Patent ID: 6157408
Filing Date: 2000-12-05
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
An image sensing apparatus comprising an image sensor which comprises:a plurality of pixels forming a photo-receptive area;a sensor provided on each pixels, the sensor generating an electric signal in response to a brightness of incident light;signal storage/read-out CCDs connected to the sensors, respectively, the signal storage/read-out CCDs each comprising a plurality of charge storages and being elongated over two or more of the plurality of pixels in such a way that a plurality of the linear shaped signal storage/read-out CCDs are arranged parallel within a width of each pixel,wherein during an image sensing process, electric signals generated in the sensors of the pixels are transferred parallel in one direction by the plurality of signal storage/read-out CCDs, by which the electric signals generated in the sensors are stored in the charge storages of the signal storage/read-out CCDs, andwherein during a signal read process, the electric signals stored in the charge storages of the signal storage/read-out CCDs are transferred parallel in the same direction as in the image sensing process, by which the electric signals are read out of the photo receptive area;a brightness monitor device which monitors brightness of incident light which will be reached on an entire area or partial area of the photo-receptive area, and which outputs a detection signal when detecting that an abrupt change has occurred in the brightness; anda trigger signal generator device which, upon an input of a detection signal from the brightness monitor device, outputs to an image sensor a trigger signal for commanding a halt or start of image sensing concurrently with or a required time elapse after the input of the detection signal.