초록 ▼

The present invention relates to a method for driving a solid-state image pickup device and a camera provided with the driving function. In the method for driving the solid-state image pickup device and the camera according to the present invention, the frame rate of the image pickup device is varie

The present invention relates to a method for driving a solid-state image pickup device and a camera provided with the driving function. In the method for driving the solid-state image pickup device and the camera according to the present invention, the frame rate of the image pickup device is varied according to the frequency of illumination or the brightness. Alternatively, the frame rate of the image pickup device is varied and an electronic shutter is driven at the same time according to the brightness. Consequently, it is possible to suppress occurrence of flicker and give a liberal brightness condition under which an image can be picked up.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A camera comprising: a solid-state image pickup device; a timing generating portion for producing a drive pulse to drive the solid-state image pickup device; an illumination condition/brightness condition determining portion for determining an illumination condition at an ima

What is claimed is: 1. A camera comprising: a solid-state image pickup device; a timing generating portion for producing a drive pulse to drive the solid-state image pickup device; an illumination condition/brightness condition determining portion for determining an illumination condition at an image pickup position; and a camera system signal processing portion, wherein the illumination condition/brightness condition determining portion detects an illumination state at the image pickup position, including a frequency of illumination that may cause flicker, and instructs the timing generating portion on a frame rate of the solid-state image pickup device in accordance with the detected illumination state, the instructed frame rate satisfying 2 A/n, where A designates the frequency of a light source illuminating the image pickup position and n is 1, 2, or 3, thus suppressing flicker, wherein the timing generating portion, which has been instructed on the frame rate, produces a drive pulse according to the instructed frame rate, and sends the drive pulse to the solid-state image pickup device, the solid-state image pickup device being driven at the frame rate instructed via the drive pulse, and wherein when the illumination condition/brightness condition determining portion detects whether a subject is in a bright state or in a dark state, the illumination condition/brightness condition determining portion instructs the timing generating portion to vary the frame rate to another frame rate according to a detected light quantity, the frame rate being increased responsive to a predetermined bright state and being decreased responsive to a predetermined dark state, the timing generating portion supplying the drive pulse having the varied frame rate to the solid-state image pickup device, the solid-state image pickup device outputting a signal adjusted for the detected light quantity.