JPH01106675A - Mos type solid-stage image pickup element - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain an n-fold magnifying image pickup by composing an imager part in arranging, in a horizontal scanning direction, plural picture cells composed of an LED and an MOSFET arranged in a subscanning direction and supplying subscanning pulses to the picture cells for 1/n stages. CONSTITUTION:In an imager part 4, picture cells 3 four times as many as a valid scanning line for 1 field are arranged in a vertical scanning direction corresponding to a horizontal scanning line and the cell strings are arranged in the horizontal scanning direction. The cell 3 is composed of an LED 1 and an MOSFET 2 and the photoelectric converting output of the LED 1 is removed from the MOSFET 2 by a vertical scanning pulse PV supplied from a vertical driving circuit 5. In such a constitution, the pulse PV is supplied to the cells 3 in a prescribed stage by a magnification designating signal S from a terminal 9. Namely, at the time of a twofold magnification, the pulse PV is supplied to the cells 3 of the adjoining two stages in a vertical direction and a charge obtained at the cells 3 of the two stages is made into the portion of 1 scanning line and swept in a batch. In such a way, the magnifying image can be obtained without lowering a vertical resolution.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

(Industrial Field of Application) The present invention relates to a MOS type solid-state sensor, and particularly to one in which the device itself has a zoom function. (Prior Art) Recent video cameras are equipped with a zoom function that allows the size of a subject image to be varied while the camera is in the room. Traditionally, such zoom functions have been realized by moving the zoom lens of the optical system of the video camera in the optical axis direction, or by controlling the reading of video signals from the frame memory built into the video camera. ing. (Problems to be solved by the invention) By the way, in the conventional example described above, in which zooming is performed by moving the zoom lens in the optical axis direction, a zoom lens and a mechanism for driving the zoom lens are required, so it is lightweight. This becomes a factor that hinders miniaturization, miniaturization, and cost reduction. On the other hand, cameras that use frame memory for zooming are unsuitable for vertical type video cameras because the power consumption of this frame memory is large, and A/D (analog digital) converters, etc. Because it is necessary, it becomes expensive. (Means for solving the problems) The present invention has been developed in view of the above-mentioned circumstances.

[The object of the present invention is to provide a MOS type solid-state image carrier having a zoom function in the element itself. In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides scanning lines (
A row of picture cells 3 each consisting of a plurality of photodiodes 1 and MOS transistors 2 arranged in the sub-scanning direction (generally the vertical scanning direction) corresponding to the LINE (line) is sequentially arranged in the main scanning direction (generally the horizontal scanning direction). a sub-scanning drive circuit 5 that outputs a sub-scanning pulse Pv for driving the MOS transistor 2;
A decoder 6 supplies the sub-scanning pulse Pv to the picture cell 3 at a predetermined stage in the sub-scanning direction in accordance with the H image magnification, and converts the charge taken out from the picture cell 3 at the predetermined stage to 1
It is equipped with a sweeping transistor 7 that sequentially outputs an output in each main scanning period, and a main scanning drive circuit 8 that outputs a main scanning pulse PH to drive this sweeping transistor 7, and converts the R image light from the subject into each photo. The charge obtained by photoelectric conversion in the diode 1 is applied to a predetermined stage of MOS transistor 2 driven by the sub-scanning pulse Pv supplied via the decoder 6 and the main scanning pulse PH (for sweeping It is a MOS type solid-state image carrier that is taken out via a transistor 7, and the number of picture cells arranged in the sub-scanning direction is 2n of the scanning line.
(n is an integer of 2 or more), and 2n of these picture hills 3 are made to correspond to each scanning line. During normal imaging, the sub-scanning pulse pv is applied in the sub-scanning direction corresponding to each scanning line. The charges obtained from the 2n-stage picture cells 3 are collectively swept out as charges for each scanning line. The scanning pulse pv is applied to consecutive 1 of the picture cells 3 arranged in the 01 scanning direction,
/N stage bikuchi t? By supplying each cell, each charge obtained from these 1/n-stage picture cells 3 is collected for each b of two stages of picture cells 3 adjacent in the sub-scanning direction, and is directly converted into a charge for each scanning line. The object of the present invention is to provide a MOS type solid-state dynamic image element characterized in that it is made to sweep out. (Function) According to the solid-state image pickup device having the above-described configuration, the size of the image can be increased without reducing the vertical resolution by controlling the discharge of the charge applied to the photodiode 1 of each picture cell 3. It is possible to make a variable string. Furthermore, since it is a MOS type solid state image element, the charge transfer time can be extremely shortened compared to COD and the like. (Embodiment) A preferred embodiment of the MOS solid-state image sensor according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. As shown in FIG. 1, the MOS solid-state image sensor according to this embodiment includes an imager section 4, a vertical drive circuit (sub-scanning direction drive circuit) 5, a decoder 6, and a horizontal drive circuit (main-scanning direction drive circuit) 8. It is configured with. As shown in FIG. 1, in the imager section 4, four times as many (984) picture cells 3 as the effective scanning lines for one field are arranged in the vertical scanning direction corresponding to each Hoya scanning line. These picture building rows that are continuous in the vertical scanning direction (sub-scanning direction) are sequentially arranged in the horizontal scanning direction (main-scanning direction). Then, these picture cells 3 have a bottom as shown in FIG.
It is composed of a T-diode 1 and an HO3 transistor 2, and each photodiode 1 is
The charges obtained by photoelectric conversion are extracted from the HO3 transistor 2 by a vertical scanning pulse (n1 scanning pulse) pv supplied from the vertical drive circuit 5 via the decoder 6. Further, each picture cell 3 has white (W) and cyan (Cy) as shown in FIG. Green (G), yellow (Ye) color filters are provided, and white and cyan color filters are provided alternately in the horizontal scanning direction in the odd-numbered picture cells 3, and similarly, in the even-numbered picture cells 3, white and cyan color filters are provided alternately in the horizontal scanning direction. In the picture cell 3, green and yellow color filters are provided alternately in the horizontal scanning direction. Then, based on the charges obtained from the photodiodes 1 of the picture cells 3 corresponding to these color filters, R= ((W-G)-(Cy-Ye))/2B=
As shown by the formula ((W-G), + (Cy-Ye))/2, a red (R) signal and a blue (B) signal can be obtained for each scanning line. On the other hand, the decoder 6 applies the vertical scanning pulse Pv supplied from the vertical drive circuit 5 to the picture cells 3 of a predetermined stage according to the imaging magnification based on the magnification designation signal S supplied via the input terminal 9'. It is distributed and supplied to That is, during normal imaging, the vertical scanning pulse Pv is supplied to each of four vertically adjacent picture cells, and the charges obtained in the four picture cells 3 are collectively swept as charges for one scanning line. Let it come out. As a result, during normal imaging, each picture cell 3 corresponds to four stages that are vertically connected to each scanning line (LINE), as shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, it can be obtained by adding the sum of the odd-numbered rows and the sum of the even-numbered rows of the four rows of picture cells 3. For example, the W component of the n+2-th scanning line in the F2 formula can be obtained as the sum of W (n+2)-1 and W (n+2)-2, and the Cy acid component Cy (n+2)-1 and CV
It can be obtained as (n+2)-2. On the other hand, during double enlarged imaging, the vertical scanning pulse pv is supplied to every two vertically adjacent picture cells 3, and the charges obtained in these two stages of picture cells 3 are used for one scan. The electric charge of the line segment is removed all at once. As a result, during double-enlargement imaging, each picture cell 3 corresponds to two stages that are continuous in the vertical scanning direction with respect to each scanning line, as shown in FIG. It can be obtained by adding the adjacent ones above and below as shown in the figure. The charges of each scanning line thus obtained are taken out from the output terminal 10 one horizontal scanning line at a time by sequentially driving the sweeping transistor 7 with a horizontal scanning pulse PH. Note that the horizontal scanning pulse PH causes the sweeping transistor 7 arranged in the horizontal direction to move during one horizontal scanning period (63, 5
1 peso drive] within 1 μsec). When performing normal photography using the MOS type solid-state image sensor configured as described above, that is, when performing photography at a magnification of 1x, the entire effective pixel area A1 of the imager section 2 is captured as shown in FIG. The signals @charges (W+Cy, G+Ye) for each scanning line are obtained using the charges obtained from . In this case, as shown in FIG. 3(A), four rows of picture cells 3 are associated with each scanning line, and the charges swept out from the picture cells 3 are divided into the same color as shown in FIG. Those provided with color filters, that is, odd-numbered stages or even-numbered stages, are added together, and the added charges (for example, (Wn-1+Wn-2), (Cy
n-1+Cyn-2)) is roughly added and output from the sweep transistor 7. As a result, even though each scanning line is associated with four stages of picture cells 3, the number of signal charges (W+CV, G+YO) required for one field of video signals can be obtained. On the other hand, as shown in FIG.
Signal charges (W0Cy, G0Ye) for each scanning line are obtained using charges obtained from each half area Δ2 in the horizontal scanning direction and vertical scanning direction in the effective pixel area A2 of image 1/part 2. . In this case, as shown in FIG. 3(B), two stages of picture cells 3 are made to correspond to each scanning line (charges swept out from these picture cells 3 are outputted from the above-mentioned sweeping transistor 7). In addition, in this case, for the periods Vt+ and vt3 in FIG. On the other hand, during the period vt2 in the figure, 11t1 and [
The charges J+i discharged from the picture cell 3 corresponding to the period 1t3 are similarly discarded, and the charges discharged from the photoelectric conversion element corresponding to the period Ht2 are outputted from the transistor 7 for outputting N. As mentioned above, the MOS type solid state CQ element according to this embodiment has four picture hills 3 per column as many as the number of scanning lines, and four stages of picture hills 3 for each scanning line during normal imaging. In addition to obtaining a signal charge for each scanning line that is required to avoid correspondence, in the case of a double magnification image, two stages of pitch 12 cells 3 are provided for each scanning line. ] Since the charges are made to be i, r, and 7, the signal charges of all the necessary scanning lines can be reduced to 1 in any ratio image. Further, even during double magnification image transport, since two stages of photoelectric conversion elements correspond to each scanning line, the vertical resolution does not deteriorate. In the above embodiment, the case where the magnification is 2 times has been explained, but it is natural that the above-mentioned effect can be obtained even if the magnification is higher than that, for example, 4 (n=4 ) to increase the magnification by 4
At the time of double-enlarged imaging, it is sufficient to correspond to eight (2×4·) rows of picture cells for each scanning line. (Effects of the Invention) As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, normal imaging and enlarged imaging can be realized without deteriorating the vertical resolution. According to the present invention, the image can be enlarged (zoomed) as described above simply by controlling the generation of electric charges in the MOS type solid-state decoy image element, and a zoom lens, frame memory, etc. are not required. Devices such as cameras can be downsized, integrated, and consume less power, and the time required for zooming can be significantly shortened. Furthermore, if the solid-state image carrier according to the present invention is applied to a video camera equipped with a zoom lens, a larger magnification of 1'' can be achieved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing an embodiment of a MOS type solid image carrier according to the present invention, and FIG.
A diagram showing the configuration of a picture cell of an image element, FIG. 3 is a MOS
1 schematically shows the arrangement of color filters in a type solid-state image sensor.
3(A) is a diagram showing normal imaging, FIG. 3(B) is a diagram showing 2 times enlarged imaging, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing normal imaging.
Figure 5 is a diagram schematically showing the output during 2x magnification imaging, and Figure 6 is the imager section used during normal image transport and 2x magnification imaging. FIG. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Photodiode, 2... HO3 transistor, 3... Picture cell, 4... Imager part, 5
... Sub-scanning drive circuit (vertical drive circuit), 6... Decoder, 7... Sweeping transistor, 8... Main-scanning direction drive circuit (horizontal drive circuit). , Figure 3 (F3)

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] An imager section comprising a row of picture cells each consisting of a plurality of photodiodes and MOS transistors arranged in the sub-scanning direction corresponding to a scanning line and arranged in sequence in the main-scanning direction; and the MOS transistors. a sub-scanning drive circuit that outputs sub-scanning pulses for driving the sub-scanning pulses; a decoder that supplies the sub-scanning pulses to picture cells in a predetermined stage in the sub-scanning direction according to the imaging magnification; and picture cells in the predetermined stage. It is equipped with a sweeping transistor that sequentially outputs the charge taken out from the camera every main scanning period, and a main scanning drive circuit that outputs a main scanning pulse to drive the sweeping transistor, and a main scanning drive circuit that outputs a main scanning pulse to drive the sweeping transistor. The charges obtained by photoelectric conversion by the photodiode are transferred through a predetermined stage of MOS transistors driven by the sub-scanning pulses supplied via the decoder and a sweeping transistor driven by the main-scanning pulses. The number of picture cells arranged in the sub-scanning direction of the MOS solid-state image sensor to be taken out is 2n of the scanning line.
(n is an integer of 2 or more), and 2n of these picture cells are made to correspond to each scanning line. During normal imaging, the above-mentioned sub-scanning pulses are applied to each scanning line adjacent to each other in the sub-scanning direction. The charges obtained from the 2n picture cells are collectively swept out as charges for each scanning line, and when imaging is enlarged by n times, the surface scanning pulse is applied in the sub-scanning direction. By supplying each charge to each successive 1/n stage of picture cells among the picture cells arranged in the 1/n stage, each charge obtained from these 1/n stage picture cells is applied to two adjacent stage picture cells in the sub-scanning direction. 1. A MOS type solid-state imaging device characterized in that the charges are collected for each scanning line and are swept out as they are.