Television – Camera – system and detail – With single image scanning device supplying plural color...
Reexamination Certificate
1997-10-14
2003-06-10
Moe, Aung S. (Department: 2612)
Television
Camera, system and detail
With single image scanning device supplying plural color...
C348S218100, C348S219100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06577341
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus which allows a color picture image to be obtained by using a single imaging device.
2. Description of Related Art
Hitherto, a single plate type imaging apparatus for imaging a color picture image by using a single imaging device has been used to image video and still picture images. While this imaging apparatus allows a picture image having a number of picture elements equal to a number of photo-receiving domains of the imaging device to be imaged, the resolution of the picture image drops when there is less number of photo-receiving domains in the imaging device. First and second prior art technologies related to imaging apparatuses for improving the resolution of the picture image will be explained below.
The first prior art imaging apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 7-99664 (1995). This imaging apparatus is provided with a color filter which transmits only predetermined three chromatic lights at the light incident side of the photo-receiving domains of the imaging device. In the color filter, only light-transmitting domains which transmit either one of the three colors are arrayed in a diced pattern.
In obtaining an output picture image by this imaging apparatus, the imaging apparatus sequentially shifts the spatial sampling position of the imaging device in the horizontal and vertical directions H and V by a length of a half of a pitch of picture elements so that the spatial sampling position returns to the original position by four fields. The imaging device images picture image light every time when the spatial sampling position is shifted. Then, the picture images obtained by these four times of imaging operations are combined to generate an output picture image composed of picture elements whose number is greater than that of the photo-receiving domains of the imaging device.
The second prior art electronic still camera is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication 6-225317 (1994).
FIG. 68
is a block diagram showing the electrical structure of the above-mentioned electronic still camera
1
. The electronic still camera
1
has a high definition mode for imaging a high quality picture image. In the high definition mode, a single output picture image signal is generated from four original picture image signals to obtain an output picture image composed of picture elements whose number is greater than a number of photo-receiving domains of an imaging device
4
.
When the mode is switched to the high definition mode, picture image light from an object is condensed to a desired state by an optical system
3
and is formed on an image forming plane of the imaging device
4
after passing through a color filter described later. The image forming plane is a two-dimensional plane on which a plurality of photo-receiving domains are arrayed in a matrix form. The color filter is disposed on the light incident side of the image forming plane and transmits only predetermined four chromatic lights. The position for forming the picture image light on the image forming plane is shifted sequentially to first through fourth different image forming positions by a so-called image shifting operation.
FIG. 69
is a diagram showing an array of light-transmitting domains
17
of the color filter
16
of the imaging device
4
. The color filter has the same number of light-transmitting domains
17
with the photo-receiving domains of the imaging device
4
. The array of the light-transmitting domains
17
is equivalent to the array of the photo-receiving domains and the light-transmitting domains
17
are arrayed in a matrix form with periods PH and PV along the horizontal and vertical directions H and V.
The light-transmitting domains
17
are divided into four kinds of domains each of which transmits only either one of chromatic lights of yellow, cyan, magenta and green. In
FIG. 69
, each rectangular domain surrounded by a solid line is the light-transmitting domain
17
. Symbols “Ye”, “Cy”, “Mg” and “G” written within the respective rectangular domains denote that color of the chromatic light which can transmit through the light-transmitting domain
17
is yellow, cyan, magenta or green. The array of colors of the light-transmting domains
17
of each chromatic light is a periodic array whose basic array pattern is the array of eight light-transmitting domains
17
in four rows and two columns surrounded by a two-dot chain line
21
.
FIG. 70
is a diagram showing the positional relationship of the aforementioned first through fourth image forming positions Qa through Qd. Based on the first position Qa, the second position Qb is the position shifted in the horizontal direction H from the first position Qa by a shift length PH. The third and fourth positions Qc and Qd are the positions shifted from the first position Qa in the same vertical direction V by a shift length PV/2, though in the opposite directions horizontally by a shift length PH/2.
Reference will be made again to FIG.
68
. The imaging device
4
receives the formed picture image light by each photo-receiving domain to image the picture image light only for a predetermined exposure time every time when the position for forming the picture image light is shifted to the above-mentioned respective four shift positions and outputs four original picture image signals to a preprocessor circuit
5
. This original picture image signal is composed of data of received light which corresponds to a quantity of light received by each photo-receiving domain. The preprocessor circuit
5
amplifies the original picture image signal given from the imaging device
4
and implements a necessary signal processing thereto. The processed signal is converted into a digital signal by an analog/digital converter circuit (abbreviated as an “A/D circuit” in the figures)
6
and is then stored in a picture image memory
7
.
A signal processing circuit
8
shifts the original picture image represented by the original picture image signals thus obtained in the direction opposite from the shift direction of each of the image forming positions Qa through Qd by the same shift length to superimpose and composite them. Then, based on the received light data of this composite picture image, it generates a luminance signal and a color difference signal of a single output picture image. The generated luminance signal and the color difference signal are recorded in a recording medium
9
.
FIG. 71
is a diagram showing an array of picture elements in a part composed of parts corresponding to the aforementioned basic array pattern of each original picture image in the above-mentioned composite picture image. In the figure, rectangular domains indicated by a solid line represent actual picture elements from which components of the luminance signal and the color difference signal of the output picture image may be obtained directly in unit of picture element. Rectangular domains indicated by a broken line represent imaginary picture elements which are obtained by interpolating the luminance signal and the color difference signal from the luminance signal and the color difference signal of the actual picture elements. The actual picture elements marked with “Fa” correspond directly only to received light data from the photo- receiving domains which receive the light which has passed through the yellow and cyan light-transmitting domains
17
. The actual picture elements marked with “Fb” correspond directly only to received light data from the photo-receiving domains which receive the light which has passed through the green and magenta light-transmitting domains.
In the composite picture image, the actual picture elements which correspond to the yellow and cyan received light data and the actual picture elements which correspond to the green and magenta received light data are arrayed alternately per two rows each. The actual picture elements and the imaginary picture elements adjoin in the horizontal and vertical direc
Harada Toshiaki
Iwaki Tetsuo
Okuda Tohru
Yamada Eiji
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Moe Aung S.
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
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