Masaru Noda

All Solid State Color Camera With Single-Chip Mos Imager

An all solid state color camera using a solid state image sensor has many advantages over the conven- tional tube type camera, such as light-weight, low power consumption, high reliability, elimination of lag and high picture quality.

An Electronic Variable-Shutter System in Video Camera Use

Since 1981 when we marketed worlds first MOS color video camera,1) we have been continuously improving the performance of this line of video cameras. And in 1986 we have developed an MOS color video camera with high resolution, with high sensitivity, and without smear.2)

A Solid State Color Video Camera with a Horizontal Readout MOS Imager

Since 1981 when we marketed worlds first MOS color video camera1), we have been continuously improving the performance of this line of video cameras in order to match the market needs year by year2). We recognize, however, the performance we have achieved is not satisfactory enough.

A 0.8 mu m CMOS digital signal processor for a video camera

A digital signal processor has been developed for a video camera by using a 0.8- mu m CMOS process. This LSI includes almost all the functions of a video camera. It also integrates a circuit for extending the dynamic range and a three-line color processing circuit to realize true-to-life color reproduction. Using this LSI, a compact and lightweight video camera with high picture quality has been realized. >

A RGB- gamma CCD camera with a novel color matrix

The authors describe a simplified RGB- gamma signal processing system with a single-chip CCD (charge-coupled device) imager and two BiCMOS LSIs, which led to the realization of a compact camera with good color reproduction. Two ICs, a signal processing IC and an imager drive IC, were developed. Adopting this simplified system, a CCD camera was realized which is small in size, free from aliasing, and excellent in color reproduction. >

Long-exposure video camera with digital memory

A digital field memory was used in a MOS video camera imager as an electronic variable shutter to obtain variable exposure time in the range from 1/5000 to 1/2 second. A 1.5 Mb field memory was used with a 280-kilopixel MOS imager. The memory was inserted between a gamma corrector and an encoder, so that quantizing noise was minimized. An inexpensive system was developed with 6-bit digitization for both luminance (Y) and colour-difference (C-Y) signals. The same digital circuit was used for a 370-kilopixel imager by adjusting the quality limit of a field picture. It is noted that imaging at the 1 lux level is possible in the 1/2-second long exposure mode because signal charges are accumulated in the imager for multiple fields to gain sensitivity. The signal readout from the imager is then sampled and held using the digital field memory. >

Wide band and low supply voltage ICs for satellite tuner unit

Three ICs for a satellite tuner unit which operate at a low supply voltage of 5 V have been designed. The circuit design of these three ICs and a new tuner unit system are described. Two types of GaAs ICs which operate up to 2.2 GHz and a Si IC which demodulates the FM signal of more than 500 MHz carrier frequency are outlined. Using these ICs, a compact satellite tuner unit with low power dissipation has been successfully developed. It can receive the satellite TV band of 0.95 approximately 2.1 GHz. >

Low Noise Integrated SHF Converter for Satellite TV Broadcasting

We have successfully developed a high performance SHF converter for satellite TV broadcasting system, which converts the 12GHz incoming signal down to the 1GHz signal.

Noise reduction circuit for MOS video cameras.

MOSカメラの雑音低減を目的として新しいリサンプリング方式を考案した.この方式では, フォトダイオードから転送される信号電荷を順次センサ出力端子に蓄積していく.得られた階段状の信号波形に画素内平均化処理を加えた後, 隣接画素間の差分により原信号を再生する.階段状の信号の振幅を減らすためにセンサ出力端子をゆるやかにリセットすることにし, 4MΩ帰還の低雑音プリアンプを開発した.後段の平均化, 差分処理回路はIC化した.これらにより雑音を5dB低減し, F1.6のレンズで10lxの感度を達成した.さらに, 本方式は特に高周波雑音の抑圧効果が大きく, 高解像度化にも好適である.水平760画素のMOSセンサを用いて500TV本以上の解像度を達成した.本稿では, このリサンプリング方式の理論解析と試作による検証を中心にして報告する.