IMAGING APPARATUS

Abstract: An imaging apparatus having an imaging device composed of pixels arranged in horizontal lines and vertical columns, and a vertical scanning circuit (2) and a horizontal scanning circuit (3) for scanning the area of the imaging device vertically and horizontally. The apparatus has a control circuit (5) for enabling the vertical scanning circuit (2) to scan the horizontal lines of pixels a plurality of times, thereby reading an image on the imaging device in a zoomed-out manner with a high degree of vertical resolution of the display image.

Description: The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus having a function for reading an image in a magnified size, being referred to as "zooming" function hereinafter, and a method for operating the same. In particular, the invention relates to an imaging apparatus comprising a plurality of pixels arranged in lines and columns, and control means for selectively switching the reading operation mode between a first mode, in which signals on said pixels are sequentially read in a first sequence and at a first speed, and a second mode, in which signals on a selected portion of the area of said pixels are sequentially read in a second sequence different from said first sequence and at a second speed different from said first speed. An imaging apparatus and a method for operating the same according to the preamble of the independent claims 1 and 2 are known from patent document US 4 002 824. This document discloses a zoom camera and a display means to display a picture with a portion being magnified while the rest of the picture remains unchanged. In order to realize such a kind of display, it is suggested to adjust the timing and clock rate applied to a solid state sensor comprising a plurality of pixels and the delay time of the recorded signals in such a way that the center of the magnified portion has the same position as the center of said portion before the magnification. Patent application document DE 29 13 116 A1 discloses a method for converting the number of scanning lines from 525 to 625 by reading every third line twice. These known imaging apparatuses require a complicated control circuit and additional memory or delay means to enable a multiple reading of predetermined image signals. A known zooming method will now be described in greater detail with reference to Figs. 9A to 9C. Fig. 9A is an illustration of an image formed on an imaging device, including a portion to be zoomed out, while Figs. 9B and 9C are timing charts showing, respectively, the manner in which vertical scan is conducted during the operation of an imaging apparatus in a zoom-out reading mode and the manner in which horizontal scan is conducted along horizontal lines which include the image portion to be zoomed out. Referring to Fig. 9A, an image of an object is formed on a two-dimensional imaging device 101. It is assumed that only a portion 102 of the image is to be displayed on a greater scale, while the other portions of the image are to be neglected. To this end, it is necessary that the signals from the portion of the imaging device 101 corresponding to the image portion 102 are read in the effective television period, while signals from the other portions are read during the horizontal and vertical blanking periods. Referring also to Fig. 9B, the signals from the scanning lines 1 to (a-1), corresponding to an unnecessary portion of the image, are shifted at a high speed in a period t₁ within the vertical blanking period VBLK. The signals from the scanning lines a to b , covering the portion 102 of the image, are shifted at a low speed in a period t₂ which is the vertical effective period. In this vertical effective period, each of the horizontal lines a to b is horizontally scanned in a manner shown in Fig. 9C. Subsequently, the signals from the lowermost unnecessary portion, corresponding to scanning lines (b+1) to n , are shifted at a high speed in the next vertical blanking period t₃. The manner of the horizontal scan along each of the horizontal scanning lines a to b is conducted in a manner which will be explained hereinunder with reference to Fig. 9C. Namely, the signals from the unnecessary portion which is to the left of the image portion 102 to be zoomed out are shifted at a high speed in a period t₂₁ within the first horizontal blanking period. Then, the signals from the portion corresponding to the image portion 102 are shifted at a low speed in the effective period t₂₂. Finally, the signals corresponding to the unnecessary portion which is to the right of the image portion 102 are transferred at a high speed within the next horizontal blanking period t₂₃. In the described zoom-out reading operation, assuming that the magnification is 2, the image portion 102 includes n/2 horizontal scanning lines. If this image portion 102 is displayed with the magnification 2 on, for example, a television screen, therefore, the quality of the image is impaired due to the presence of noise in the form of horizontal stripes. In order to obviate this problem, known imaging apparatus usually employ memory means or delay means which store or delay the zoomed-out read signals such that the signal for each line is used twice, so as to provide n pieces of scanning lines on the display, thereby to avoid degradation of the quality of the display image. This known imaging apparatus, however, requires a large and complicated circuit to perform this function and, hence, the production cost is raised due to the use of the memory or delay means which is intended for the multiple use described above of the image signals. The same problem is encountered also with an apparatus of the type which employs interpolation between a pair of distant line signals or prediction of a next line signal from the preceding line signal. The circuit is further complicated when the signals are read through a plurality of signal lines. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an imaging apparatus and a method for operating the same which is capable of providing a zoomed-out display without additional memory or delay means being necessary. This object is achieved by providing an imaging apparatus which comprises means by which pairs of adjacent lines are successively read in vertical direction in each field, wherein said pairs of adjacent lines read from an odd-number field and from an even-number field respectively overlap with each other in one line. Furthermore, this object is achieved by using a method comprising the step that pairs of adjacent lines in vertical direction are successively read in each field, wherein said pairs of adjacent lines read from an odd-number field and from an even-number field respectively overlap with each other in one line. Thus, a zoomed-out display can be realized without additional memory or delay means being necessary. The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description of the preferred embodiment when the same is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a schematic circuit diagram of an embodiment of the imaging apparatus in accordance with the present invention; Figs. 2A to 2E are illustrations of different types of zoom-out reading operation of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a schematic timing chart illustrating the operation of a vertical scanning circuit incorporated in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, during the operation in the zoom-out reading mode; Fig. 4 is a timing chart illustrating an example of a first type of reading operation; Fig. 5 is a timing chart illustrating another example of the first type of reading operation; Fig. 6 is a timing chart illustrating an example of a second type of reading operation; Fig. 7 is a timing chart illustrating an example of a fourth type of reading operation; Fig. 8 is a timing chart illustrating a real-size reading mode of operation; Fig. 9A is an illustration of an image on an imaging device, used for the purpose of explanation of zoom-out reading operation; Fig. 9B is a timing chart illustrating the timing of vertical scanning in the imaging device shown in Fig. 9A; and Fig. 9C is a timing chart illustrating the timing of horizontal scanning in the imaging device shown in Fig. 9A. The preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a schematic circuit diagram of an embodiment of the imaging apparatus in accordance with the present invention. The imaging apparatus has an imaging device having a multiplicity of photo-sensors 1 which are arranged in the form of a matrix constituted by m rows and n columns. The photo-sensor 1 may be of any type, such as destructive reading type, non-destructive reading type, MOS type, electrostatic induction type, base accumulation type, and so forth. The photo-sensors of each row are connected to a horizontal line HL. Thus, a plurality of rows of photo-sensors 1 are connected to corresponding horizontal lines HL, each of which is adapted to receive driving pulses R1 and R2 through transistors Q r1 and Q r2 respectively, whereby the lines of photo-sensors are driven independently for the purpose of reading of signals and resetting. The gates of the gate electrodes of the transistors Q r1 and Q r2 of each two adjacent horizontal lines are commonly connected and the common connections of these gate electrodes are connected to output terminals of a vertical scanning circuit 2 through transistors Q e and Q o which appear alternately for the successive horizontal lines HL. The gate electrodes of the transistors Q e and Q o receive field selection pulses FE and FO , respectively. Thus, the transistors Q e , Q o and the transistors Q r1 , Q r2 in combination constitute an interlace circuit. The vertical scanning circuit 2 starts the scanning operation in response to a start pulse VS and successively outputs vertical scanning pulses in synchronization with the pulses V1 and V2. On the other hand, the columns of the photo-sensors 1 are connected to corresponding vertical lines VL, each of which is connected to temporary storage capacitors C₁ and C₂ through shifting transistors Q t1 and Q t2 . The capacitors C₁ and C₂ are connected to signal lines S1 and S2, through scanning transistors QS₁ and QS₂. The gate electrodes of the scanning transistors Q s1 and Q s2 of each pair are commonly connected and the common connections of the successive pairs of scanning transistors Q s1 and Q s2 receive scanning pulses from the horizontal scanning circuit 3. More specifically, the horizontal scanning circuit 3 starts the scanning operation in response to a start pulse HS and outputs scanning pulses in synchronization with pulses H1 and H2. Each vertical line VL is grounded through a transistor Q vc which receives at its gate electrode a pulse VC. The pulses  mentioned above are supplied from a driver 4 which is controlled by a control unit 5. Some types of zoom-out reading operation of the circuit shown in Fig. 1 will be explained with reference to Figs. 2A to 2E. For the purpose of simplification of description, it is assumed that the zooming is conducted with magnification 2. As explained before, for the purpose of zooming out an image with magnification 2, it is necessary to employ a suitable measure for utilizing twice the signal derived from each pixel in the portion of the image to be zoomed out. In a first type of operation, illustrated in Fig. 2A, the horizontal pixel lines covering the image portion 102 (see Fig. 9A), i.e., scanning lines a to b , are scanned twice in a non-interlaced manner. More specifically, the scanning lines a , a+1 , a+2 , ...., b-1 , b are sequentially read from an odd-number field of the display, and the same lines a to b are read again for the even-number field of the display. In a second type of operation illustrated in Fig. 2B, the reading is conducted by means of a photo-sensor which is capable of enabling a signal to be read in a non-destructive manner. In this type of operation, therefore, the signal of the photo-sensor is not destroyed by the reading operation, and the pixel signals of each line are successively read twice. In this case, as will be seen from Fig. 2B, scanning lines are read as a , (a) , a+2 , (a+2) , ... for the odd-number field of the display, where (a) , (a+2) , etc, each represents the second reading of the scanning line a , a+2 , etc. For the odd-number field of the display, scanning lines are read as a+1 , (a+1) , a+3 , (a+3) ,...., as will be seen from Fig. 2B. Although on the described reading methods the signals from each line are read through a single output line, this is not exclusive and the same methods can be adopted in a multiple-line reading system in which signals from a predetermined number of horizontal lines are read simultaneously through different output lines. Fig. 2C shows the ordinary reading operation in a double-line reading system, as an example of the above-mentioned multiple-line reading system. Thus, pairs of scanning lines 1,2; 3,4; ...; a , a+1 ;... are read sequentially for the odd-number field, while pairs of scanning lines 2,3; 4,5;... ;a+1 , a+2 ;... are read for the even-number field. Fig. 2D shows a third type of reading operation with the circuit shown in Fig. 1. In this case, the double-line reading system is used with both of the pair of scanning lines read in a non-destructive manner. Thus, scanning lines are read as a , a+1 ; ( a , a+1 ); a+2 , a+3 ; ( a+2 , a+3 )..., for the odd-number field, while the scanning lines are read as a+2 , a+3 ; ( a+2 , a+3 );... for the even number field. Fig. 2E shows a fourth type of reading operation in which the double-line reading system is used with only one of each pair of scanning lines read in the non-destructive manner. Thus, in this case, the scanning lines are read as a ; a+1 ; ( a+1 ), a+2 ;... for the odd-number field, whereas, scanning lines are read as ( a+1 ), a+2 ; ( a+2 ), a+3 ;... for the even-number field. Each of the four types of reading operation will be explained in more detail with reference to timing charts. Fig. 3 is a schematic timing chart illustrating the operation of the vertical scanning circuit driven by the driver 4 in the zoom-out reading mode. As explained before, the signals from the pixels in the unnecessary portions of the image are shifted at a high speed in the periods t₁ and t₃ within the vertical blanking periods, while the signals from the pixels in the image portion to be zoomed out are shifted in the effective period t₂. Thus, the vertical scanning circuit 2 starts to operate in response to a start pulse VS and sequentially outputs vertical scanning pulses in accordance with the pulses V1 and V2. Fig. 4 is a timing chart illustrating a practical example of the first type of reading operation described before in connection with Fig. 2A. In this case, the scanning is conducted in a non-interlaced manner without using the pulses R2. The photo-sensor need not be of non-destructive type. As the first step, the pulse V1 and the pulse FE for field selection are set high to enable the vertical scanning circuit 2 to output scanning pulses, thereby to turn on the transistors Q e and Q r1 corresponding to the beginning scanning lines a and a+1 of the image portion 102 to be zoomed out. The transistors Q r2 are not turned on because in this case the pulses R2 are not used. Subsequently, the pulses T1 and VC are set high so as to turn on the transistors Q t1 and Q vc , thereby clearing the vertical lines VL and the temporary storage capacitors C₁. Then, the transistors Q vc are turned off, and the pulse R1 is set high, thereby driving the rows of photo-sensors constituting the pixels of the horizontal scanning line a . In consequence, signals on the photo-sensors or pixels on the scanning line a are read and stored in the capacitors C₁ through the transistors Q t1 . Subsequently, the transistors Q t1 are turned off, while the transistors Q vc are turned on so as to ground the vertical lines VL. Then, the pulse R1 is set high high so as to reset the photo-sensors of the scanning line a . Then, the signals corresponding to the scanning line a stored in the capacitors C₁ are scanned by the horizontal scanning circuit 3 and are sequentially shifted to the signal line S1 through the transistors Q s1 . The shifting of the signals is conducted in such a manner that, as explained before in connection with Fig. 9C, the signals from the unnecessary portions of the image are shifted at a high speed in the periods t₂₁ and t₂₃ within the horizontal blanking periods, whereas the signals corresponding to the image portion 102 to be zoomed out are shifted in the horizontal effective period t₂₂. The field selection pulse FE falls and, instead, the field selection pulse FO rises, when the shifting of all the signals from the scanning line a is finished. As a result, the transistors Q o are turned on so that the transistor Q r1 corresponding to the scanning line a+1 is turned on. In this case, therefore, the clearing of the capacitors C₁, reading of signals and the resetting of the photo-sensors are conducted in connection with the scanning line a+1 . In the period of the horizontal shift of the signals from the scanning line a+1 , the pulses V1 and V2 are set low and high, respectively, so that the vertical scanning circuit 2 shifts the position of output of the scanning pulse to the next stage and outputs the scanning pulse for the next stage when the next pulse V1 is set high. Thus, the scanning is executed in non-interlaced manner so that the signals from the scanning lines a , a+1 , a+2 ,... are sequentially read for the even number field, while the same lines a+1 , a+2 ,... are read once again for the even number field. Fig. 5 is a timing chart illustrating another practical example of the first type of operation explained before in connection with Fig. 2A. In this case, the field selection pulse FE is maintained at high level so that only the transistors Q e are turned on, and the non-interlaced scanning is executed only by means of the pulses R1 and R2. As the first step, the pulse V1 is set high so that the transistors Q r1 and Q r2 corresponding to the scanning lines a and a+1 are turned on. As in the case of the operation explained in connection with Fig. 4, the capacitors C₁ are cleared and the signals from the photo-sensors on the scanning line a are read in accordance with the pulse R1. The photo-sensors are then reset after the read signals are stored in the capacitors C₁. After the capacitors C₁ are cleared, the same operation is conducted for the scanning line a+1 in accordance with the pulse R2. The described operation is repeated to complete the first type of reading operation explained before. By conducting the scanning in a non-interlaced manner as described, it is possible to avoid any degradation of the vertical resolution of the display image even when the reading and display are conducted in a zoom-out mode. Fig. 6 is a timing chart illustrating a practical example of the second type of operation explained before in connection with Fig. 2B. This operation relies upon non-destructive reading of signals from the photo-sensors. In addition, the pulses FE and FO are inverted for each field. As the first step, the pulse FE is set high so as to turn the transistors Q e on. Then, the pulse V1 is set high so that the transistor Q r1 corresponding to the scanning line a is turned on. Then, as in the case of the operation explained in connection with Figs. 4 and 5, the capacitors C₁ are cleared and the signals on the photo-sensors of the scanning line a are read in a non-destructive manner and stored in the capacitors C₁. The photo-sensors are not reset because the signals carried by these sensors are read again in the next horizontal scanning period. Then, the horizontal scanning is conducted by the horizontal scanning circuit 3 in the same manner as in the reading operations described before. Then, the capacitors C₁ are cleared in the next horizontal blanking period and the signals are read again from the photo-sensors of the scanning line a in accordance with the pulse R1. The thus read signals are stored in the capacitors C₁ and then the photo-sensors are reset. In consequence, the signals ( a ) read from the same scanning line a are scanned. Subsequently, the output position of the vertical scanning circuit 2 is shifted by one stage, and the operation described hereinbefore is conducted for the scanning line a+2 , so that signals a+2 , ( a+2 ). This operation is repeated for other scanning lines to be included in the odd-number field. Then, the field selection pulses FE and FO are inverted to enable the signals to be sequentially read from the scanning lines corresponding to the even-number field, whereby signals are obtained as a+1 , ( a+1 ), a+3, ( a+3 ), ... as explained before in connection with Fig. 2B. In this case, the same pixels can be scanned twice by virtue of the non-destructive reading function of the photo-sensors. Therefore, the reduction in the vertical resolution zooming out of the image can be compensated for without requiring any specific additional signal processing circuit, although a level correcting operation is needed. In consequence, the construction of the circuit, as well as the signal processing operation, can be remarkably simplified. The third type of reading operation described before in connection with Fig. 2D will need no illustration because in this type of operation, the double-line reading system is applied to the second type of operation explained above. Fig. 7 is a timing chart illustrating a practical example of the fourth type of operation described above. This operation is suitable for a color imaging apparatus which has a mosaic color filter provided on an imaging device having photo-sensors arranged in the manner shown in Fig. 1. As the first step, pulses V1 and EF are set high, while the pulse EO is set low, thereby turning on the transistors Q r1 and Q r2 corresponding to the scanning lines a and a+1 . Subsequently, the pulses VC, T1 and T2 are set high, so as to turn on the transistors Q vc , Q t1 and Q t2 , thereby clearing the vertical lines VL, capacitors C₁ and the capacitors C₂. Then, the transistors Q vc and Q t2 are turned off and the signals on the photo-sensors of the scanning line a are read in a non-destructive manner in accordance with the pulse R1 and are stored in the capacitors C₁. Thereafter, only the transistors Q vc are turned on so as to clear the vertical lines VL. Simultaneously, the photo-sensors of the scanning line a are reset by the pulse R1. Then, only the transistors Q t2 are turned on so that the signals are read in a non-destructive manner from the photo-sensors of the scanning line a+1 in accordance with the pulse R2 and are stored in the capacitors C₂. The thus stored signals derived from the photo-sensors of the scanning lines a and a+1 are simultaneously shifted by the horizontal scanning circuit 3. The shifting is conducted in the manner described before in connection with Fig. 9C. In next horizontal scanning period, the pulses FE and FO are inverted so that the transistors Q o are turned on with the result that all the transistors Q r2 and Q r1 having gate electrodes connected to the transistors Q o are turned on, whereby the scanning lines a+1 and a+2 are selected. The capacitors C₁ and C₂ are cleared in this state and then the transistors Q t1 are turned on, so that the signals on the photo-sensors of the scanning line a+1 are read once again in accordance with the pulse R1 and the thus read signals are stored in the capacitors C₁. Thereafter, the vertical lines VL are cleared and, simultaneously, the photo-sensors of the scanning line a+1 are reset. Then, the transistors Q t2 are turned on so that the signals on the photo-sensors of the scanning line a+2 are read in a non-destructive manner in accordance with the pulse R2. The thus read signals are stored in the capacitors C₂. Thus, signals (a+1) and a+2 derived from the scanning lines a+1 and a+2 , stored in the capacitors C₁ and C₂, are scanned by the horizontal scanning circuit 3 and are sequentially output through the signal lines S1 and S2. The described operation is then repeated so that signals ( a+2 ), a+3 ; ... are successively read. Similarly, the signals are read as ( a+1 ), a+2 ; (a+2) , a+3 ;..., for the even number field, thus completing the fourth type of operation. It is thus easy to zoom out the desired portion of an image on an imaging device even when a multiple-line reading mode is adopted, without requiring any complicated signal processing operation. In addition, interpolation signals for interpolating the signals to be obtained from preceding and succeeding pixel lines can easily be formed by virtue of the non-destructive reading operation, whereby degradation in the vertical resolution can be avoided. The operation of the apparatus in ordinary reading mode, i.e., when zooming is not conducted, will be understood from Figs. 8A and 8B, which are illustrations of vertical scanning and horizontal scanning of this mode of operation. As will be understood from the foregoing description, in the imaging apparatus of the present invention, horizontal lines of pixels are scanned a plurality of times so that the reduction in the number of scanning lines caused by the zooming out of a specific portion of an image is compensated for, thereby ensuring a high quality of the display image when this portion of image is zoomed out and displayed. In addition, this remarkable effect is attained without the need for any specific additional means such as memory means and delaying means which are required, in the known imaging apparatus of the kind described, thus simplifying the circuit construction and signal processing operation.

Claims: A method for operating an imaging apparatus comprising a plurality of pixels (1) arranged in lines and columns, and control means (5) for selectively switching the reading operation mode between a first mode, in which signals on said pixels are sequentially read in a first sequence and at a first speed, and a second mode, in which signals on a selected portion of the area of said pixels are sequentially read in a second sequence different from said first sequence and at a second speed different from said first speed, characterized in that pairs of adjacent lines are successively read in vertical direction in each field, wherein said pairs of adjacent lines read from an odd-number field and from an even-number field respectively overlap with each other in one line. An imaging apparatus comprising a plurality of pixels (1) arranged in lines and columns, and control means (5) for selectively switching the reading operation mode between a first mode, in which signals on said pixels are sequentially read in a first sequence and at a first speed, and a second mode, in which signals on a selected portion of the area of said pixels are sequentially read in a second sequence different from said first sequence and at a second speed different from said first speed, characterized by means by which pairs of adjacent lines are successively read in vertical direction in each field, wherein said pairs of adjacent lines read from an odd-number field and from an even-number field respectively overlap with each other in one line. A method according to claim 1 or an apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said second speed is higher than said first speed. A method according to claim 1 or an apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said first sequence is a sequence for sequentially reading signals on every other horizontal lines of pixels. A method according to claim 1 or an apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said second sequence is a sequence for sequentially reading signals on successive horizontal lines of pixels in a line-by-line fashion. A method according to claim 1 or an apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said second sequence is a sequence in which signals on one horizontal line of pixels are read a plurality of times and then the signals on a next succeeding horizontal line of pixels are read. A method according to claim 1 or an apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said first sequence is a sequence in which signals are simultaneously read from pixels of a group of horizontal lines of pixels and then signals are simultaneously read from pixels of a next group of horizontal lines of pixels, thus conducting simultaneous reading of signals from each of successive groups of horizontal lines of pixels. A method according to claim 1 or an apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said second sequence is a sequence in which signals are simultaneously read from a group of horizontal lines of pixels a plurality of times and then signals are simultaneously read from pixels of a next group of horizontal lines of pixels a plurality of times, thus conducting simultaneous reading of signals repeatedly from each of successive groups of horizontal lines of pixels. A method according to claim 1 or an apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said second sequence is a sequence in which signals are simultaneously read from pixels of a first group of horizontal lines of pixels and then signals are simultaneously read from pixels of a next group of horizontal lines of pixels, said next group of horizontal lines of pixels including at least one horizontal line belonging to said first group of horizontal lines, thus conducting simultaneous reading of signals from each of successive groups of horizontal lines of pixels.

Inventors: HARADA, TADANORI, HASHIMOTO, SEIJI
Applicants: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1988
Main classification: H04N3
IPC codes: H04N5, H04N3