Patent ID: 7151569
Filing Date: 2006-12-19
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A drive control method of an interline transfer type image pickup element having a light receiving section of a plurality of light receiving elements arranged in the form of a matrix and adapted to accumulate respective electric charges representing the received quantity of light, a vertical transfer section for transferring the electric charges read out from said light receiving elements of said light receiving section and a horizontal transfer section for outputting the electric charges transferred therein from said vertical transfer section, said method comprising: a step of receiving an external control signal having a variably definable pulse width; a step of detecting the pulse width of said external control signal; a step of generating a vertical synchronizing signal by selecting an ordinary vertical transfer signal or a high speed vertical transfer signal each as a function of the detected pulse width; a step of reading out the electric charges accumulated in said plurality of light receiving elements to said vertical transfer section in synchronism with the timing of the front edge of said external control signal; and a step of vertically transferring the electric charges read out to said vertical transfer section at a first transfer rate in the period corresponding to the pulse width of said external control signal by means of a high speed vertical transfer signal and vertically transferring the electric charges read out to said vertical transfer section at a second transfer rate lower than said first transfer rate in the remaining period by means of an ordinary vertical transfer signal.