Programmable control of operational signals in a digital camera

• US 6,593,963 B1
• Filed: 05/29/1998
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Safai, Mohammad A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tillery, Rashawn N.
• Application Number:
  US09/087,266
• Time in Patent Office: 1,873 Days
• Field of Search: 348/65, 348/73, 348/207, 348/213, 348/312, 348/222.1, 348/345, 348/347
• US Class Current: 348/222.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/00 Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof

Abstract

A programmable controller for digital cameras is operable with a variety of alternative camera components. The programmable controller can include a programmable clock signal generator that controls the period and waveform of a clock signal to generate symmetric or non-symmetric clock signals, a programmable reference signal generator that controls analog reference signals for analog components, and/or a programmable micro-stepper controller that generates stepping control signals to a stepping motor for zoom or focus operations.

Claims

1. A digital camera comprising:

an image capture unit arranged to output an analog representation of a captured image;

a converter unit for converting the analog representation of the captured image to a digital representation of the image; and

a programmable controller arranged to generate operational signals useful in the operation of components included in the digital camera, the programmable controller including a plurality of registers that may be programmed to dictate the nature of the operational signals, wherein;

a first programming of the registers causes the programmable controller to generate a first clock signal that the image capture unit requires for operation in the digital camera;

a second programming of the registers causes the programmable controller to generate a second clock signal that differs from the first clock signal, the second clock signal being required for an alternative image capture unit that replaces the image capture unit in an alternative camera design; and

one of the first and second clock signals is symmetric, and another of the first and second clock signals is non-symmetric.

2. A digital camera as recited in claim 1, wherein the programmable controller includes:

a programmable converter controller for generating control signals useful for controlling the converter unit; and

a programmable image sensor controller for generating clock signals useful for synchronizing the image capture unit.

9. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein:

a third programming of the registers causes the programmable controller to generate a first control signal that the converter unit requires for operation in the digital camera; and

a fourth programming of the registers causes the programmable controller to generate a second control signal that differs from the first control signal, the second control signal being required for an alternative converter unit that replaces the converter unit in an alternative camera design.

3. A programmable controller for use in a digital camera having an image capture unit arranged to output an analog representation of a captured image and a converter unit for converting the analog representation of the captured image to a digital representation of the captured image, the programmable controller comprising:

a programmable clock generator that may be programmed to generate both symmetric clock signals and non-symmetric clock signals.

4. A programmable controller as recited in claim 3, wherein the programmable clock generator is arranged to receive a fast clock signal and includes a programmable logic block having a programmable clock register, wherein the programmable clock register may be programmed using data stored in the programmable logic block to create a desired symmetric or non-symmetric clock signal based at least in part upon the fast clock signal.

5. A programmable controller as recited in claim 3, wherein the programmable clock generator includes a counter buffer arranged to receive a fast clock signal, the counter buffer being connected to a memory unit, wherein the memory unit includes programmable data registers capable of storing clock signal characterizing data that the counter buffer uses to create a desired symmetric clock signal or a desired non-symmetric clock signal based at least in part upon the fast clock signal.

6. A programmable controller as recited in claim 5, wherein the clock signal characterizing data includes a clock signal output value that is associated with a clock tick value.

10. The programmable controller of claim 3, wherein the programmable clock generator comprises a buffer coupled to a memory unit so as to receive values read from the memory unit in response to a fast clock signal, the buffer generating a clock signal at signal levels cyclically corresponding to the values read from the memory unit.

7. A programmable controller for use in a digital camera having an image capture unit arranged to output an analog representation of a captured image and a converter unit for converting the analog representation of the captured image to a digital representation of the image, the programmable controller comprising:

a programmable analog reference signal generator for generating analog reference signals useful in the operation of analog components included in the digital camera; and

a programmable clock generator that may be programmed to generate both symmetric clock signals and non-symmetric clock signals.

8. A programmable controller as recited in claim 7, wherein the programmable clock generator is arranged to receive a fast clock signal and includes a programmable logic block having a programmable clock register, wherein the programmable clock register may be programmed using data stored in the programmable logic block to create a desired symmetric or non-symmetric clock signal based at least in part upon the fast clock signal.