# US 7,746,399 B2 · Image pick-up device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,746,399 B2 - Document ID: US7746399B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/831,527 - Filed: 2004-04-23 - Published: 2005-01-27 - Granted: 2010-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 2003-04-28 - Assignees: Olympus Corporation - Inventors: Hiroshi Itoh; Seisuke Matsuda; Shigeru Hosokai; Yuichi Gomi; Yoshio Hagihara - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7746399B2 ## CPC - H04N 25/443: by reading pixels from selected two-dimensional [2D] regions of the array, e.g. for windowing or digital zooming - H04N 25/41: {Extracting pixel data from a plurality of image sensors simultaneously picking up an image, e.g. for increasing the field of view by combining the outputs of a plurality of sensors} - H04N 25/633: by using optical black pixels - H04N 25/74: Circuitry for scanning or addressing the pixel array - H04N 25/767: Horizontal readout lines, multiplexers or registers - H04N 25/779: Circuitry for scanning or addressing the pixel array - H04N 25/7795: {Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A pixel portion of an image pick-up device having a pixel portion of pixels arranged in matrix converting a subject image to an electric signal, and a scanning unit of sub-scanning circuits outputting a video signal, a first scanning circuit selecting a pixel position in a first matrix direction and a second scanning circuit selecting a pixel position in a second direction intersecting the first direction. One of the first and second scanning circuits shares the signal lines. The image pick-up device includes a scanning control circuit controlling the first and second scanning circuits. The pixel area structures of the pickup device are uniform, the wirings are uniform, and the vertical and horizontal driving systems and an output system are uniform. Thus, pixel signals outputted from two output systems have no property differences and image quality is improved. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image pick-up device comprising: a vertical scanning circuit comprising a plurality of sub-scanning circuits; a horizontal scanning circuit comprising a plurality of sub-scanning circuits; and a pixel portion having a matrix arrangement of pixels each located at corresponding respective intersecting points of a first plurality of signal lines arranged in a first direction and a second plurality of signal lines arranged in a second direction, said pixel portion converting an optical subject image into an electric signal, to which at least one of the vertical scanning circuit and the horizontal scanning circuit is connected such that all of the plurality of sub-scanning circuits of their scanning circuit share the respective signal lines of their scanning circuit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image pick-up device according to claim 1, wherein the pixel portion comprises: a photoelectric converting unit for converting the optical subject image into a signal; a first switch for outputting the pixel signal from the photoelectric converting unit by using a row selecting signal from one sub-scanning circuit of a plurality of sub-scanning circuits; and a second switch for outputting the pixel signal from the photoelectric converting unit by using a row selecting signal from another sub-scanning circuit of the plurality of sub-scanning circuits. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image pick-up device according to claim 1 wherein said scanning circuits are configured so that the pixel matrix is divided into pairs of regions and the pixels of the regions are read so that only pixels in overlapping regions are read more than once whereas pixels in the remaining regions are read only once. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image pick-up device according to claim 1, further comprising: the horizontal scanning circuit being connected to all of the pixels, and configured to scan in a horizontal direction an electric signal photoelectrically converted by pixels arranged in a horizontal direction of the matrix; and the vertical scanning circuit being connected to all of the pixels, for scanning an electric signal photoelectrically converted by pixels arranged in a vertical direction of the matrix, wherein the pixel portion is divided into a plurality of pixel areas in at least one of the horizontal direction and the vertical direction, at least one of the plurality of horizontal sub-scanning circuits and the plurality of vertical sub-scanning circuits in the direction in which the pixel area portion is divided, being connected to all of the pixels, and one of the plurality of horizontal sub-scanning circuits and the plurality of vertical sub-scanning circuits are configured to read out an electric signal simultaneously from each of the divided pixel areas. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The image pick-up device according to claim 4, wherein a number of the horizontal sub-scanning circuits included in the horizontal scanning circuit is equal to a number of pixel areas in the horizontal direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The image pick-up device according to claim 4, wherein a number of the vertical sub-scanning circuits included in the vertical scanning circuit is equal to a number of pixel areas in the vertical direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The image pick-up device according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the horizontal scanning circuit and the vertical scanning circuit include a scanning control circuitry for adjusting a position where the pixel areas are divided. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The image pick-up device according to claim 4, wherein adjacent divided areas of the pixel portion, which is divided into the plurality of areas in at least one of the horizontal direction and vertical direction, include pixels common to the adjacent divided areas, and at least one of the horizontal scanning circuit and the vertical scanning circuit include a scanning control for adjusting a size of overlapping scanning regions which are a part of the divided areas that include the common pixels. ### Claim 9 An image pick-up device comprising: a vertical scanning circuit comprising a plurality of sub-scanning circuits; a horizontal scanning circuit; and a pixel portion having a plurality of pixels having a matrix arrangement of pixels each located at corresponding respective intersecting points of a first plurality of signal lines arranged in a first direction and a second plurality of signal lines arranged in a second direction, said pixel portion converting an optical subject image into an electric signal, to which at least one of the vertical scanning circuit and a horizontal scanning circuit is connected such that all of the plurality of sub-scanning circuits share respective ones of said signal lines; and wherein the horizontal scanning circuit has a plurality of sub-scanning circuits, the horizontal scanning circuit being configured for temporarily storing an electric signal transferred from one of said pixels for reading a pixel signal read via a vertical signal line, by holding the pixel signal via the vertical signal line of each system. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The image pick-up device according to claim 9, wherein the pixel portion comprises: a photoelectric converting unit for converting the optical subject image into a signal; a first switch for outputting the pixel signal from the photoelectric converting unit by using a row selecting signal from one sub-scanning circuit of a plurality of sub-scanning circuits; and a second switch for outputting the pixel signal from the photoelectric converting unit by using a row selecting signal from another sub-scanning circuit of the plurality of sub-scanning circuits. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The image pick-up device according to claim 9 wherein said scanning circuits are configured so that the pixel matrix is divided into pairs of regions and the pixels of the regions are read so that only pixels in overlapping regions are read more than once whereas pixels in the remaining regions are read only once.