Image capturing apparatus, method for capturing image and camera

• US 6,903,764 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2001
• Issued: 06/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Kusaka, Yosuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ye, Lin
• Application Number:
  US09/983,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20020060741A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• Field of Search: 348/208.6, 348/208.4, 348/208.13, 348/219.1, 348/207.99, 348/308, 348/302, 348/299, 348/314, 348/241, 348/294
• US Class Current: 348/208.6
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/684 performed by controlling the image sensor readout, e.g. by controlling the integration time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6842 by controlling the scanning position, e.g. windowing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/50 Control of the SSIS exposure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/71 Charge-coupled device [CCD] sensors; Charge-transfer registers specially adapted for CCD sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 3/155 Control of the image-sensor operation, e.g. image processing within the image-sensor

Abstract

An image sensor comprises a photoelectric conversion element group and a charge storage element group connected through a plurality of charge transfer routes by achieving a multiplexed relationship. A hand movement detection unit detects a hand movement during an exposure period at the image sensor and generates an unsteady hand movement signal. A sensor control unit selects charge transfer routes so that the electrical charge corresponding to a single position of the subject image is stored at a single charge storage element in correspondence to the extent and the direction of the displacement of the subject image indicated by the hand movement signal.

Claims

1. An image-capturing apparatus comprising:

a photoelectric conversion element group that captures a subject image with a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arrayed in a two-dimensional arrangement and individually generates electrical charges at said photoelectric conversion elements;

a charge storage element group having a plurality of charge storage elements which store the electrical charges generated at said photoelectric conversion element group;

a charge transfer route group that connect individual photoelectric conversion elements constituting said photoelectric conversion element group to said plurality of charge storage elements constituting said charge storage element group through different transmission routes;

an output circuit that outputs image signals corresponding to quantities of the electrical charges stored at said charge storage element group;

a blur detection circuit that detects a blur occurring at said image-capturing apparatus and outputs a detection signal; and

a route switching control circuit that selects charge transfer routes at said charge transfer route group in conformance to the detection signal output by said blur detection circuit.

2. An image-capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said route switching control circuit calculates through an arithmetic operation an extent and a direction of a displacement of the subject image occurring on said photoelectric conversion element group in conformance to the detection signal output by said blur detection circuit to select charge transfer routes so as to connect said photoelectric conversion elements to said charge storage elements based upon the results of an arithmetic operation.

3. An image-capturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

said route switching control circuits selects;

(1) a charge transfer route so as to connect a photoelectric conversion element to a charge storage element corresponding to said photoelectric conversion element if the extent of the displacement is smaller than a pitch at which said photoelectric conversion elements are arrayed; and

(2) a charge transfer route so as to connect said photoelectric conversion element to a charge storage element at a position reflecting the direction and the extent of the displacement relative to a position of said charge storage element corresponding to said photoelectric conversion element if the extent of the displacement is equal to or larger than the arraying pitch.

4. A camera having;

an image-capturing apparatus according to claim 1; and

a photographic optical system that forms a subject image at said photoelectric conversion element group.

5. An image-capturing apparatus comprising:

a photoelectric conversion element group that captures a subject image with a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arrayed in a two-dimensional arrangement and individually generates electrical charges at said photoelectric conversion elements;

a charge storage element group having a plurality of charge storage elements which store the electrical charges generated at said photoelectric conversion element group;

a charge transfer route group that connects photoelectric conversion elements adjacent to one another in said photoelectric conversion element group to a charge storage element in said charge storage element group corresponding to said adjacent photoelectric conversion elements through different charge transfer routes;

an output circuit that outputs image signals corresponding to quantities of the electrical charges stored at said charge storage element group;

a blur detection circuit that detects a blur occurring at said image-capturing apparatus and outputs a detection signal; and

a route switching control circuit that selects charge transfer routes at said charge transfer route group in conformance to the detection signal output by said blur detection circuit.

6. An image-capturing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein:

said route switching control circuit calculates through an arithmetic operation an extent of displacement of the subject image occurring on said photoelectric conversion element group along a direction in which said photoelectric conversion elements are provided adjacent to one another, in conformance to the detection signal output by said blur detection circuit, to select a charge transfer route so as to connect one of said adjacent photoelectric conversion elements to said charge storage element in conformance to the extent of the displacement.

7. An image-capturing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:

said photoelectric conversion elements are constituted of photodiodes;

said charge storage elements are each constituted of a floating diffusion unit; and

said charge transfer routes are constituted of MOS transistors formed between said photodiode and said floating diffusion unit.

8. An image-capturing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:

said photoelectric conversion elements each constitute a CCD light-receiving unit;

said charge storage elements each constitute a CCD storage unit; and

said charge transfer routes are constituted of a CCD transfer shift register with a direction and a quantity of a shift thereof controlled by said route switching control circuit.

9. An image-capturing method, comprising:

capturing a subject image at a photoelectric conversion element group having a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arrayed in a two-dimensional arrangement;

detecting a blur occurring at said photoelectric conversion element group;

calculating an extent and a direction of a displacement of the subject image occurring on said photoelectric conversion element group through an arithmetic operation based upon the blur;

switching a charge transfer route group that connects individual photoelectric conversion elements constituting said photoelectric conversion element group to a plurality of charge storage elements constituting a charge storage element group through transmission routes different from one another in correspondence to the extent and the direction of the displacement;

storing charges output from said photoelectric conversion element group at said charge storage element group; and

outputting image signals in correspondence to quantities of the electrical charges stored at said charge storage element group.