Patent US643130A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US2415592A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4914518A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electronic still camera with a solid state image pickup whose output part is kept from being driven during a major part of the image pickup period
Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1989-06-12
•
Granted: 1990-04-03
•
Expires: 2009-06-12
Abstract
Abstract An electronic still camera comprises a solid state image pickup element including photosensitive elements, a vertical transfer CCD and a horizontal transfer CCD, and a read drive circuit for the solid state image pickup element. Before the start of reading the signal from the solid state image pickup element, at least one pulse is applied to the horizontal transfer CCD to remove electric charges of the interior of the CCD to nullify dark current. The above-described pulse applied to the horizontal transfer CCD before the start of reading the signal from the solid state image pickup element lies in an image pickup period, and the frequency of the above-described pulse of this time is less than the frequency in the read period.
Inventors
- 👤 Akira Suga
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 00:46
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N25/00; H04N25/70; H04N25/71; H04N25/60; H04N25/63
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
112 words
An image pickup apparatus comprising: (a) image pickup means having a light receiving part for converting an optical image to an electrical signal and an output part for producing an output signal of the light receiving part; (b) read means for reading the output signal of said image pickup means after a predetermined time period after clearing the electrical signal of said image pickup means, said read means being so arranged that it does not drive said output part in a major part of said predetermined period; and removing means for removing a residual signal in said output part of said predetermined time period just before the reading by said read means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
112 words
An image pickup apparatus comprising: (a) image pickup means having a light receiving part for converting an optical image to an electrical signal and an output part for producing an output signal of the light receiving part; (b) read means for reading the output signal of said image pickup means after a predetermined time period after clearing the electrical signal of said image pickup means, said read means being so arranged that it does not drive said output part in a major part of said predetermined period; and removing means for removing a residual signal in said output part of said predetermined time period just before the reading by said read means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said output part includes an output amplifier for converting an electric charge signal formed by the light receiving part to a voltage signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said output part includes a CCD transfer part.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising clamping means connected to said output part for clamping the signal from the output part.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said output part includes a CDS circuit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said removing means performs removing intermittently.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said removing means performs removing continuously.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said output part includes resetting means for resetting the voltage signal in the interior of said output amplifier.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said removing means performs removing by operating said resetting means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image pickup means has a drain adjacent to the output part through a gate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said removing means performs removing by controlling said gate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
119 words
An electronic still camera comprising a solid stage image pickup element including photosensitive elements and a horizontal transfer CCD and a read drive circuit for said solid state image pickup element for accumulating an electrical signal in said image pickup element in a predetermined image pickup period and for providing at least a transfer pulse to said horizontal transfer CCD to remove electric charges in said transfer CCD just before reading of said electrical signal from said solid state image pickup element, said drive circuit being so arranged that it does not provider a transfer pulse to said horizontal transfer CCD during a period in such image pickup period except for a period when said transfer pulse is provided.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
119 words
An electronic still camera comprising a solid stage image pickup element including photosensitive elements and a horizontal transfer CCD and a read drive circuit for said solid state image pickup element for accumulating an electrical signal in said image pickup element in a predetermined image pickup period and for providing at least a transfer pulse to said horizontal transfer CCD to remove electric charges in said transfer CCD just before reading of said electrical signal from said solid state image pickup element, said drive circuit being so arranged that it does not provider a transfer pulse to said horizontal transfer CCD during a period in such image pickup period except for a period when said transfer pulse is provided.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
57 words
An electronic still camera according to claim 12, wherein a pulse applied to said horizontal transfer CCD before the electrical signal from said solid state image pickup element is read lies within the image pickup period, and wherein the frequency of said pulse within said image pickup period is less than the frequency in a read period.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
60 words
An electronic still camera according to claim 12, wherein a pulse applied to said horizontal transfer CCD before the electrical signal from said solid state pickup element is read lies within the image pickup period, and wherein during a longer time than a follow-up time of said horizontal transfer CCD and said read drive circuit, said transfer pulse is applied.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
38 words
An electronic still camera according to claim 12, wherein before reading from said solid state image pickup element, pulses are applied to said horizontal transfer CCD a larger number of times than the number of horizontal transfer stages.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
119 words
An image pickup apparatus comprising: (a) image pickup means having a light receiving part for converting an optical image to an electrical signal and an output part for producing an output signal of the light receiving part; (b) trigger means for generating a trigger signal in response to a manually operable member; and (c) control means for clearing the electrical signal of said image pickup means in response to said trigger signal, said controlling means being arranged to read the output signal of said image pickup means a predetermined time after clearing the electrical signal of said image pickup means and to remove a residual signal in said output part to a drain means during said predetermined time period.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
119 words
An image pickup apparatus comprising: (a) image pickup means having a light receiving part for converting an optical image to an electrical signal and an output part for producing an output signal of the light receiving part; (b) trigger means for generating a trigger signal in response to a manually operable member; and (c) control means for clearing the electrical signal of said image pickup means in response to said trigger signal, said controlling means being arranged to read the output signal of said image pickup means a predetermined time after clearing the electrical signal of said image pickup means and to remove a residual signal in said output part to a drain means during said predetermined time period.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
An image pickup apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising: recording means for recording the electrical signal generated by the image pickup means during said predetermined time period, as a still image signal.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said output part includes an output amplifier for converting an electric charge signal formed by the light receiving part to a voltage signal.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said output part includes a CCD transfer part.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising clamping means connected to said output part for clamping the signal from the output part.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said output part includes a CDS circuit.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said control means performs removing continuously.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said control means performs removing continuously.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said control means performs the removing operation only just before said reading.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said output part includes resetting means for resetting the voltage signal in the interior of said output amplifier.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said control means performs removing by operating said resetting means.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said image pickup means has a drain adjacent to the output part through a gate.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said control means performs removing by controlling said gate.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4430672A
Cited
US4611234A
Cited
US4698686A
Cited
US4682232A
Cited
US4589025A
Cited
US4742395A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-04-02 | 1993-10-02 | 1994-04-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-04-02 | 1997-10-02 | 1998-04-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-04-02 | 2001-10-02 | 2002-04-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |