Image-processing device with image-pickup validity indication and processing method thereof
View Patent ↗An image-processing device and a processing method thereof are provided. The device includes a solid-state image-pick up device, a signal-processing unit that processes an output from the solid-state image-pick up device into an image signal, and an output circuit installed in the solid-state image-pick up device for outputting a valid signal to the signal-processing unit showing whether the output from the solid-state image-pick up device is valid or not in response to its operation. When valid image data is sent from the solid-state image-pick up device, the validity of the image data is provided to the signal-processing unit by activating the valid signal. When an exposure state (an accumulation state) corresponding to an opened shutter occurs, the invalidity of the image data is provided to the signal-processing unit by deactivating the valid signal.
1. An image-processing device, comprising:
a solid-state image-pickup device provided with a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, each pixel of the plurality of pixels including a photo diode and a transistor that detects a light signal; and
a signal-processing unit that processes an output signal from the solid-state image-pickup device and outputs the processed signal as an image signal;
the solid-state image-pickup device having an output circuit that outputs a valid signal to the signal-processing unit, the valid signal indicating whether the output signal from the solid-state image-pickup device is valid or not in response to an operation of the solid-state image-pickup device,
wherein the output circuit outputting the valid signal makes the valid signal deactivated at a time when at least one of an idle frame, an accumulation frame, an interlacing frame and an H blanking period is activated.
2. An image-processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the H blanking period makes the H blanking operation deactivated during the H blanking period in the accumulation state, if the accumulation state where electric charges are stored in the solid-state image-pickup device continues for more than one frame.
3. An image-processing device, comprising:
a solid-state image-pickup device provided with a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, each pixel of the plurality of pixels including a photo diode and a transistor that detects a light signal; and
a signal-processing unit that processes an output signal from the solid-state image-pickup device and outputs the processed signal as an image signal;
the solid-state image-pickup device having an output circuit that outputs a valid signal to the signal-processing unit, the valid signal indicating whether the output signal from the solid-state image-pickup device is valid or not in response to an operation of the solid-state image-pickup device,
wherein the output circuit outputting the valid signal makes the valid signal deactivated at a time when at least one of an idle frame, an accumulation frame, an interlacing frame, an H blanking period and a period for indicating a final line counted value is activated.
4. An image-processing device according to claim 3 , wherein the H blanking period makes the H blanking operation deactivated during the H blanking period in the accumulation state, if the accumulation state where electric charges are stored in the solid-state image-pickup device continues for more than one frame.
5. An image-processing device, comprising:
a solid-state image-pickup device provided with a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, each pixel of the plurality of pixels including a photo diode and a transistor that detects a light signal; and
a signal-processing unit that processes an output signal from the solid-state image-pickup device and outputs the processed signal as an image signal;
the solid-state image-pickup device having an output circuit that outputs a valid signal to the signal-processing unit, the valid signal indicating whether the output signal from the solid-state image-pickup device is valid or not in response to an operation of the solid-state image-pickup device,
wherein the output circuit outputting the valid signal makes the valid signal activated at a time when all of an idle frame, an accumulation frame, an interlacing frame, an H blanking period and a period for indicating a final line counted value are deactivated and a period for reading out an image signal from a line memory is activated.
6. An image-processing device according to claim 5 , wherein the H blanking period makes the H blanking operation deactivated during the H blanking period in the accumulation state, if the accumulation state where electric charges are stored in the solid-state image-pickup device continues for more than one frame.
7. An image-processing device, comprising:
a solid-state image-pickup device provided with a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, each pixel of the plurality of pixels including a photo diode and a transistor that detects a light signal; and
a signal-processing unit that processes an output signal from the solid-state image-pickup device and outputs the processed signal as an image signal;
the solid-state image-pickup device having an output circuit that outputs a valid signal to the signal-processing unit, the valid signal indicating whether the output signal from the solid-state image-pickup device is valid or not in response to an operation of the solid-state image-pickup device,
wherein the output circuit outputting the valid signal increases a deactivated rate of the valid signal intermittently as a frame unit in response to a decreasing frame rate when the solid-state image-pickup device is operated with a low frame rate.
8. An image-processing device, comprising:
a solid-state image-pickup device provided with a plurality of unit pixels arranged in a matrix, each unit pixel including a photo diode and a transistor for detecting a light signal;
a signal-processing unit that processes an output signal from the solid-state image-pickup device and outputs the processed signal as an image signal; and
an output circuit, arranged in the solid-state image-pickup device, that outputs a valid signal to the signal-processing unit, the valid signal controlling whether the signal-processing unit performs the signal processing operation or not in response to an operation of the solid-state image-pickup device,
wherein the output circuit outputting the valid signal makes the valid signal deactivated at a time when at least one of an idle frame, an accumulation frame, an interlacing frame and an H blanking period is activated.
9. An image-processing device according to claim 8 , wherein the H blanking period makes the H blanking operation deactivated during the H blanking period in the accumulation state, if the accumulation state where electric charges are stored in the solid-state image-pickup device continues for more than one frame.
10. An image-processing device, comprising:
a solid-state image-pickup device provided with a plurality of unit pixels arranged in a matrix, each unit pixel including a photo diode and a transistor for detecting a light signal;
a signal-processing unit that processes an output signal from the solid-state image-pickup device and outputs the processed signal as an image signal; and
an output circuit, arranged in the solid-state image-pickup device, that outputs a valid signal to the signal-processing unit, the valid signal controlling whether the signal-processing unit performs the signal processing operation or not in response to an operation of the solid-state image-pickup device,
wherein the output circuit outputting the valid signal makes the valid signal deactivated at a time when at least one of an idle frame, an accumulation frame, an interlacing frame, an H blanking period and a period for indicating a final line counted value is activated.
11. An image-processing device according to claim 10 , wherein the H blanking period makes the H blanking operation deactivated during the H blanking period in the accumulation state, if the accumulation state where electric charges are stored in the solid-state image-pickup device continues for more than one frame.
12. An image-processing device, comprising:
a solid-state image-pickup device provided with a plurality of unit pixels arranged in a matrix, each unit pixel including a photo diode and a transistor for detecting a light signal;
a signal-processing unit that processes an output signal from the solid-state image-pickup device and outputs the processed signal as an image signal; and
an output circuit, arranged in the solid-state image-pickup device, that outputs a valid signal to the signal-processing unit, the valid signal controlling whether the signal-processing unit performs the signal processing operation or not in response to an operation of the solid-state image-pickup device,
wherein the output circuit outputting the valid signal makes the valid signal activated at a time when all of an idle frame, an accumulation frame, an interlacing frame, an H blanking period and a period for indicating a final line counted value are deactivated and a period for reading out an image signal from a line memory is activated.
13. An image-processing device according to claim 12 , wherein the H blanking period makes the H blanking operation deactivated during the H blanking period in the accumulation state, if the accumulation state where electric charges are stored in the solid-state image-pickup device continues for more than one frame.
14. An image-processing device, comprising:
a solid-state image-pickup device provided with a plurality of unit pixels arranged in a matrix, each unit pixel including a photo diode and a transistor for detecting a light signal;
a signal-processing unit that processes an output signal from the solid-state image-pickup device and outputs the processed signal as an image signal; and
an output circuit, arranged in the solid-state image-pickup device, that outputs a valid signal to the signal-processing unit, the valid signal controlling whether the signal-processing unit performs the signal processing operation or not in response to an operation of the solid-state image-pickup device,
wherein the output circuit outputting the valid signal increases a deactivated rate of the valid signal intermittently as a frame unit in response to a decreasing frame rate when the solid-state image-pickup device is operated with a low frame rate.
15. A solid-state image-pickup device, comprising:
a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, each pixel of the plurality of pixels including a photo diode and a transistor that detects a light signal; and
an output circuit that outputs a valid signal to a signal-processing unit, the valid signal indicating whether an output of a signal-processing unit is valid or not in response to an operation of the solid-state image-pickup device,
wherein the output circuit outputting the valid signal increases a deactivated rate of the valid signal intermittently as a frame unit in response to a decreasing frame rate when the solid-state image-pickup device is operated with a low frame rate.