Patent ID: 7456899
Filing Date: 2008-11-25
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An imaging apparatus comprising: an imaging device that photographs a subject and generates an image signal; a driving unit that repeatedly drives the imaging device in a predetermined frame period; a signal processing unit that performs predetermined signal processing to the image signal and generates an output image signal; and an exposure control unit that feedback-controls a signal level of the output image signal, wherein the driving unit expands/contracts an exposure time in a range according to the frame period and increases/decreases an exposure gain, the signal processing unit has at least one front-stage gain control circuit for multiplying the image signal by a processing gain in a predetermined range, the exposure control unit sets to a total gain of the output image signal according to a product of the exposure gain and the processing gain first to third sections in ascending order, in the first section, sets the frame period to a standard period and controls the total gain by increasing/decreasing the exposure gain by the driving unit, in the second section, controls the total gain by increasing/decreasing the processing gain of the at least one front-stage gain control circuit, and in the third section, sets the frame period to an enlarged period larger than the standard period and controls the total gain by increasing/decreasing the exposure gain by the driving unit.