Television – Camera – system and detail – Solid-state image sensor
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-30
2002-11-12
Vu, Ngoc-Yen (Department: 2612)
Television
Camera, system and detail
Solid-state image sensor
C348S297000, C348S301000, C250S208100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06480227
ABSTRACT:
This application claims the benefit of Application No. 09-098236, filed in Japan on Mar. 31, 1997, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid-state imaging device and, in particular, to an apparatus that can be used for industrial robots or a variety of inspection devices. By employing functions that conduct the operation of summing the product of image signals from the imaging unit of a solid-state imaging device, it is possible to capture an image from the imaged data of a subject as well as output the image data after processing, without using a high-performance processor and without imposing an excessive burden on secondary processors due to the image processing.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Currently, image processing devices used for industrial robots and various inspection devices have been designed such that image capturing of the object to be measured is implemented using a solid-state imaging device, such as a CCD. The captured image signal or data is sent to a high-performance processor that sequentially conducts various operations on the imaged data. The solid-state imaging device is generally only for capturing the image, and normally the captured data from the solid-state imaging device is processed by secondary processing devices.
Unfortunately, the number of picture elements of a solid-state imaging device ranges from the tens of thousands to several hundred thousand, and may even reach several million picture elements/frame. Therefore, the amount of image data obtained from the picture elements is enormous. Thus, in order to conduct processing for this enormous amount of image data in real time, it is necessary to have extremely high capacity processing. Also, it is necessary to substantially increase the transmission speed of the data between the CCD, memory, and the processor as well as increasing the processing speed of the processor. A drawback has been of overly burdening of the systems. Most notably the processor was over-burdened. As a result of trying to address these drawbacks, the size of the apparatus was increased, which also increased the costs to produce it.
One method employed to solve the attendant drawbacks is to use two processors, rather than one, to conduct the processing of the image and other processing. One processor may be dedicated to image processing only. This is an effective method when the target object of the image processing is limited to the picture element under consideration and its periphery, such as for differential processing. However, when the entire image area is the target object, such as for a fast Fourier transformation (FFT), even designating a processor for image processing only results in inadequate performance. Additionally, there are many applications wherein it is difficult to avoid the imaging apparatus from becoming excessively large and expensive.
In recent years there have been attempts to integrate an arithmetic circuit for image processing into the solid-state imaging device. However, because of the multitude of devices being employed for operations in the picture element unit, as the size of the chip of the solid-state imaging device increases the aperture number decreases, resulting in deterioration in the image sensing performance.
The object of the present invention is to obviate one or more of the above problems of the solid-state imaging devices of the prior art and to implement product summing of the picture element unit of the solid-state imaging device with a simple circuit structure, and to conduct high-speed image capturing of the subject as well as processing without placing an excessive burden on the processors due to picture processing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a solid-state imaging device that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a solid-state imaging device with a simple apparatus structure that is capable of conducting all operations from image capturing to image processing.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a solid-state switching device capable of turning on only one of a plurality of readout lines simultaneously.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a solid-state imaging device that can conduct high-speed arithmetic processing.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a solid-state imaging device that can conduct high-speed arithmetic processing without an external processor.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of amplifying picture elements for converting and amplifying optical signals and outputting the optical signals, at least one readout line for reading out signals from a predetermined number of picture elements among the plurality of amplifying picture elements, and a plurality of switching devices connected between each output of the plurality of amplifying picture elements and the corresponding readout lines.
In another aspect, the solid-state imaging device includes solid-state imaging device includes multiple picture elements wherein each of the picture elements includes a photodetector that converts optical signals into an electrical charge and stores it, an amplifying device that amplifies the electrical charge signal that is stored by the photodetector, a transfer device that transfers the electrical charge signal that is stored by the photodetector to a control electrode of the amplifying device, and a resetting device that resets the electrical charge of the control electrode of the amplifying device, wherein the multiple picture elements are arranged in an orientation of rows and columns along two dimensions and conduct a signal readout as a current signal, multiple vertical readout lines provided on each of the columns in order to readout signals from the picture elements that are arranged on each corresponding column, multiple switching devices wherein each switching device corresponds to each of the picture elements and is connected between the output of the amplifying device of the picture element and the corresponding vertical readout line, a horizontal readout line that outputs the signal from the multiple vertical readout lines, and horizontal switching devices in correspondence to each of the vertical readout lines and supplies signals from each vertical readout line to the horizontal readout line. In still another aspect, the solid-state imaging device includes an exposure method, wherein the solid-state imaging device exposure method includes the steps of turning off the transfer devices of all of the picture elements during the designated exposure time and transferring the electrical charge of the photodetector devices to the control electrode of the amplifying devices by turning on the transfer devices of all the picture elements again, detecting signals with a designated frequency component by letting n be a positive integer and finding a first sum total by conducting a simultaneous read out of n-rows at a time, skipping every other n-rows, or n-columns at a time skipping every other n-columns, determining the second sum total by conducting a simultaneous read out of n-rows at a time skipping every other n-rows between the n-rows at a time that were read out, or n-columns at a time skipping every other n-columns between the n-columns at a time that were read out, and determining a differe
Morgan & Lewis & Bockius, LLP
Nikon Corporation
Vu Ngoc-Yen
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