Patent ID: 8264563

Claim:
Image pick-up apparatus for generating an output image signal of variable frame rate to which an output image signal of another image pick-up device can be synchronized, said other image pick-up device being of the type to generate an output image signal whose frame rate is adjustable, said image pick-up apparatus comprising: an image pick-up signal generator for generating a picked up image signal of a pick-up frame-rate that is controllable; drive-and-control means for driving and controlling the image pick-up signal generator and for setting the pick-up frame rate of the picked up image signal generated by the image pick-up signal generator to a frame rate within a predetermined range; frame rate information generation means for generating frame rate information associated with said frame rate set by said drive-and-control means; frame rate varying means for changing the number of frames per unit time in the picked up image signal to vary the frame rate of said picked up image signal as a function of said frame rate information, thereby producing a frame-varied image signal; and output means for outputting the frame-varied image signal and for outputting said frame rate information.