Circuit for transmitting a solid-state image pickup device signal to a signal processor

• US 6,753,905 B1
• Filed: 09/28/1998
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co. Ltd (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co. Ltd (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Minami, Itsuji, Okada, Fujio
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Ngoc-Yen, VU, NGOC YEN T
• Application Number:
  US09/161,500
• Time in Patent Office: 2,094 Days
• Field of Search: 348/45, 348/46, 348/207.1, 348/222.1, 348/229.1, 348/373-375, 600/149, 600/151, 600/152, 600/443
• US Class Current: 348/211.14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/555 for picking-up images in sites, inaccessible due to their dimensions or hazardous conditions, e.g. endoscopes or borescopes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices

Abstract

The circuit according to the present invention is a signal transmission circuit for a solid-state image pickup device which performs favorable signal transmission by suppressing heat production around an image pickup device to a minimum level. This circuit is used for transmitting video signals output from a CCD to a signal processor of a processing unit by way of a transmission line, and comprises, at a stage subsequent to the CCD, a complementary circuit composed of two current controlling diodes, a first transistor, a second transistor and a plurality of resistors. This complementary circuit operates the first transistor and the second transistor alternately, thereby outputting video signals from the CCD as positive and negative signals taking 10 V, for example, as standard. Such an operation of class B eliminates a necessity to supply a bias current, thereby preventing heat production from the transistors and resistors due to application of a bias current.

Claims

1. A signal transmission circuit, for a solid-state image pickup device comprising:

a transmission line for transmitting output video signals from a solid-state image pickup device to a signal processor;

a signal output circuit which is composed of a complementary circuit performing and operation of class B by alternately operating two transistors, receives the video signals output from said solid-state image pickup device and outputs the signals to the transmission line while suppressing heat production around the image pickup device; and

an input transistor disposed in said signal processor,

wherein said signal transmission circuit uses, as said signal output circuit, a complementary push-pull circuit comprising;

a first transistor and a second transistor which are to be operated alternately, and

a group of diodes which extract a current on a positive side of a voltage taken as standard to supply the current to said first transistor and extract a current on a negative side of the standard voltage to supply the current to said second transistor.

2. A signal transmission circuit for a solid-state image pickup device according to claim 1,

wherein said solid-state image pickup device is connected to a ceramic circuit board and

wherein said signal output circuit comprising said complementary circuit is configured as an integrated circuit and mounted directly on said ceramic circuit board.

3. A signal transmission circuit for a solid-state image pickup device of an electronic endoscope, wherein a signal output circuit comprising a complementary circuit in accordance with claim 1 is applied to an electronic endoscope.