Method and apparatus for transmitting digital color signals to a camera

• US 6,278,492 B1
• Filed: 02/21/1997
• Issued: 08/21/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Hitoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILSON, JACQUELINE B
• Application Number:
  US08/804,746
• Time in Patent Office: 1,642 Days
• Field of Search: 348/262, 348/263, 348/264, 348/265, 348/441, 348/453, 348/488
• US Class Current: 348/441
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2209/049 having three pick-up sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/447 by preserving the colour pattern with or without loss of information

Abstract

A method and apparatus for transmitting digital color imaging signals to a camera controlling unit at a pre-set sampling rate obtained on imaging using a CCD imaging device. The sampling rate of at least one of plural signal components making up the digital color imaging signals is converted so that the sampling rate will be higher than the pre-set sampling rate. The digital color imaging signals containing at least one signal component having the converted sampling rate are transmitted to the camera control unit.

Claims

1. A method for generating and transmitting digital color imaging signals formed at a pre-set sampling rate from an output of a camera device to a camera controlling unit, comprising the steps of:

processing the digital color imaging signals, said processing resulting in at least one of plural signal components making up the digital color imaging signals to have a component sampling rate higher than said pre-set sampling rate;

converting at least one of the plural signal components making up the digital color imaging signals so that a converted output sampling rate of the at least one of the plural signal components at said output is between said pre-set sampling rate and said component sampling rate;

converting said digital color imaging signals containing said at least one of the plural signal components having the converted output sampling rate into serial color imaging signals; and

transmitting from the output of said camera device to said camera controlling unit the serial color imaging signals containing said at least one of the plural signal components having the converted output sampling rate.

2. The method for transmitting digital color imaging signals as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one of the plural signal components is a luminance component of said digital color imaging signals.

3. The method for transmitting digital color imaging signals as claimed in claim 1, wherein the component sampling rate of said at least one of plural signal components is twice the pre-set sampling rate.

4. The method for transmitting digital color imaging signals as claimed in claim 1, wherein the converted output sampling rate of said at least one of the plural signal components is {fraction (3/2)} times the pre-set sampling rate.

5. The method for transmitting digital color imaging signals as claimed in claim 1, wherein the converted output sampling rate of said at least one of the plural signal components is an integer number multiple of a transmission sampling rate.

6. The method for transmitting digital color imaging signals as claimed in claim 1, wherein an output sampling rate of signal components other than said at least one of the plural signal components is not higher than the pre-set sampling rate.

7. An apparatus for generating and transmitting digital color imaging signals formed at a pre-set sampling rate from an output of a camera device to a camera controlling unit, comprising:

means for processing the digital color imaging signals, said processing resulting in at least one of plural signal components making up the digital color imaging signals to have a component sampling rate higher than said pre-set sampling rate;

means for converting at least one of the plural signal components making up the digital color imaging signals so as to obtain a converted output sampling rate at said output between said pre-set sampling rate and said component sampling rate;

parallel/serial conversion means for converting said digital color imaging signals containing said at least one of the plural signal components having the converted output sampling rate into serial color imaging signals;

means for transmitting from the output of said camera device said serial color imaging signals to said camera controlling unit;

serial/parallel conversion means provided within said camera controlling unit for receiving the transmitted serial digital color imaging signals for converting the transmitted serial digital color imaging signals into parallel digital color imaging signals; and

digital/analog converting means for converting the parallel digital color imaging signals converted by said serial/parallel conversion means into analog color imaging signals.

8. The apparatus for transmitting digital color imaging signals as claimed in claim 7, wherein said at least one of plural signal components is a luminance component of said digital color imaging signals.

9. The apparatus for transmitting digital color imaging signals as claimed in claim 7, wherein the component sampling rate of said at least one of plural signal components is twice the pre-set sampling rate.

10. The apparatus for transmitting digital color imaging signals as claimed in claim 7, wherein the converted output sampling rate of said at least one of the plural signal components is equal to {fraction (3/2)} times the pre-set sampling rate.

11. The apparatus for transmitting digital color imaging signals as claimed in claim 7, wherein the converted output sampling rate of said at least one of the plural signal components is an integer number multiple of a transmission sampling rate.

12. The apparatus for transmitting digital color imaging signals as claimed in claim 7, wherein an output sampling rate of signal components other than said at least one of the plural signal components is not higher than the pre-set sampling rate.

13. An apparatus for generating and transmitting digital color imaging signals formed at a pre-set sampling rate from an output of a camera device to a camera controlling unit, said camera device comprising:

means for processing the digital color imaging signals, said processing resulting in at least one of plural signal components making up the digital color imaging signals to have a component sampling rate higher than said pre-set sampling rate;

means for converting at least one of the plural signal components making up the digital color imaging signals so as to obtain a converted output sampling rate at said output between said pre-set sampling rate and said component sampling rate;

parallel/serial conversion means for converting said digital color imaging signals containing said at least one of the plural signal components having the converted output sampling rate into serial color imaging signals;

means for transmitting from the output of said camera device said serial color imaging signals to said camera controlling unit;

said camera controlling unit comprising;

serial/parallel conversion means provided within said camera controlling unit for receiving the transmitted serial digital color imaging signals and for converting the transmitted serial digital color imaging signals into parallel digital color imaging signals; and

digital/analog converting means for converting the parallel digital color imaging signals converted by said serial/parallel conversion means into analog color imaging signals.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said means for transmitting transmits said serial color imaging signals at the converted output sampling rate formed by said means for converting.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said means for converting includes a digital processor which processes the digital color imaging signals in accordance with SMPTE standards.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said camera device further comprises means for generating in addition to said digital color imaging signals a high-resolution luminance signal.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said means for generating generates color difference signals as said digital color imaging signals.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said camera device further comprises means for selectively controlling a number of bits according to a type of the digital color imaging signals to reduce a total amount of bits transmitted by said transmitting means.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said camera device further comprises means for converting an aspect ratio of a picture represented by said digital color imaging signals by selectively setting an output sampling rate of the digital color imaging signals to be transmitted in accordance with the aspect ratio.