Full frame electronic shutter camera
First Claim
1. An electronic shutter camera with full frame resolution, said camera comprising:
- a progressive scanning interline transfer charge coupled device (CCD) for imaging a frame of information;
timing means for generating electronic shutter signals for controlling the scanning and charge transfer rate for said CCD;
sync generator means for generating video timing signals;
control means for resetting said timing means and said sync generator means, said control means including means for selecting an internal reset mode and an external reset mode of operation for said timing means and said sync generator means, said control means further including means responsive to an externally supplied asynchronous reset signal for resetting said timing means and said sync generator means;
digital image generating means coupled to said CCD for generating multiple bit digital image signals;
individual memory means coupled to said digital image generating means for storing a full frame multi-bit digital image; and
means for converting said full frame multi-bit digital image to video signals having a selected format.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic shutter camera with full frame resolution employs a progressively scanned interline transfer charge coupled device for generating full frame images of objects moving past an observation point either asynchronously in response to an external trigger signal or synchronously with internal timing. The image charges accumulated on the pixel regions of the CCD are discharged once per frame time, and the pixel regions are also initially discharged prior to the beginning of an image charge integration period to remove noise. A special double pulse mode enables the shutter speed to be specified by externally generated double trigger pulses, with the spacing between pulses specifying the desired shutter time. Manual selection of a wide range of shutter speeds is also provided. Each image frame is stored in a digital memory and is output as either interlaced or non-interlaced analog or digital video.
46 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An electronic shutter camera with full frame resolution, said camera comprising:
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a progressive scanning interline transfer charge coupled device (CCD) for imaging a frame of information;
timing means for generating electronic shutter signals for controlling the scanning and charge transfer rate for said CCD;
sync generator means for generating video timing signals;
control means for resetting said timing means and said sync generator means, said control means including means for selecting an internal reset mode and an external reset mode of operation for said timing means and said sync generator means, said control means further including means responsive to an externally supplied asynchronous reset signal for resetting said timing means and said sync generator means;
digital image generating means coupled to said CCD for generating multiple bit digital image signals;
individual memory means coupled to said digital image generating means for storing a full frame multi-bit digital image; and
means for converting said full frame multi-bit digital image to video signals having a selected format. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An electronic shutter camera with full-frame resolution, said camera comprising:
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a progressive scanning interline transfer charge coupled device (CCD) for imaging a frame of information;
timing means for generating electronic shutter signals for controlling the scanning and charge transfer rate for said CCD;
sync generator means for generating video timing signals;
control means for resetting said timing means and said sync generator means;
digital image generating means coupled to said CCD for generating multiple bit digital image signals;
individual memory means coupled to said digital image generating means for storing a full-frame multi-bit digital image; and
means for converting a full-frame multi-bit digital image to video signals having a selected format, said timing means, said sync generator means, said control means, said memory means and said converting means all being located within the camera.
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12. An electronic shutter camera with full-frame resolution, said camera comprising:
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a progressive scanning interline transfer charge coupled device (CCD) for imaging a frame of information;
timing means for generating electronic shutter signals for controlling the scanning and charge transfer rate for said CCD;
sync generator means for generating video timing signals;
control means for resetting said timing means and said sync generator means in response to the receipt of an externally supplied asynchronous reset signal, said control means including means responsive to a pair of externally supplied pulses for selecting the shutter speed in accordance with the time separation between pre-selected portions of said pair of externally supplied pulses; and
means for converting individual lines of said frame of information to video signals having a selected format. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification