Branched outlet type image pickup apparatus free from charge transfer error caused by temperature change and a method therefor

An image pickup apparatus comprising an image pickup device including:

• a plurality of photosensitive cells for converting incident light from a scene to an electric signal charge;
• a first transfer path for transferring the signal charge read out from said photosensitive cells in a first direction;
• a second transfer path for transferring the signal charge transferred over said first transfer path in a second direction;
• an assignment circuit connected to an output end of said second transfer path for assigning the transferred signal charge to a plurality of output channels;
• a plurality of third transfer paths serving as the plurality of output channels and connected to said assignment circuit;
• and
• an output circuit connected to output ends of said plurality of third transfer paths,
• said apparatus further comprising:
• a temperature information providing circuit for providing information depending on a temperature of at least part of said image pickup device,
• a corrector including a transfer controller operative in response to the provided information for increasing or decreasing a number of the third transfer paths used for transfer among said plurality of third transfer paths.

An image pickup apparatus comprising an image pickup device including:

• a plurality of photosensitive cells for converting incident light from a scene to an electric signal charge;
• a first transfer path for transferring the signal charge read out from said plurality of photosensitive cells in a first direction;
• a second transfer path for transferring the signal charge transferred over said first transfer path in a second direction;
• an assignment circuit connected to an output end of said second transfer path for assigning the transferred signal charge to a plurality of output channels;
• a plurality of third transfer paths serving as the output channels and connected to said assignment circuit;
• and
• an output circuit connected to output ends of said plurality of third transfer paths,
• said apparatus further comprising:
• a corrector for correcting a transfer error of the signal charge in said image pickup device;
• and
• a temperature information providing circuit for providing information depending on a temperature of at least part of said image pickup device,
• said corrector not correcting a transfer error when the provided information is higher than a predetermined temperature threshold.

An image pickup apparatus comprising an image pickup device including:

• a plurality of photosensitive cells for converting incident light from a scene to an electric signal charge;
• a first transfer path for transferring the signal charge read out from said photosensitive cells in a first direction;
• a second transfer path for transferring the signal charge transferred over said first transfer path in a second direction;
• an assignment circuit connected to an output end of said second transfer path for assigning the transferred signal charge to a plurality of output channels;
• a plurality of third transfer paths serving as the plurality of output channels and connected to said assignment circuit;
• and
• an output circuit connected to output ends of said third transfer paths,
• said apparatus further comprising:
• a temperature information providing circuit for providing information depending on a temperature of at least part of said image pickup device;
• and
• a temperature controller operative in response to the provided information for controlling a temperature of at least part of said image pickup device to reduce a transfer error.

A method of correcting a transfer error in an image pickup device including:

• a plurality of photosensitive cells for converting incident light from a scene to an electric signal charge;
• a first transfer path for transferring the signal charge read out from the photosensitive cells in a first direction;
• a second transfer path for transferring the signal charge transferred over the first transfer path in a second direction;
• an assignment circuit connected to an output end of the second transfer path for assigning the transferred signal charge to a plurality of output channels;
• a plurality of third transfer paths serving as the output channels and connected to the assignment circuit;
• and an output circuit connected to output ends of the third transfer paths, said method comprising the steps of:
• correcting a transfer error of the signal charge in the image pickup device;
• obtaining information depending on a temperature of at least part of the image pickup device;
• and
• adjusting transfer error correction based on the obtained information.