Transmitting apparatus, and method for transmitting video signals of high speed image pickup apparatus

A signal transmitting apparatus for transmitting high-speed video signals, said video signals being obtained by picking up an image of an object by an image pickup means at a speed which is predetermined times faster than that of a first video signal, the signal transmitting apparatus comprising:

• a converting means for converting the output of said image pickup means into digital signals;
• a signal dividing means for forming digital video signals having the speed of said first video signal from the high-speed video signals outputted from paid converting means at every unit, dividing said digital video signals into a plurality of channels and outputting said digital video signals;
• a first signal processing means for performing a predetermined camera signal process to each of the output signals of said signal dividing means, converting said output of said signal dividing means into digital signals of said plurality of channels in the predetermined transmission format and outputting said digital signals;
• a transmission path for transmitting the output of said first signal processing means;
• a second signal processing means for converting said digital signals of said predetermined transmission format which have been transmitted through said transmission path into said digital video signals having a plurality of channels;
• an output means for converting the output of said second signal processing means into digital signals in the predetermined format and for outputting said digital signals;
• and
• a memory means applied to read said digital video signals of said plurality of channels at every unit of time sequentially, which have been already written, and to output said digital video signals as slow motion digital video signals.

A signal transmitting method for transmitting high-speed video signals which are obtained by photographing an object by an image pickup means at a speed which is predetermined times faster than that of standard video signal comprising:

• a converting step of converting the output of said image pickup means into digital signals,
• a signal dividing step of forming the digital signals having the speed of said standard video signal from said high speed photographing video signals unit by unit which have been formed in said converting step, dividing said digital video signals into a plurality of channels and outputting said divided digital video signals, said signal dividing step generating an indication signal when high-speed video digital signals having a multiple number smaller than that of said channels in said signal dividing step are inputted from said converting step, said signal dividing step indicating the period in which no digital video signal having the speed of said standard video signal exists on divided channel, and outputting said indication signal to said first signal processing step,
• a first signal processing step of performing a predetermined camera signal process to each of the output signals of said signal dividing step, converting said digital signals into digital signals of said plurality of channels in a predetermined transmission format and outputting said signals, said first signal processing step outputting said digital signals in a predetermined transmission format, no digital video signal said no digital video signal having said standard video signal exists, and said indication signal,
• a transmitting step of transmitting the output of said first signal processing step,
• a second signal processing step of converting the digital signals which have been converted into a predetermined format and have been transmitted by said transmitting step into the original digital video signals of said plurality of channels,
• an output step of converting the output of said second signal processing step into digital signals in a predetermined format and outputting said digital video signals;
• and
• said memory step writing each of said digital video signals of said plurality of channels outputted from said second signal processing step, reading said digital video signals of said plurality of channels outputted from said transmitting step and arranged at every unit time with additional data period which is added in responsive to said indication signal and outputting said digital video signals of said plurality of channels with each additional data period which have read by said memory step to said output step,
• wherein said output step selecting and outputting said digital signals of said plurality of channels with additional data period which have been read by said memory step.

A high speed image pickup apparatus which is applied to pick up an image of an object at a high speed which is faster than that of standard video signal and to output high-speed video signals obtained thereby comprising:

• an image pickup means for picking up an image of an object at a speed which is predetermined times faster than that of the standard video signal,
• a converting means for converting the output of said image pickup means into digital signals,
• a signal dividing means for forming digital video signals having the speed of said standard video signal from the output of said converting means at every image unit, dividing said digital video signals into a plurality of channels and outputting said divided digital video signals, said signal dividing means generating an indication signal when the multiple number of said photographing speed of said image pickup means is smaller than the number of channels of said signal dividing means, said signal dividing means indicating the period in which no digital video signal having the speed of said standard video signal exists on a divided channel, and outputting said indication signal to said signal processing means, and
• a signal processing means for performing a predetermined camera signal, process to each of the output signals of said signal dividing means, converting said digital signals into digital signals of said plurality of channels in a predetermined format and outputting said digital signals as high speed photographing video signals, said signal processing means outputting said digital video signals in a predetermined transmission format, no digital video signal said no digital video signal having said standard video signal exists and said indication signal.

A high speed image pickup method for picking up an image of an object at a high speed which is faster than that of standard video signal and for outputting the obtained high speed photographing video signals comprising:

• an image pickup step for picking up an image of an object at a speed which is predetermined times faster than the speed of the standard video signal and for forming the video signals,
• a converting step of converting the output of said image pickup step into digital video signals,
• a signal dividing step of forming the digital video signals having the speed of standard video signal from the output of said converting step at every video unit, dividing said digital video signals into a plurality of channels and outputting said divided digital signals, said signal dividing step generating an indication signal when the multiple number of said image pickup speed of said image pickup step is smaller than the number of said channels in said signal dividing step, said signal dividing step indicating the period in which no digital video signal having the speed of said standard video signal exists on divided channel, and outputting said indication signal to said signal processing step, and
• a signal processing step of performing a predetermined camera signal process to each of the output signals of said signal dividing step, converting said digital signals of said plurality of channels into a predetermined transmission format and outputting said digital video signals as high speed photographing video signals, said signal processing step outputting digital signals in said predetermined transmission format, no digital video signal said no digital video signal having the speed of said standard video signal exists, and said indication signal.

An image pickup apparatus for picking up an image of an object at a speed which is selected from the speed of standard video signal and speeds faster than that of the standard video signal and for outputting the standard video signals or high speed photographing video signals which have been obtained thereby comprising:

• an image pickup means for picking up an image of said object at a speed which is selected from the speed of the standard video signal or the speeds a predetermined times faster than that of the standard video signal,
• a converting means for converting the output of said image pickup means into digital signals,
• a signal dividing means for outputting the output of said converting means when the speed at which said image pickup means picks up an image of said object is the same as that of standard video signal and for forming digital video signals having the speed of said standard video signal from the output of said converting means at every video unit, dividing said digital video signals into a plurality of channels and outputting said digital video signals when the speed at which said image pickup means picks up an image of said object is predetermined times faster than that of the standard video signal,
• a plurality of signal processing circuits, the number of which is at least the same as that of said channels divided by said signal dividing means and each having the same predetermined camera signal process function,
• when the speed at which said image pickup means picks up an image of said object is the same as that of standard video signal, the output of said signal dividing means being processed by one channel of said signal processing circuits to convert said digital video signals into digital signals in the predetermined format, the operation of the other channels being stopped,
• when the speed at which said image pickup means picks up an image of said object is predetermined times faster than that of standard video signal, the output of said signal dividing means being processed by all the channels of said signal processing circuits to convert said digital signals into digital signals of said plurality of channels in a predetermined format to be outputted as high speed photographing video signals.

A signal transmitting apparatus for transmitting a first digital video signal, comprising:

• a signal dividing means having a memory, said signal dividing means forming a second plurality of digital video signals having a speed lower than that of said first digital video signal, such that said signal dividing means divides said first digital video signal into a plurality of channels, each channel configured to carry one of said second plurality of digital video signals;
• and
• an output means for outputting said second plurality of digital video signal on said plurality of channels,
• wherein when said first digital video signal has a length less than the number of said plurality of channels, said signal dividing means writes said first digital video signal into said memory, and reads said first digital video signal from said memory so as to output said first digital video signal as one of said second plurality of digital video signals on said plurality of channels, said second plurality of digital video signals arranged at every unit time with additional data period which is added in response to an indication signal that indicates the period in which no digital video signal having the speed of said first digital video signal exists on divided channel and outputs said second plurality of video signals on said plurality of channels with each additional data period.

A signal processing apparatus, comprising:

• a signal dividing means for outputting an input digital video signal when the speed of the input digital video signal is the same as that of an output digital video signal, the signal dividing means operating to divide the input digital video signal into a plurality of channels to form digital video signals having the speed of said output digital video signal;
• and
• a plurality of signal processing circuits, the number of said plurality of signal processing circuits is at least the same as that of said plurality of channels, each of said plurality of signal processing circuits has the same predetermined signal process function,
• wherein when the speed of the input digital video signal is the same as that of the output digital video signal, the output of said signal dividing means is processed by one channel of said signal processing circuits, and operation of the other channels is discontinued,
• wherein when the speed of the input digital video signal is faster than that of the output digital video signal, the output of said signal dividing means is processed by all channels of said digital processing circuits.

A video signal processing apparatus, comprising:

• a signal processing means configured to receive second digital video signals from a plurality of channels for processing the second digital video signals, wherein said second digital video signals are transmitted from a signal transmission apparatus for processing said second digital video signals of said plurality of channels, and wherein said signal transmission apparatus includes:
• a signal dividing means having a memory for forming second digital video signals from a first digital video signal, said second digital video signals having a speed lower slower than that of the first digital video signal, said signal dividing means configured to divide said first digital video signal into the plurality of channels, each channel corresponding to each of said second digital video signals;
• and
• an output means for outputting said plurality of said second digital video signals as said plurality of channels,
• wherein, when there are less number of signals in said first digital video signals than said plurality of channels, said signal dividing means writes said first digital video signal in said memory, reads said first digital video signal from said memory, and outputs said second digital video signal of said plurality of channels arranged at every unit time with additional data period that is added in response to an indication signal, the indication signal indicating the period in which no digital video signal has the speed of said first digital video signal on divided channel, said signal dividing means outputting said plurality of second digital video signals of said plurality of channels with each additional data period;
• and
• a change-over control means configured to receive outputs of said signal processing means for arranging the outputs of said signal processing means at every unit period and outputting the arranged signals.