Granted Patent B2

US 7,379,107 · App. 11/009,566 · Granted May 27, 2008

Abstract

Claims (88)

1. A method for reading out charge from an interlined CCD having a plurality of photo-sensing regions and a plurality of vertical shift registers, and each photosensitive region is mated respectively to a CCD of a vertical shift register and a color filter having a repeating pattern of two rows in which each row includes at least two colors that forms a plurality of 5 line sub-arrays sequentially numbered in the space domain; and the color filter spanning the photo-sensing regions, the method comprising:

(a) sequentially or substantially simultaneously reading out sets of three lines 1 , 3 and 5 into the vertical shift registers, wherein the charges read out to a respective vertical shift register from a corresponding set of three lines 1 , 3 , and 5 represent one of the at least two colors in the corresponding set of three lines 1 , 3 , and 5 ;

(b) summing the charge in each set of three lines 1 , 3 and 5 ;

(c) sequentially or substantially simultaneously reading out sets of two lines 2 and 4 into the vertical shift registers, wherein the charges read out to a respective vertical shift register from a corresponding set of two lines 2 and 4 represent one of the at least two colors in the corresponding set of two lines 2 and 4 ;

(d) summing the charge in each set of two lines 2 and 4 ;

(e) transferring one or more rows of the summed charge into a first horizontal charge-coupled device;

(f) transferring alternate charges in the first horizontal charge-coupled device into a second horizontal charge-coupled device;

(g) summing sets of two charges of the same color in the first horizontal charge-coupled device by transferring charges within the first horizontal charge-coupled device;

(h) summing sets of two charges of the same color in the second horizontal charge-coupled device by transferring charges within the second horizontal charge-coupled device; and

(i) reading out the charge in both the first and second horizontal shift register with a double speed half-resolution clocking sequence.

2. The method as in claim 1 further comprising the steps of repeating steps (e) through (i) for reading out all of the summed charges.

3. A camera comprising:

(a) an interlined CCD having a plurality of photo-sensing regions and a plurality of vertical shift registers, and each photosensitive region is mated respectively to a CCD of a vertical shift register and a color filter having a repeating pattern of two rows in which each row includes at least two colors that forms a plurality of 5 line sub-arrays sequentially numbered in the space domain; and the color filter spanning the photo-sensing regions;

(b) a transfer device for sequentially or substantially simultaneously reading out sets of three lines 1 , 3 and 5 into the vertical shift registers such that the charges read out to a respective vertical shift register from a corresponding set of three lines 1 , 3 , and 5 represent one of the at least two colors in the corresponding set of three lines 1 , 3 , and 5 ; wherein the vertical shift registers sum the charge in each set of three lines 1 , 3 , and 5 ;

(c) a transfer device for sequentially or substantially simultaneously reading out sets of two lines 2 and 4 into the vertical shift registers such that the charges read out to a respective vertical shift register from a corresponding set of two lines 2 and 4 represent one of the at least two colors in the corresponding set of two lines 2 and 4 ; wherein the vertical shift registers sum the charge in each set of two lines 2 and 4 ;

(d) a first horizontal charge-coupled device that receives one or more rows of the summed charge; and

(e) a second horizontal charge-coupled device that receives alternate charges from the first horizontal charge-coupled device;

wherein the first horizontal charge-coupled device sums sets of two charges of the same color in the first horizontal charge-coupled device which summed charges are read out with a half-resolution clocking sequence; and wherein the second horizontal charge-coupled device sums sets of two charges of the same color in the second horizontal charge-coupled device which summed charges are read out with a double speed half-resolution clocking sequence.

4. The camera as in claim 3 , wherein all of the summed charges are read out.

5. A method for reading out charge from an interlined CCD having a plurality of photo-sensing regions and a plurality of vertical shift registers, and each photosensitive region is mated respectively to a CCD of a vertical shift register and a color filter having a repeating pattern of two rows in which each row includes at least two colors that forms a plurality of 5 line sub-arrays sequentially numbered in the space domain; and the color filter spanning the photo-sensing regions, the method comprising:

(a) sequentially or substantially simultaneously reading out sets of two lines 1 and 5 into the vertical shift registers, wherein the charges read out to a respective vertical shift register from a corresponding set of two lines 1 and 5 represent one of the at least two colors in the corresponding set of two lines 1 and 5 ;

(b) summing the charge in each set of two lines 1 and 5 ;

(c) sequentially or substantially simultaneously reading out sets of two lines 2 and 4 into the vertical shift registers, wherein the charges read out to a respective vertical shift register from a corresponding set of two lines 2 and 4 represent one of the at least two colors in the corresponding set of two lines 2 and 4 ;

(d) summing the charge in each set of two lines 2 and 4 ;

(e) transferring one or more rows of the summed charge into a first horizontal charge-coupled device;

(f) transferring alternate charges in the first horizontal charge-coupled device into a second horizontal charge-coupled device;

(g) summing sets of two charges of the same color in the first horizontal charge-coupled device by transferring charges within the first horizontal charge-coupled device;

(h) summing sets of two charges of the same color in the second horizontal charge-coupled device by transferring charges within the second horizontal charge-coupled device; and

(i) reading out the charge in both the first and second horizontal shift register with a double speed half-resolution clocking sequence.

6. The method as in claim 5 further comprising the steps of repeating steps (e) through (i) for reading out all of the summed charges.

7. A camera comprising:

(a) an interlined CCD having a plurality of photo-sensing regions and a plurality of vertical shift registers, and each photosensitive region is mated respectively to a CCD of a vertical shift register and a color filter having a repeating pattern of two rows in which each row includes at least two colors that forms a plurality of 5 line sub-arrays sequentially numbered in the space domain; and the color filter spanning the photo-sensing regions;

(b) a transfer device for sequentially or substantially simultaneously reading out sets of two lines 1 and 5 into the vertical shift registers such that the charges read out to a respective vertical shift register from a corresponding set of two lines 1 and 5 represent one of the at least two colors in the corresponding set of two lines 1 and 5 ; wherein the vertical shift registers sum the charge in each set of two lines 1 and 5 ;

(c) a transfer device for sequentially or substantially simultaneously reading out sets of two lines 2 and 4 into the vertical shift registers such that the charges read out to a respective vertical shift register from a corresponding set of two lines 2 and 4 represent one of the at least two colors in the corresponding set of two lines 2 and 4 ; wherein the vertical shift registers sum the charge in each set of two lines 2 and 4 ;

(d) a first horizontal charge-coupled device that receives one or more rows of the summed charge; and

(e) a second horizontal charge-coupled device that receives alternate charges from the first horizontal charge-coupled device;

wherein the first horizontal charge-coupled device sums sets of two charges of the same color in the first horizontal charge-coupled device which summed charges are read out with a half-resolution clocking sequence; and wherein the second horizontal charge-coupled device sums sets of two charges of the same color in the second horizontal charge-coupled device which summed charges are read out with a double speed half-resolution clocking sequence.

8. The camera as in claim 7 , wherein all of the summed charges are read out.

9. A method for reading out charge from an interlined CCD having a plurality of photo-sensing regions and a plurality of vertical shift registers, and each photosensitive region is mated respectively to a CCD of a vertical shift register and a color filter having a repeating pattern of two rows in which each row includes at least two colors that forms a plurality of 5 line sub-arrays sequentially numbered in the space domain; and the color filter spanning the photo-sensing regions, the method comprising:

(a) substantially simultaneously reading out sets of two lines 4 and 5 into the vertical shift register;

(b) transferring the charge from each set of two lines 4 and 5 to align with a respective set of two lines 2 and 3 , wherein each set of aligned lines 2 and 4 contains one color and each set of aligned lines 3 and 5 contains one color;

(c) substantially simultaneously reading out each set of two lines 2 and 3 into the vertical shift registers and summing with the charge from a respective set of two lines 4 and 5 ;

(d) transferring one row of the summed charge into a first horizontal charge-coupled device;

(e) transferring alternate charges in the first horizontal charge-coupled device into a second horizontal charge-coupled device;

(f) summing sets of two charges of the same color in the first horizontal charge-coupled device by transferring charges within the first horizontal charge-coupled device;

(g) summing sets of two charges of the same color in the second horizontal charge-coupled device by transferring charges within the second horizontal charge-coupled device; and

(h) reading out the charge in both the first and second horizontal shift register with a double speed half-resolution clocking sequence.

10. The method as in claim 9 further comprising the steps of repeating steps (d) through (h) for reading out all of the summed charges.

11. A camera comprising:

(a) an interlined CCD having a plurality of photo-sensing regions and a plurality of vertical shift registers, and each photosensitive region is mated respectively to a CCD of a vertical shift register and a color filter having a repeating pattern of two rows in which each row includes at least two colors that forms a plurality of 5 line sub-arrays sequentially numbered in the space domain; and the color filter spanning the photo-sensing regions;

(b) a transfer device for substantially simultaneously reading out sets of two lines 4 and 5 into the vertical shift registers, wherein the vertical shift register transfers the charge from each set of two lines 4 and 5 to align with a respective set of two lines 2 and 3 , wherein each set of aligned lines 2 and 4 contain one color and each set of aligned lines 3 and 5 contain one color;

(c) a transfer device for reading out each set of two lines 2 and 3 into the vertical shift registers and summing with the charge from a respective set of two lines 4 and 5 ;

(d) a first horizontal charge-coupled device that receives one row of the summed charge; and

(e) a second horizontal charge-coupled device that receives alternate charges from the first horizontal charge-coupled device;

wherein the first horizontal charge-coupled device sums sets of two charges of the same color in the first horizontal charge-coupled device which summed charges are read out with a half-resolution clocking sequence; and wherein the second horizontal charge-coupled device sums sets of two charges of the same color in the second horizontal charge-coupled device which summed charges are read out with a double speed half-resolution clocking sequence.

12. The camera as in claim 11 , wherein all of the summed charges are read out.

13. A method for reading out charge from an interlined CCD having a plurality of photo-sensing regions and a plurality of vertical shift registers, and each photosensitive region is mated respectively to a CCD of a vertical shift register and a color filter having a repeating pattern of two rows in which each row includes at least two colors that forms a plurality of 5 line sub-arrays sequentially numbered in the space domain; and the color filter spanning the photo-sensing regions, the method comprising:

(a) sequentially or substantially simultaneously reading out sets of three lines 1 , 3 and 5 into the vertical shift registers, wherein the charges read out to a respective vertical shift register from a corresponding set of three lines 1 , 3 , and 5 represent one of the at least two colors in the corresponding set of three lines 1 , 3 , and 5 ;

(b) summing the charge in each set of three lines 1 , 3 and 5 ;

(c) transferring one row of the summed charge into a first horizontal charge-coupled device;

(d) transferring alternate charges in the first horizontal charge-coupled device into a second horizontal charge-coupled device;

(e) summing sets of two charges of the same color in the first horizontal charge-coupled device by transferring charges within the first horizontal charge-coupled device;

(f) summing sets of two charges of the same color in the second horizontal charge-coupled device by transferring charges within the second horizontal charge-coupled device; and

(g) reading out the charge in both the first and second horizontal shift register with a double speed half-resolution clocking sequence.

14. The method as in claim 13 further comprising the steps of repeating steps (c) through (g) for reading out all of the summed charges.

15. A camera comprising:

(a) an interlined CCD having a plurality of photo-sensing regions and a plurality of vertical shift registers, and each photosensitive region is mated respectively to a CCD of a vertical shift register and a color filter having a repeating pattern of two rows in which each row includes at least two colors that forms a plurality of 5 line sub-arrays sequentially numbered in the space domain; and the color filter spanning the photo-sensing regions;

(b) a transfer device for sequentially or substantially simultaneously reading out sets of three lines 1 , 3 and 5 into the vertical shift registers such that the charges read out to a respective vertical shift register from a corresponding set of three lines 1 , 3 and 5 represent one of the at least two colors in the corresponding set of three lines 1 , 3 and 5 ; wherein the vertical shift registers sum the charge in each set of three lines 1 , 3 and 5 ;

(c) a first horizontal charge-coupled device that receives one row of the summed charge; and

(d) a second horizontal charge-coupled device that receives alternate charges from the first horizontal charge-coupled device;

wherein the first horizontal charge-coupled device sums sets of two charges of the same color in the first horizontal charge-coupled device which summed charges are read out with a half-resolution clocking sequence; and wherein the second horizontal charge-coupled device sums sets of two charges of the same color in the second horizontal charge-coupled device which summed charges are read out with a double speed half-resolution clocking sequence.

16. The camera as in claim 15 , wherein all of the summed charges are read out.

17. A method for reading out charge from an interlined CCD having a plurality of photo-sensing regions and a plurality of vertical shift registers, and each photosensitive region is mated respectively to a CCD of a vertical shift register and a color filter having a repeating pattern of two rows in which each row includes at least two colors that forms a plurality of 5 line sub-arrays sequentially numbered in the space domain; and the color filter spanning the photo-sensing regions, the method comprising:

(a) sequentially or substantially simultaneously reading out sets of two lines 1 and 5 into the vertical shift registers, wherein the charges read out to a respective vertical shift register from a corresponding set of two lines 1 and 5 represent one of the at least two colors in the corresponding set of two lines 1 and 5 ;

(b) summing the charge in each set of two lines 1 and 5 ;

(c) transferring one row of the summed charge into a first horizontal charge-coupled device;

(d) transferring alternate charges in the first horizontal charge-coupled device into a second horizontal charge-coupled device;

(e) summing sets of two charges of the same color in the first horizontal charge-coupled device by transferring charges within the first horizontal charge-coupled device;

(f) summing sets of two charges of the same color in the second horizontal charge-coupled device by transferring charges within the second horizontal charge-coupled device; and

(g) reading out the charge in both the first and second horizontal shift register with a double speed half-resolution clocking sequence.

18. The method as in claim 17 further comprising the steps of repeating steps (c) through (g) for reading out all of the summed charges.

19. A camera comprising:

(a) an interlined CCD having a plurality of photo-sensing regions and a plurality of vertical shift registers, and each photosensitive region is mated respectively to a CCD of a vertical shift register and a color filter having a repeating pattern of two rows in which each row includes at least two colors that forms a plurality of 5 line sub-arrays sequentially numbered in the space domain; and the color filter spanning the photo-sensing regions;

(b) a transfer device for sequentially or substantially simultaneously reading out sets of two lines 1 and 5 into the vertical shift registers such that the charges read out to a respective vertical shift register from a corresponding set of two lines 1 and 5 represent one of the at least two colors in the corresponding set of two lines 1 and 5 ; wherein the vertical shift registers sum the charge in each set of two lines 1 and 5 ;

(c) a first horizontal charge-coupled device that receives one row of the summed charge; and

(d) a second horizontal charge-coupled device that receives alternate charges from the first horizontal charge-coupled device;

wherein the first horizontal charge-coupled device sums sets of two charges of the same color in the first horizontal charge-coupled device which summed charges are read out with a half-resolution clocking sequence; and wherein the second horizontal charge-coupled device sums sets of two charges of the same color in the second horizontal charge-coupled device which summed charges are read out with a double speed half-resolution clocking sequence.

20. The camera as in claim 19 , wherein all of the summed charges are read out.

Assignments (10)