Digital camera

• US 7,391,456 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2003
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arnold & Richter Cine Technik GmbH & Co., Betriebs KG (Stahl Beteiligungs- GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Arnold & Richter CINE Technik
• Inventors: Popp, Hermann, Koppetz, Michael, Khanh, Tran Quoc, Kandleinsberger, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Ometz; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LUONG TRUNG
• Application Number:
  US10/355,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20030169361A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,971 Days
• Field of Search: 348/367, 348/368, 348/369
• US Class Current: 348/335
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 Control of cameras or camera modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/73 by influencing the exposure time

Abstract

The invention relates to a digital motion picture camera including at least one optoelectronic sensor device for the recording of motion pictures. The sensor device has, in an areal arrangement, a plurality of sensor elements for the generation of a respective received signal in dependence on a light exposure. The camera further has a control device for the controlling of the read-out of the received signals of the sensor elements as well as a digitizing device for the digitizing of the received signals. The camera moreover has an optical viewfinder for the visual observation of the motion pictures to be recorded and a beam deflection device which is interposed in front of the sensor device and by which the reception beam path can be split at least into one recording beam path for the sensor device and one viewfinder beam path for the optical viewfinder. The sensor device can be controlled by the controlling device for the recording of the motion pictures at a pre-settable variable picture recording frequency.

Claims

1. A digital motion picture camera, at least comprising

an optoelectronic sensor device (31) for the recording of motion pictures, with the optoelectronic sensor device having, in an areal arrangement, a plurality of sensor elements (53, 55, 57) for the generation of a respective received signal in dependence on a light exposure;

a control device (45, 47) for the control of the read-out of the received signals of the sensor elements, with the optoelectronic sensor device (31) being controllable by means of the control device (45, 47) for the recording of the motion pictures at a pre-settable variable picture recording frequency;

a digitizing device (35) for the digitizing of the received signals of the sensor elements;

an optical viewfinder (27, 29) for the visual observation of the motion pictures to be recorded; and

a rotationally movable mirror diaphragm (15) which is disposed upstream of the optoelectronic sensor device (31) and by means of which a received beam path (13) can be divided at least into a recorded beam path (19) for the optoelectronic sensor device and a viewfinder beam path (21) for the optical viewfinder,

wherein the control device modifies the frequency at which the received signals of the sensor device are read out, in order to vary the picture recording frequency, and matches the rotational frequency of the rotationally movable mirror diaphragm (15), in order to bring about an exposure or a masking of the sensor device at a reduced or increased rate.

2. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the starting point in time of the exposure of the sensor elements (53, 55, 57) and/or the end point in time of the exposure of the sensor elements is controllable by means of the control device (45, 47) for the variation of the picture recording frequency.

3. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the sensor elements (53, 55, 57) of the optoelectronic sensor device (31) can be controlled by means of the control device (45, 47) for a sequential resetting and a subsequent sequential read-out.

4. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the cycle of a sequential resetting or read-out of the received signals of the sensor elements (53, 55, 57) is controllable for the variation of the picture recording frequency.

5. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the sensor elements of the optoelectronic sensor device (31) are controllable by means of the control device (45, 47) for a parallel or a group-wise parallel resetting or read-out.

6. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the picture recording frequency is variable continuously or in increments of a sensor element read-out cycle.

7. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that each sensor element (53, 55, 57) has its own amplifier device (33) and/or its own digitizing device (35) associated with it which is preferably integrated in each case into the optoelectronic sensor device (31).

8. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the optoelectronic sensor device (31) has a CMOS sensor.

9. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the optical viewfinder (27, 29) is made for the generation of a virtual or of a real image.

10. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the exposure time of the optoelectronic sensor device (31) is electronically controllable by the control device (45, 47).

11. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the exposure time of the sensor elements (53, 55, 57) is controllable by the control device (45, 47) for each sensor element individually, for some of the sensor elements together or for all sensor elements together.

12. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the rotationally movable diaphragm device (15), by means of which the exposure time of the optoelectronic sensor device can be set, is disposed upstream of the optoelectronic sensor device (31) in the reception beam path (13).

13. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 12, characterized in that the rotationally movable mirror diaphragm (15) has a rotational diaphragm.

14. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 12, characterized in that the rotationally movable mirror diaphragm (15) has one or more transmission openings (23), in particular transmission openings in the shape of sectors of a circle.

15. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 12, characterized in that the rotational frequency of the rotationally movable mirror diaphragm (15) is variably controllable by the control device (45, 47).

16. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 12, characterized in that the cycle of the read-out of the received signals of the sensor elements (53, 55, 57) and the rotational frequency of the rotationally movable mirror diaphragm (15) can be synchronized with one another by means of the control device (45, 47).

17. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 12, characterized in that the rotationally movable mirror diaphragm (15) has a plurality of transmission openings (23) and the picture recording frequency is a multiple of the rotational frequency of the diaphragm device corresponding to the number of the transmission openings.

18. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 14, characterized in that the size of a transmission opening (23) is variably controllable by means of the control device (45, 47).

19. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the sensor elements (53, 55, 57) are controllable for the generation of reference reception signals during an interruption of the light exposure, wherein the reference reception signals serve as reference levels which can be offset with received signals which are produced during the light exposure of the optoelectronic sensor device.

20. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the sensor elements (53, 55, 57) are controllable for the successive generation of a plurality of received signals which correspond to different exposure times and are associated with a single motion picture.

21. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the sensor elements (53, 55, 57) are controllable for a freely selectable read-out.

22. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the optoelectronic sensor device (31) has a single optoelectronic sensor.

23. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the sensor elements (53, 55, 57) of the optoelectronic sensor device (31) are each provided with a color filter;

and/or in that the sensor elements (53, 55, 57) of the optoelectronic sensor device (31) are color resolving.

24. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that a cooling device is provided for the active cooling of the optoelectronic sensor device, with the cooling device preferably having a Peltier element or a fan.

25. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the digitizing device (35) is connected to at least one data interface for the transmission of the digitized received signals to a digital memory device (39).

26. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that at least one digital memory device (39) is provided for the storage of the digitized received signals, with the at least one digital memory device preferably being able to be coupled to the digital motion picture camera in an exchangeable manner.

27. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 26, characterized in that the at least one digital memory device (39) is controllable by the control device (45, 47) for the additional storage of at least one recording parameter.

28. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 26, characterized in that a clock is provided for the making available of a time signal, with the storage of an actual time signal together with motion picture data or with a recording parameter being controllable by means of the control device (45, 47).

29. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 26, characterized in that the at least one digital memory device (39) has an identification device by which an identification code can be transmitted to the control device (45, 47).

30. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 26, characterized in that the digital motion picture camera and the at least one digital memory device (39) are designed for a wireless transmission of data to be stored, with the motion picture camera preferably having a wireless transmitter and the at least one digital memory device (39) having a wireless receiver.

31. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 26, characterized in that an intermediate memory device is provided for the recording of data to be stored and for the transmission of the data to the at least one digital memory device (39).

32. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 26, characterized in that the at least one digital memory device (39) has at least one output interface for the outputting of stored data.

33. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 26, characterized in that the at least one digital memory device (39) for the outputting of stored data is controllable at a rate which is different to the rate of the reading in of data to be stored.

34. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 26, characterized in that the at least one digital memory device (39) has at least one magnetic memory, a magneto-optical memory, a semi-conductor memory and/or an optical memory.

35. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, characterized by a modular design, with

the optoelectronic sensor device (31) together with the control device (45, 47),

a recording optical system (11),

the rotationally movable mirror diaphragm (15) together with a focusing screen (27),

a viewfinder optical system (29), and/or

a memory device (39) each forming its own modular unit.

36. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, wherein the rotationally movable mirror diaphragm (15) provides for an adjustment or limitation of the exposure time of the sensor device.

37. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 36, wherein the rotationally movable mirror diaphragm (15) has at least one transmission aperture, and wherein the control device variably controls the size or the angular range of the at least one transmission aperture of the rotationally movable mirror diaphragm in order to control the exposure time of the sensor device in an electromechanical manner.

38. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, wherein the exposure time of the optoelectronic sensor device is controlled by controlling the rotational frequency of the rotationally movable mirror diaphragm (15).

39. A digital motion picture camera in accordance with claim 1, wherein the control device, after a read-out of all sensor elements, waits for the length of a variable waiting interval until a read-out or of the sensor elements is begun again.