Patent ID: 7474344

Claim:
A method for controlling an image pickup device of the type that converts an incident light image to electric charges that are stored, said method comprising the steps of: receiving a trigger pulse from a source externally of said image pickup device, said trigger pulse having a leading edge and a trailing edge; providing a horizontal synchronizing signal having a blanking period; generating shutter pulses synchronized with and occurring during the blanking period of said horizontal synchronizing signal for sweeping said stored electric charges; generating a read-out pulse subsequent to the trailing edge of said trigger pulse and during the blanking period of the horizontal synchronizing signal for reading out an image pickup signal based on said stored electric charges; generating an inhibit signal to inhibit said shutter pulses for an interval extending from the leading edge of said trigger pulse to the horizontal synchronizing signal that occurs immediately after said read-out pulse; inhibiting said shutter pulses for said interval; and reading out said image pickup signal synchronously with said horizontal synchronizing signal in response to said read-out pulse.