Apparatus and method for controlling a high resolution charge coupled device image sensor to provide alternative modes of picture imaging

A logic system for generating standard synchronizing (sync) and control signals in accordance with a television standard and for generating horizontal and vertical control signals required by a high resolution charge coupled device (CCD) image sensor for alternative modes of operation, the logic system comprising:

• a frequency generator adapted to provide signals referenced to a standard television frequency sub-carrier (fsc);
• a standard timing generator adapted to be driven by a signal from the frequency generator and adapted to provide standard sync and control signals in accordance with a television standard;
• a plurality of timers adapted to generate signals having respective durations and being precisely referenced to each other and to ones of the standard sync and control signals;
• a pixel clock generator adapted to generate a pixel clock, the pixel clock generator being adapted to be driven by a signal from the frequency generator;
• a plurality of logic units adapted to generate horizontal, vertical, and gate CCD control signals from a logical combination of respective ones of the pixel clock, the timer signals, and the standard sync and control signals;
• and
• control means for controlling selected ones of the timers and the logic units to provide for a purely sequential mode of operation of the CCD image sensor in which single horizontal lines of pixel image signals are outputted line-by-line for each frame of a picture and to provide for a modified mode of operation in which groups of horizontal lines of pixel image signals are selected by the gate CCD control signals and outputted in interlaced even and odd fields of a television picture frame and non-selected groups of horizontal lines are disposed of.

A method for controlling a CCD image sensor having a large number of horizontal lines of video signals per frame to obtain a reduced number of lines of video signals synchronized in interlaced groups of even and odd fields for display in accordance with a television standard and alternatively to obtain all of the lines of video signals from the CCD image sensor outputted sequentially for optimum utilization by a high resolution picture unit, the method comprising the steps of:

• generating standard sync and control signals as required by a standard television display;
• generating a pixel clock;
• generating a plurality of timed pulses referenced to the standard signals;
• generating horizontal CCD control signals from a logical combination of the pixel clock and ones of the timed pulses;
• generating vertical CCD control signals having a selectable number of vertical shift pulses from a logical combination of ones of the timed pulses;
• generating vertical CCD control signals having a selectable number of frame shift pulses from a logical combination of ones of the timed pulses and the standard signals;
• generating gate control signals for disposing of selected numbers of horizontal lines of video signals from the CCD image sensor from a logical combination of ones of the standard signals and timed pulses;
• and
• selecting the numbers of vertical shift pulses and frame shift pulses in accordance with a purely sequential mode of outputting single horizontal lines of pixel image signals from the CCD image sensor and alternatively selecting the numbers of vertical shift pulses, frame shift pulses and gate control signals in accordance with a modified mode of outputting lines of pixel image signals in interlaced groups of even and odd fields of the television standard.