High resolution video camera apparatus having two image sensors and signal processing

• US 6,788,338 B1
• Filed: 11/20/2000
• Issued: 09/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Peter Magni Englesson, Petko Dimitrov Dinev
• Original Assignee: Peter Magni Englesson, Petko Dimitrov Dinev
• Inventors: Englesson, Peter Magni, Dinev, Petko Dimitrov
• Primary Examiner(s): MOE, AUNG SOE
• Application Number:
  US09/716,891
• Time in Patent Office: 1,387 Days
• Field of Search: 348/222.1, 348/216.1, 348/234-238, 348/342, 348/344, 348/450, 348/253, 348/256, 348/272, 348/266, 348/262, 348/207.99
• US Class Current: 348/222.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/843 Demosaicing, e.g. interpolating colour pixel values

Abstract

A video signal generating apparatus where the video signal is produced using two different image sensors has been described. The optical beam received from the camera lens is split into two beams via a beam splitter. Each beam is applied to the corresponding color and monochrome image sensors. Both imagers are scanned synchronously, and the corresponding output signals are digitized. The monochrome imager is scanned at a lower frame rate and generates a high-resolution luminance signal Y_H. The second imager has color filters, arranged as vertical stripes. This imager is scanned at a higher frame rate, faster than the first frame rate, and generates a set of two low-resolution color difference signals C_R and C_B, and one low-resolution luminance signals Y_L. At frame 1 both image sensors are scanned, at frames 2 and 3 only the color sensor is scanned, at frame 4 both image sensors are scanned, at frames 5 and 6 only the color sensor is scanned, at frame 7 both image sensors are scanned, and so on. The low-resolution color signals C_R and C_B from frames 1,4,7 etc. are digitally interpolated to have the same resolution as corresponding high-resolution luminance signal Y_H.Parallel with this, a set of motion signals are generated from the low-resolution luminance Y_L from all frames The motion signals, the interpolated color difference signals, and the high-resolution luminance Y_H are mixed into a composite data stream, compressed if necessary, and formatted into a standard 20 bits wide 1.5 Giga bits per second data rate. Additional information such as date, time, camera location, etc. can be added to the data stream if needed.

Claims

1. A video apparatus for generating a signal representative of a scene, comprising:

an image capturing means for deriving a luminance signal with bandwidth greater than 4.2 MHz, said luminance being representative of said scene at a first frame rate, said luminance signal having a first resolution;

an image capturing means for deriving at least two color component signals, each having bandwidth greater than 0.7 MHz, said color component signals being representative of said scene at a second frame rate and having a second resolution;

a signal processing apparatus for generating, from said color component signals having said second resolution, at least two converted color component signals having said first resolution, said converted color component signals having said first frame rate;

a signal combining apparatus for combining said luminance signal and said converted color component signals, to provide a combined video signal representative of said scene at said first frame rate and having said first resolution.

2. The video apparatus of claim 1, wherein said signal processing apparatus comprises at least one pixel interpolation unit for creating at least one additional pixel between every two adjacent pixels in horizontal direction, said additional pixel having a value representative of the average signal level of said adjacent pixels, said pixel interpolation unit supplied with said color component signals and generating converted color component signals each having horizontal resolution higher than the horizontal resolution of said color component signals.

3. The video apparatus of claim 1, wherein said signal processing apparatus comprises at least one line interpolation unit for creating at least one additional line between every two adjacent lines in vertical direction, said additional line having a value representative of the average signal level of said adjacent lines, said line interpolation unit supplied with said color component signals and generating converted color component signals each having line rate higher than the line rate of said color component signal.

4. The video apparatus of claim 1, wherein said signal combining apparatus comprises at least one parallel to serial converter for converting said combined video signal from serial to parallel data format.

5. The video apparatus of claim 4, wherein said signal combining apparatus comprises at least one 1.5 Giga bits per second serial data transmitter.

6. The video apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first frame rate is equal to said second frame rate.

7. The video apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second frame rate is higher to said first frame rate.

8. A video camera for generating a signal representative of a scene, comprising:

an image capturing means for deriving a high resolution luminance signal with bandwidth greater than 4.2 MHz, said high resolution luminance being representative of said scene at a first frame rate and having a first resolution;

an image capturing means for deriving at least two color component signals and one low resolution luminance signal, each having bandwidth greater than 0.7 MHz, said color component signals and said luminance signal being representative of said scene at second frame rate higher than said first frame rate, and having a second resolution;

a signal processing apparatus for generating from said color component signals having said second resolution and said second frame rate, at least two converted color component signals having said first resolution and said first frame rate;

a motion detection apparatus for generating from said low resolution luminance signal at least one motion signal representing the difference between two consecutive frames captured at said second frame rate;

a signal combining apparatus for combining said luminance signal, said converted color component signals and said motion signals to provide a combined video signal representative of said scene, said combined video signal having said first resolution.

9. The video camera of claim 8, wherein said signal processing apparatus comprises at least one pixel interpolation unit for creating at least one additional pixel between every two adjacent pixels in horizontal direction, said additional pixel having a value representative of the average signal level of said adjacent pixels, said pixel interpolation unit supplied with said color component signals and generating converted color component signals each having horizontal resolution higher than the horizontal resolution of said color component signals.

10. The video camera of claim 8, wherein said signal processing apparatus comprises at least one line interpolation unit for creating at least one additional line between every two adjacent lines in vertical direction, said additional line having a value representative of the average signal level of said adjacent lines, said line interpolation unit supplied with said color component signals and generating converted color component signals each having line rate higher than the line rate of said color component signal.

11. The video camera of claim 8, wherein said signal combining apparatus comprises at least one parallel to serial converter for converting said combined video signal from serial to parallel data format.

12. The video camera of claim 11, wherein said signal combining apparatus comprises at least one 1.5 Giga bits per second serial data transmitter.

13. The video camera of claim 8, wherein said second frame rate is an integer multiple of said first frame rate.

14. A method for generating a video signal representative of a scene, comprising the steps of:

deriving a luminance signal representative of said scene at a first frame rate, said luminance signal having a first resolution;

deriving at least two color component signals representative of said scene at a second frame rate, said color component signals having a second resolution;

generating, from said color component signals having said second resolution, a converted color component signal having said first resolution, said converted color component signal having said second frame rate;

combining said luminance signal, and said converted color component signals to provide a video signal representative of said scene having said first resolution.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said step of deriving said converted color component signal includes deriving at least one color difference signal and wherein said step of deriving converted color component signal comprises generating at least one color difference signal at a horizontal resolution higher than the horizontal resolution of said color component signal.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said step of deriving said converted color component signal includes deriving at least one color difference signal and wherein said step of deriving the converted color component signal comprises generating at least one color difference signal at a line rate higher than the line rate of said color component signal.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said step of combining said luminance signal, and said converted color component signals includes at least one parallel to serial conversion for converting said combined video signal from serial to parallel data format.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said step of deriving said color component signals includes an additional step of generating at least one motion signal representative of the difference between two consecutive frames captured at said second frame rate.