Solid-state image sensing apparatus with a relative positional light shift
View Patent ↗Light from an object is incident to an image sensing device and converted into an image signal. The image sensing device is exposed to the light by a shutter, provided between the object and the solid-state image sensing device, for a first exposure period and a second exposure period that directly follows the first exposure period. The first and the second periods are the same length in time. Each exposure period for exposing the solid-state image sensing device to the light corresponds to one frame or one filed of the object. A passage of the light that has passed the shutter and incident to the solid-state image sensing device is shifted in a predetermined direction with respect to the solid-state image sensing device at least in the second exposure period. Image signals converted for the first and the second exposure periods are combined to generate a composite image signal.
1. An image sensing apparatus comprising:
a solid-state image sensing device having an electronic shutter to convert light from an object into an image signal;
a mechanical shutter, provided between the object and the solid-state image sensing device, to expose the solid-state image sensing device to the light for a first exposure period and a second exposure period that directly follows the first exposure period, the first and the second periods being the same length in time;
a shift mechanism to change a relative positional relationship between a passage of the light that has passed the mechanical shutter and incident to the solid-state image sensing device and the solid-state image sensing device for a period from a moment in the first exposure period to another moment in the second exposure period, the shift mechanism including an optical low-pass filter that rotates between two predetermined positions to change the relative positional relationship, wherein the optical low-pass filter starts to rotate at a moment within the first exposure period and stops at another moment within the second exposure period, a period for which the optical low-pass filter rotates in the first exposure period and another period for which the optical low-pass filter rotates in the second exposure period being equal to each other; and
a processor to combine image signals converted for the first and the second exposure periods to generate a composite image signal,
wherein the mechanical or the electronic shutter is switched from a closed state to an opened state to start the first exposure period and the mechanical shutter is switched from the opened state to the closed state to finish the second exposure period.
2. A method of image sensing using a solid-state image sensing device having an electronic shutter for converting light from an object into an image signal, the method comprising the steps of:
exposing the solid-state image sensing device via a mechanical shutter to the light for a first exposure period and a second exposure period that directly follows the first exposure period, the first and the second periods being the same length in time;
switching the mechanical or the electronic shutter from a closed state to an opened state to start the first exposure period;
switching the mechanical shutter from the opened state to the closed state to finish the second exposure period;
changing a relative positional relationship between a passage of the light incident to the solid-state image sensing device and the solid-state image sensing device for a period from a moment in the first exposure period to another moment in the second exposure period;
starting to rotate an optical low-pass filter at a moment within the first exposure period and stopping the optical low-pass filter at another moment within the second exposure period between two predetermined positions to change the relative positional relationship, a period for which the optical low-pass filter rotates in the first exposure period and another period for which the optical low-pass filter rotates in the second exposure period being equal to each other; and
combining image signals converted for the first and the second exposure periods to generate a composite image signal.