Motion video signal processing for recording or reproducing – Local trick play processing – With randomly accessible medium
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-24
2001-07-10
Nguyen, Huy (Department: 2615)
Motion video signal processing for recording or reproducing
Local trick play processing
With randomly accessible medium
C386S349000, C358S906000, C358S909100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06259857
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND ART OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to imaging apparatus and method that are capable of providing smooth imaging when playing images back in slow playback mode.
2. Description of the Related Art
In current video cameras, a solid-state imaging section (CCD image sensor) that is formed by a plurality of solid-state imaging elements, is used as an imaging means that is smaller and lighter than an imaging tube and which can be produced at a low cost. The construction of a general type of CCD image sensor is shown in FIG.
1
A.
FIG. 1A
shows a video camera
70
of the past, which has a CCD image sensor
71
, which performs imaging of the subject that is shown in the drawing, a correlated double sampling/automatic gain controller (CDS/AGC)
72
, which eliminates noise components from the signal from the CCD image sensor
71
, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC)
73
, which converts the video signal from the CDS/AGC
72
to a digital signal, and a digital signal processor (DSP)
74
, which converts the output from the ADC
73
.
The video camera
70
further has a memory
77
for temporary storage of a video signal from the DSP
74
, a video tape recorder (VTR)
76
, which records onto and plays back from a video tape a video signal from the DSP
74
, and a memory controller (FMC)
75
, which performs control of readout from the memory
77
.
In the video camera
70
, the video signal from the CCD image sensor
71
is read out, via the CDS/AGC
72
, ADC
73
, DSP
74
, and FMC
75
, for each first field and second field, this video signal being recorded by the VTR
76
.
That is, in the CCD image sensor
71
, electrical charges of the photoelectric conversion element are read out one at a time within one field period, and the images of the first field and the second field are synthesized therefrom, thereby forming the single frame image, as shown in
FIG. 1B
, this being recorded onto a video tape via the VTR
76
.
In order to play back an image that is recorded onto the video tape, in addition to supplying the output from the VTR
76
to the memory controller FMC
75
, as shown in
FIGS. 1C and 1D
, while storing this output in the memory
77
, it is output, via an output terminal
78
, to an external monitoring device, such as an electronic viewfinder, a compact LCD monitor, or a TV receiver.
In the particular case of video cameras of the past, when playing the images recorded on a video tape in slow playback mode, for example, at {fraction (1/10)} the normal speed, by playing back the first field image 10 times, and then playing back the second field image 10 times, or by repeating the image of one frame 10 times, or the like, the image of one frame was repeated over a period of 10 frames.
With the above-noted video camera of the past, however, as described above, because slow playback is achieved by displaying one and the same image over a plurality of field periods, it was difficult to improve the dynamic image resolution during slow playback.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention was made in consideration of the above-noted problems with the related art, and has as an object the provision of an imaging apparatus that provides smooth images when playing back in slow playback mode, and improves the image quality.
To achieve the above-noted object, there is provided an imaging apparatus that has: a solid-state imaging section having a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements that convert input light to an electrical charge; a recording section, which reads out an electrical charge from the photoelectric conversion elements n (where n is an integer 2 or greater) times within 1 field period, and which records n images as a video signal for 1 field; and a playback/display section, which reads out a video signal of 1 field, which includes n images, re-orders the n images in time sequence, and repeats m (where m is an integer 1 or greater) times the display, during a period of 1 field, of each of the n images, so as to achieve slow playback at a playback speed of 1/(n×m).
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, when the recording section records n images as the video signal for 1 field, the value of n is recorded as an identification signal along with the video signal, the playback/display section reading out not only the 1 field video signal but also this identification signal, so as to perform 1/(n×m) speed slow playback.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the identification signal includes information with regard to display position of each of the n images, and the playback/display section first reads out the video signal of 1 field and stores it temporarily in memory, the n images being read out in time sequence, in accordance with the display position information.
In yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the value of m is input by an operator.
To achieve the above-noted object, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provide an imaging method comprising the steps of: reading out an electrical charge from a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements which convert input light to the electrical charge, n (where n is an integer 2 or greater) times within 1 field period, and recording n images as a video signal for 1 field; and reading out a video signal of 1 field, which includes n images, re-ordering the n images in time sequence, and repeating m (where m is an integer 1 or greater) times the display, during a period of 1 field, of each of the n images, so as to achieve slow playback at a playback speed of 1/(n×m).
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at the step of recording n images as the video signal for 1 field, an identification signal that indicates the value of n is also recorded, and at the step of reading out the video signal of 1 field, not only the video signal for 1 field, but also the identification signal is read out, thereby performing slow playback at a speed of 1/(n×m), based on the identification signal.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the identification signal includes information with regard to the display position of each of the n images, and the video signal for 1 field is read out to be temporarily stored into a memory, and then the video signal in the memory is read out in accordance with the information with regard to the display position to re-order the n images in time sequence.
In yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the value of m is input by an operator.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5031051 (1991-07-01), Kim
patent: 5390028 (1995-02-01), Kobayashi et al.
patent: 5930447 (1999-07-01), Shitani
patent: 6137948 (2000-10-01), Moon et al.
Aso Michihiro
Miyahara Hiroyuki
Berkowitz Marvin C.
Nath Gary M.
Nath & Associates PLLC
Nguyen Huy
Victor Company of Japan , Limited
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