Patent ID: 6122007
Filing Date: 2000-09-19
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
An image pickup system, comprising:an image pickup apparatus including:image pickup means having a first imaging mode and a second imaging mode, in the first imaging mode, a first captured picture signal, in the second imaging mode a second captured picture signal being output, the number of pixels of the first captured picture signal being larger than the number of pixels of the second captured picture signal,first storing means having a storage capacity for storing the first captured picture signal,second storing means to which an external input picture signal supplied from outside the apparatus is written, the number of pixels of the external input picture signal being nearly the same as the number of pixels of the second captured picture signal,mixing means for mixing the second captured picture signal received from said image pickup means in the second imaging mode and the external input picture signal read from said second storing means,displaying means for displaying a picture corresponding to a picture signal received from said mixing means, the number of pixels of the picture signal is the same as that of the second captured picture signal,commanding means for causing a still picture to be captured, andcontrolling means for controlling said image pickup means, said first storing means, and said second storing means,wherein said controlling means causes said image pickup means to operate in the first imaging mode so as to cause said displaying means to display the picture received from said mixing means, and thereby causes the mode of said image pickup means to be switched to the second imaging mode, and causes said first storing means to record the first captured picture signal when said commanding means causes the still picture to be captured; anda controlling unit including:storing means for storing a first picture signal, the number of pixels of the first picture signal being the same as that of the first captured picture signal,thin-out means for thinning out pixels of the first picture signal as a second picture signal, andtransferring means for transferring the second picture signal as the external input picture signal to said image pickup apparatus.