Patent ID: 7619195

Claim:
An image signal processor for processing an image signal generated by an imaging device, the image signal comprising a plurality of pixel signals and the imaging device including a light receiving surface that is divided into a plurality of pixel blocks with each pixel block being divided into a first area, a second area, a third area, and a fourth area with each area being one of an upper left quadrant, an upper right quadrant, a lower right quadrant, and a lower left quadrant of each pixel block and including at least one pixel that generates one of the pixel signals according to a received light amount, the image signal processor comprising: a signal receiver that receives the pixel signal generated by each pixel of the first area of each pixel block during a first frame period, receives the pixel signal generated by each pixel of the second area of each pixel block during a second frame period consecutive to the first frame period, receives the pixel signal generated by each pixel of the third area of each pixel block during a third frame period consecutive to the second frame period, and receives the pixel signal generated by each pixel of the fourth area of each pixel block during a fourth frame period consecutive to the third frame period; and a signal adder that adds corresponding signal components of the pixel signals received by the signal receiver and generated by the pixels of the first, second, third, and fourth areas during the first, second, third, and fourth frame periods respectively.