said first signal processing means to perform the first predetermined signal processing and a second signal processing mode causing said second signal processing means to perform the second predetermined signal processing; and

control means, in the second signal processing mode, for causing said second signal processing means to perform the second predetermined signal processing and outputting an image signal output from said first memory of said first signal processing means during performing of the second predetermined signal processing by said second signal processing means using said second memory.

2. An image sensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in the first signal processing mode, said image sensing means reads image signals corresponding to two vertically adjacent lines and outputs a signal obtained by adding image signals corresponding to two vertically adjacent pixels, and, in the second signal processing mode, said image sensing means outputs a signal for each pixel, without performing addition of image signals.

3. An image sensing apparatus according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein said image sensing means comprises an image sensing device and a complementary color mosaic filter.

4. An image sensing apparatus according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein said image sensing means comprises a CCD.

5. An image sensing apparatus according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein said optical-axis deflecting means comprises a variable-apex-angle prism.

6. An image sensing apparatus according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein said optical-axis deflecting means comprises means for shifting a lens.

7. An image sensing apparatus according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein said optical-axis deflecting means comprises a parallel-plate rotating system.

8. An image sensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical system and said image sensing means are selectively separable from said first and second signal processing means while being connectable together through a cable.