Patent ID: 6028630
Filing Date: 2000-02-22
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
An imaging control method for an imaging device having an interline transfer type solid-state imaging element, the solid-state imaging element having a light-receiving section in which plural light-receiving elements, each generating and storing electric charges corresponding to the quantity of incident light, are arranged in a matrix, a vertical transfer section for transferring the electric charges read out from each of the light-receiving elements, and a horizontal transfer section for outputting the electric charges transferred through the vertical transfer section, the method comprising the steps of:(a) generating a standard vertical synchronizing signal and a standard horizontal synchronizing signal in conformity to the standard television system;(b) generating a trigger signal on the basis of the standard vertical synchronizing signal;(c) eliminating all electric charges stored in the plural light-receiving elements as ineffective charges at a first timing corresponding to the trigger signal, reading out the electric charges stored in the plural light-receiving elements to the vertical transfer section at a second timing after a predetermined time from the first timing, vertically transferring the electric charges transferred to the vertical transfer section at a first transfer speed during a first period from the second timing to a third timing, and vertically transferring the electric charges of the vertical transfer section at a second transfer speed which is lower than the first transfer speed and corresponding to the standard television system during a second period from the third timing to a fourth timing which is the timing of next trigger signal, thus controlling the interline transfer type solid-state imaging element so that one frame of image information is outputted every cycle of the trigger signal through the vertical transfer section;(d) temporarily storing the image information outputted from the interline transfer type solid-state imaging element during plural cycles of the trigger signal;(e) reading out the stored plural frames of image information as one frame of output image information at a speed based on the standard vertical synchronizing signal and the standard horizontal synchronizing signal; and(f) appending the standard vertical synchronizing signal and the standard horizontal synchronizing signal of the standard television system to read out one frame of output image information.