JP2002165139A - Imaging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To maintain a constant ratio for exposure time between each phase irrespective of the exposure time, even when outputting a plurality of TG pulses while providing a time difference. SOLUTION: TG electrodes are divided into a plural numbers, and issuing timing of a plurality of TG pulses TG1 to TG5, corresponding to each of the divided plurality of TG electrodes, is controlled by a TG block 106. The lag amount of occurrence timing of the TG pulses TG1 to TG5 is set variable, in response to exposing time under a control of a TG time difference control unit 112b, such that a ratio of exposing time between line groups corresponding to each phase will not change. This allows for the control of a time difference corresponding to the exposing time to be provided, such that the calculations always result in the same (constant ratio), when correcting by calculation of exposure time difference between lines, which occurs, when a plurality of TG pulse timings of imaging drive system are shifted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus, and more particularly to an image pickup apparatus for picking up a subject image using a solid-state image sensor such as a CCD.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, digital still cameras (electronic cameras) for capturing a subject image with a solid-state imaging device such as a CCD and obtaining a video signal have been actively developed. Various measures have been taken for driving the image sensor. One of such techniques is to shift the timing of a TG pulse for charge transfer.

[0003] More specifically, the end of exposure (charge accumulation) in the image pickup device is performed when a mechanical shutter or the like is not used.
This is performed by the output of the above-described TG pulse for transferring the electric charge from the photoelectric conversion accumulation unit (pixel unit) to the vertical transfer path. Therefore, generally, the output of the TG pulse should and should be performed simultaneously for all pixels.

However, if a TG pulse is applied to all pixels at the same time depending on the ability of the image pickup device, the substrate potential in the vicinity of the pixel portion fluctuates greatly, causing a phenomenon of charge reverse injection from the semiconductor substrate, resulting in a pseudo. May cause signal. To cope with this, it is conceivable to divide the TG drive line into a plurality of phases and shift the TG pulse output timing of each phase by a minimum (about several μs).

In addition to this, a plurality of neighboring pixels of the same color are added using a color-coded color image pickup device such as a Bayer array and read out so that different colors are not mixed. There is also known a technique of performing so-called “pixel rearrangement addition reading” in which TG drive lines divided into phases are sequentially driven at shifted timings and vertical transfer of several pixels (several lines) is performed during that time.

When the timing of the TG pulse is shifted depending on the phase for various purposes as described above, a problem arises in that the exposure time of each phase differs by the time difference.
For this reason, a difference occurs in the exposure amount for each line group corresponding to each phase. This difference in exposure amount appears as horizontal stripes (line steps) in the image, which is a problem. As a countermeasure against such a problem, there is known a signal correction in which a signal gain is varied according to the amount of exposure (exposure time).

[0007]

The above-described gain correction (multiplication) for each line group corresponding to each phase can be performed by analog signal processing or digital operation after AD conversion. However, the exposure time of the line group corresponding to each phase is defined by the time from the start of exposure to the output of the corresponding TG pulse, and the output timing of the TG pulse of each phase is sequentially determined based on the exposure time used for imaging. Because of the shift, if the exposure time changes, the ratio of the exposure time between the line groups corresponding to each phase also changes. Therefore, regardless of whether the above-described method of analog signal processing or digital operation is used, if the exposure time used for imaging changes, it is necessary to recalculate parameters for gain correction in accordance with the change. This complicates the processing. As a result, for example, there is a risk that the processing cannot be completed within a predetermined time.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances. An object of the present invention is to reduce the exposure time of each phase regardless of the exposure time even when a plurality of TG pulses are output with a time difference. An object of the present invention is to provide an imaging device capable of keeping a ratio constant.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an image pickup apparatus according to the present invention comprises a charge transfer gate for controlling a charge transfer from an image section constituting a pixel array to a vertical transfer path in a plurality of phases. A solid-state imaging device that can be divided and driven, and a plurality of charge transfer gate drive pulses (T
(G pulse) to the solid-state imaging device, and the plurality of charge transfer gate drive pulses (TG pulses) to the drive unit for terminating the exposure when a predetermined exposure time has elapsed from the start of the exposure. An output control means for outputting the plurality of charge transfer gate drive pulses (TG pulses) at a predetermined output time difference, wherein the output time difference is variably set according to the exposure time. And control means.

In this imaging apparatus, when a plurality of charge transfer gate drive pulses (TG pulses) are output with a predetermined output time difference, the output time difference between the TG pulses is variably set according to the exposure time. . For this reason, since the output time difference of the TG pulse can be changed according to the length of the exposure time to be used, the ratio of the exposure time between the phases can be made constant regardless of the exposure time.

It is preferable to provide a signal correction means for performing a predetermined gain correction for each phase with respect to the imaging signal read from the solid-state imaging device in order to prevent the occurrence of a line step due to a difference in exposure amount. However, in this case, the ratio of the exposure time between the phases can be kept constant regardless of the exposure time, so that the line step can be eliminated only by simple gain correction using a fixed ratio.

If the exposure time is equal to or longer than a predetermined value, the output time difference control means sets the output time difference between the plurality of charge transfer gate drive pulses (TG pulses) to a predetermined minimum time difference. In addition, it is preferable that the gain is not corrected by the signal correcting means. Normally, in order to keep the ratio of the exposure time between the phases constant, the longer the exposure time is, the larger the output time difference of the TG pulse is set. Accordingly, when the exposure time is a predetermined value or more. In this case, the influence of the TG pulse output time difference can be set within a negligible range only by setting the output time difference of the TG pulse to a predetermined minimum time difference. Therefore, according to the above configuration, the output time difference of the TG pulse is not set unnecessarily large, and there is no arithmetic processing for gain correction.
It is possible to obtain a suitable imaging signal output without a line step.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a configuration of an imaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Here, a case where the present invention is implemented as a digital camera will be described as an example.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 101 denotes a lens system composed of various lenses; 102, a lens driving mechanism for driving the lens system 101; 103, an exposure control mechanism for controlling the diaphragm of the lens system 101; 104, a mechanical shutter; CCD color imaging device with a built-in Bayer color filter,
Reference numeral 106 denotes a TG block which is a CCD driving circuit for driving the image sensor 105, and 107 denotes a pre-processing circuit which is a pre-processing circuit for CCD output signals (including a CDS which is a sample and hold circuit, a clamp circuit, an A / D converter, etc. ) And 108 are digital process circuits for performing color signal generation processing, matrix conversion processing and other various digital processing, 109 is a card interface, 110
Denotes a memory card, and 111 denotes an LCD image display system.

As the CCD image pickup device 105, a progressive scan (sequential scanning) type having an interline structure is used. The vertical transfer path is a general four-phase drive. In a four-phase drive CCD image sensor, transfer electrodes have four phases (that is, four corresponding drive input terminals).
One of these phases is assigned to charge transfer from the photoelectric region to the vertical transfer path, and a high voltage (transfer gate pulse TGP (transfer gate pulse TGP) having a polarity opposite to that during normal charge transfer (exemplary value -7 V) is applied to the electrode. The charge transfer is performed by applying the exemplary value +15 V)). In other words, one phase doubles as a transfer electrode and a transfer gate electrode for charge transfer.

The drive line of the charge transfer gate electrode (TG electrode; the transfer gate electrode also used as above) of the CCD image pickup device 105 is divided into a plurality of phases (n phases), and the TG electrode is individually provided for each phase. Can be driven. That is, the conventionally known “pixel rearrangement addition readout”
, It is necessary to selectively transfer charges from each pixel portion (photoelectric conversion region) to the vertical transfer path, not all pixels at the same time. To realize such a function, the TG electrode is divided into an electrode group having an n-row cycle in order to perform the above-described selective charge transfer, and the transfer gate pulse TGP (T
G pulse).

In the present embodiment, n = 5 and the same periodic electrode group (line group) configuration is used. In response to these, C.sub.G is set using TG1 to TG5 which are independent TG pulses.
It is assumed that the CD imaging device 105 is driven. These TG1 to TG5 (+ 15V) are output from the TG block 106, and the generation timing of TG1 to TG5 is controlled by the TG block 106.

When all pixels are individually read, or when a well-known n-line addition drive for adding and reading all vertical n lines by a horizontal transfer path is performed, normally, TG1 to TG5 are simultaneously generated. It is necessary to transfer the signal charges of all pixels from the pixel portion to the vertical transfer path,
In the present embodiment, in order to prevent the charge reverse injection phenomenon caused by the simultaneous occurrence (simultaneous rising and falling) of TG1 to TG5, TG1 to TG5 by the TG block 106 are used.
Is adjusted so that the rising edges and the falling edges of TG1 to TG5 do not all overlap at the same time. As described above, in the imaging processing in which the output timings of TG1 to TG5 are shifted, in addition to performing “pixel rearrangement addition readout”, “all pixel individual readout” and “n line It is also used during "addition driving."

In the figure, reference numeral 112 denotes a system controller (CPU) for overall control of each unit; 113, an operation switch system including various operation buttons; 114, an operation for displaying an operation state and a mode state; Display system, 1
Reference numeral 15 denotes a lens driver for controlling the lens driving mechanism 102, 116 denotes a flash as a light emitting unit, 117 denotes an exposure control driver for controlling the flash 116 and the exposure control mechanism 103, and 118 denotes various setting information and the like. 1 shows a nonvolatile memory (EEPROM).

In the digital camera of this embodiment,
The system controller 112 performs overall control, and in particular, controls the driving of the CCD image pickup device 105 by using the TG block 106 to perform exposure (charge accumulation) and signal reading, and the pre-processing circuit The data is taken into the buffer memory of the digital process circuit 108 via 107, subjected to various signal processings, and recorded on the memory card 110 via the card interface 109.

In the digital camera of the present embodiment,
Except for a portion related to the timing adjustment of TG1 to TG5, which will be described in detail below, and an operation for correcting a line level difference caused by this, operations and controls similar to those of a normal digital camera are performed. The description of is omitted.

The digital process circuit 108 includes TG1
A step difference calculation circuit 108a is provided as a circuit for correcting the difference in exposure time between the line groups of the image sensor 105 due to the timing shift of TG5 through TG5 by calculation. The level difference correction operation circuit 108a performs digital operation (multiplication) for performing gain correction on the A / D converted digital image signal read from the CCD image sensor 105.

The system controller 112 is provided with an exposure time recognition unit 112a and a TG time difference control unit 112b so that the calculation by the step correction calculation circuit 108a can be performed only by multiplication of a fixed ratio. Exposure time recognition unit 112a
Is for recognizing the exposure time used in imaging using the CCD image sensor 105. The TG time difference control unit 112b is for variably setting the output time difference of TG1 to TG5, and is recognized by the exposure time recognition unit 112a so that the ratio of the exposure time between the line groups corresponding to each phase does not change. The output time difference between TG1 and TG5 is variably set according to the value of the exposure time. By the operation of these functional units, the exposure time difference between lines generated when the timings of a plurality of TG pulses of the imaging drive system are shifted is corrected by the calculation so that the calculation is always the same (fixed ratio). It is possible to control so as to give a corresponding time difference.

Next, referring to FIG.
The basic electrode structure 05 will be described.

In the CCD image pickup device 105, photoelectric conversion regions (pixel portions) composed of photodiodes are arranged in a matrix of rows and columns, and a vertical transfer path is provided for each pixel portion of one column in the vertical direction. A common horizontal transfer path is provided for each of the vertical transfer paths. FIG. 2 shows only the structure corresponding to the pixel portion for one column in the vertical direction and the corresponding vertical transfer path.

In FIG. 2, p1, p2, p3, p4
p5,... indicate pixel portions, and a, b, c, d are 4
The drive electrode (VCCD) of the vertical transfer path of the phase drive system is shown. Electrode a of these drive electrodes (VCCD)
Also serve as a transfer electrode (Transfer Gate: TG electrode) for transferring charges from the pixel portion to the vertical transfer path. The electrode a has a higher voltage TG than when the vertical transfer path is driven.
By applying the pulse, the charge is transferred from the pixel portion to the vertical transfer path. The electrodes b, c, and d are common to all pixel units. The electrode a (TG electrode) is common between the pixel units in the horizontal direction (row direction) in order to realize a variety of same-color addition driving and pixel order rearrangement, but has an n-row cycle in the vertical direction. It is divided into electrode groups corresponding to each row (electrodes 1a to 5a). Of course, T
In order to temporally disperse the degree of potential fluctuation due to the application of the G pulse, a plurality of TGs
What is necessary is just a CCD image sensor having an electrode structure capable of applying a pulse, and the division period structure of the TG electrode itself is not limited.

Next, the generation timing of TG1 to TG5 when it is necessary to transfer the signal charges of all the pixels from the pixel portion to the vertical transfer path will be described with reference to FIG. This is intended to temporally disperse the degree of potential fluctuation due to the application of the TG pulse as described above.

FIG. 3 is an example of timing used in the present embodiment. Here, it is assumed that up to two TG pulses, even if the simultaneous rise and fall thereof occur, the potential fluctuation caused by the simultaneous rise and fall is within an allowable range and the charge reverse injection phenomenon does not occur. That is, in FIG. 3, first, TG1 and TG2 are generated at the same time, and then TG3 and TG2 are simultaneously generated at the falling of TG1 and TG2.
G4 is generated simultaneously. Then, TG5 is generated at the same time when TG3 and TG4 fall. In this example, the simultaneous rise of the two TG pulses occurs independently at T
Only at the timing when G1 and TG2 are generated first, and at the same time when TG3 and TG4 rise at the same time, TG1 and TG2 fall at the same time, so that potential fluctuations are canceled out. Furthermore, since TG5 rises at the timing of the simultaneous fall of TG3 and TG4, the potential variation is only the rise of one TG pulse. TG like this
By shifting the generation timing of 1 to TG5, it is possible to prevent the charge reverse injection phenomenon.

CCD image sensor 10 corresponding to TG1 and TG2
TG pulse generation time difference between the 5th pixel line group (first group L1) and the pixel line group corresponding to TG3, 4 (second group L2), and the pixel line group corresponding to second group L2 and TG5 The time difference between the generation of the TG pulse between the first lens unit L3 and the third lens unit L3 is 2 μs.
μs.

Next, the relationship between the exposure time used for imaging and the ratio of the exposure time between the line groups will be described with reference to FIGS.

Here, the sequence of the shutter speed on the high-speed side of the digital camera is about 1/3 Ev (Tv), and is 1 / Ev (Tv).
10000 s (exposure time = 100 μs), 1/8000
s (exposure time = 125 μs), 1/6500 s (exposure time = 154 μs), 1/5000 s (exposure time = 200
μs), 1/4000 s (exposure time = 250 μs), 1
/ 3000s (exposure time = 333 μs), 1/2500
(Exposure time = 400 μs),... Normally, the detection limit of line level difference is about 1%
(If the ratio of the exposure time difference between the pixel lines exceeds 1%, the line step is visually recognized.)
In the case of 0 μs or more, the gain correction by the step difference calculation circuit 108a is not necessary, and the gain correction by the step difference correction calculation circuit 108a is necessary for the shorter exposure time.

FIG. 4 shows that 1/10000 s (exposure time = 1)
(00 μs) indicates the ratio of the exposure time between each line group. The exposure time of the line group L1 is 100 μs, and the line group L1 is determined based on the exposure time of the line group L1.
The exposure time of line group L2 is 102 μs and the exposure time of line group L3 is 104 μs, because the exposure time is increased by 2 μs for 2 and L3.

That is, the opening operation of the mechanical shutter 104,
Alternatively, exposure is started by the final application of a VSUB pulse (charge forcible discharge pulse) for forcibly discharging charges from the photoelectric conversion region to the substrate in a state where the mechanical shutter 104 is opened, and the timing is such that the exposure time becomes 100 μs. At this time, TG pulses (TG1, TG2) corresponding to the line group L1 are generated, and the exposure of the line group L1 is completed. Thereafter, a TG pulse (TG3, TG4) corresponding to the line group L2 is generated with a delay of 2 μs, thereby completing the exposure of the line group L2. Further, a TG pulse (TG5) corresponding to the line group L3 is generated with a delay of 2 μs, thereby completing the exposure of the line group L5.

The gain correction by the step correction calculation circuit 108a is performed with reference to the line group L1 having the shortest exposure time. Assuming that the image signal before correction is S (L) and the image signal after gain correction is S ′ (L), no gain correction of the image signal is performed for the line group L1 (S ′ (L)
1) = S (L1)), and S ′ (L
2) = S (L2) × K2 gain correction, and for line group L3, S ′ (L3) = S (L3) × K3 gain correction. The multiplier K2 is 100/102, and the multiplier K3 is 1
00/104.

FIG. 5 shows 1/5000 s (exposure time = 20
0 μs) shows the ratio of the exposure time between each line group. The exposure time of the line group L1 is 200 μs,
When the output time difference of the TG pulse is fixed as in the related art, the line groups L2 and L2 are set based on the exposure time of the line group L1.
In L3, the exposure time increases by 2 μs, so that the exposure time of the line group L2 is 202 μs and the exposure time of the line group L3 is 204 μs. In this case, the step correction operation circuit 10
8a, the multiplier K2 is set to 1 in FIG.
Change from 00/102 to 100/101, and multiplier K
3 needs to be changed from 100/104 in FIG. 4 to 100/102.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the output time difference of the TG pulse is variably set according to the exposure time T used for imaging, and the exposure time ratio between the line groups L1 to L3 is always equal to the exposure time shown in FIG. It is held at the same value as in the case of 100 μs. This is shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 shows 1/5000 s (exposure time = 200
μs), including any exposure time T (where T <4
00 μs), which corresponds to the TG of the line group L1.
TG of line group L2 for pulse (TG1, TG2)
Delay amount d of output timing of pulse (TG3, TG4)
2 is given by d2 = 2 × T / 100 (1) based on a delay amount of 2 μs when the exposure time is 100 μs. Therefore, when the exposure time is 200 μs, d2 = 4 μs, and the exposure time of the line group L2 is 20 μs.
4 μs. The exposure time ratio of the line groups L1 and L2 is 20
0/204 = 100/102, which is the same value as in the case of the exposure time = 100 μs in FIG. 4, so that the multiplier K2 used for the gain correction by the level difference correction operation circuit 108a
Is 100/102, the same as in FIG.

Similarly, the TG pulse (TG) of the line group L1
1, TG2) and the TG pulse (TG
The delay amount d3 of the output timing of (3, TG4) is given by d3 = 4 × T / 100 (2). Therefore, when the exposure time is 200 μs, d3 = 8 μs, and the exposure time of the line group L2 is 20 μs.
8 μs. The exposure time ratio of the line groups L1 and L3 is 20
0/208 = 100/104, which is also the same value as in the case where the exposure time = 100 μs in FIG. 4, so that the multiplier K3 used in the gain correction by the level difference correction operation circuit 108a.
Is 100/104, the same as in FIG.

By variably setting the output timing shift of the TG pulse corresponding to each line group in accordance with the exposure time, 1 / 10000s (exposure time = 1)
00 μs), 1/8000 s (exposure time = 125 μs)
s), 1/6500 s (exposure time = 154 μs), 1/500
5000s (exposure time = 200μs), 1 / 4000s
In both cases (exposure time = 250 μs) and 1/3000 s (exposure time = 333 μs), a common multiplier can be used for gain correction.

FIG. 7 shows the relationship between some typical exposure times and the corresponding delay amounts d2 and d3. According to the above equations (1) and (2), the exposure time = 100 μ
In the case of s, d2 and d3 are 2 μs and 4 μs, respectively.
Similarly, when the exposure time is 200 μs, d2 and d3 are 4 μs and 8 μs, respectively, and when the exposure time is 250 μs, d2,
d3 is 6 μs, 10 μs, respectively, exposure time = 333 μ
In the case of s, d2 and d3 are 6.66 μs and 13.3, respectively.
2 μs.

When the exposure time ≧ 400 μs, d
2 and d3 are set to the same minimum values as when the exposure time is 100 μs, and are controlled so that the gain correction calculation by the step correction calculation circuit 108a is not performed. When exposure time ≧ 400 μs, d2 and d3 are each 2 μm.
s and 4 μs, the exposure time ratio between the line groups L1 to L3 is different from the other exposure times, but the exposure time ratio is 1% or less.
It is possible to obtain a good image with no line step without the gain correction calculation by 8a.

That is, the gain correction calculation by the step correction calculation circuit 108a is executed only when the exposure time recognition unit 112a recognizes the exposure time ≦ 333 μs (that is, 400 μs in the shutter series of the camera).
When the above exposure time is specified by photometry or by the user, d2 and d3 are each set to the exposure time = 1.
The value is set to the same minimum value as in the case of 00 μs, and the gain correction calculation by the step correction calculation circuit 108a is not performed.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the output time difference of the TG pulse can be changed according to the length of the exposure time to be used, so that the line corresponding to each phase can be changed regardless of the exposure time. It is possible to make the ratio of the exposure time between groups constant. Therefore, the step correction operation circuit 10
8a can be realized only by a simple arithmetic circuit that multiplies a predetermined fixed multiplier for each phase.

The purpose of shifting the timing of the TG pulse is arbitrary. For example, the present invention can be similarly applied to “pixel rearrangement addition readout” described in the related art. in this case,
The minimum value of the TG timing shift is determined by the vertical CCD transfer (for example, about 7 μs per vertical transfer for one line) for changing the pixel order, and can be similarly defined based on this. That is, in the present embodiment, T in FIG.
Although the timing shift amount of each TG pulse is variably set based on the timing of the G pulse, when performing “pixel rearrangement addition readout”, the predetermined timing shift of the TG pulse required for that is determined. As a reference, the timing shift amount of each TG pulse may be variably set according to the exposure time.

The present invention is not limited to a digital still camera, but can be applied to any image pickup device including a movie camera.

Further, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be variously modified in an implementation stage without departing from the scope of the invention. Further, the embodiments include inventions at various stages, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriately combining a plurality of disclosed constituent elements. For example, even if some components are deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment, the problem described in the column of the problem to be solved by the invention can be solved, and the effects described in the column of the effect of the invention can be solved. If you get
A configuration from which this configuration requirement is deleted can be extracted as an invention.

[0047]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Even when a plurality of TG pulses are output with a time difference, it is possible to keep the ratio of the exposure time between the phases constant irrespective of the exposure time, and to simplify the calculation processing for gain correction.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary view for explaining a basic electrode structure of a solid-state imaging device used in the imaging device of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of generation timing of TG1 to TG5.

FIG. 4 is a first diagram illustrating a ratio of an exposure time between line groups of the solid-state imaging device.

FIG. 5 is a second diagram illustrating a ratio of an exposure time between line groups of the solid-state imaging device.

FIG. 6 is an exemplary view for explaining an operation of variably setting the amount of shift in the occurrence timing of TG1 to TG5 in the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a view showing the relationship between some representative exposure times used in the embodiment and the amount of TG pulse generation timing shift;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 ... Imaging lens 102 ... Lens drive mechanism 103 ... Exposure control mechanism 104 ... Mechanical shutter 105 ... CCD color imaging element 106 ... TG block 107 ... Pre-process circuit 108 ... Digital process circuit 108a ... Step correction calculation circuit 112 ... System controller 112a ... Exposure Time recognition unit 112b ... TG time difference control unit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G06T 1/00 430 G06T 1/00 430D 5C051 H01L 27/148 H04N 1/028 A 5C065 H04N 1/028 H04N 9 / 07 A // H04N 9/07 H04N 101: 00 H04N 101: 00 H01L 27/14 BF term (reference) 2H002 DB02 EB01 FB22 FB38 FB86 GA24 HA01 JA07 JA08 JA09 ZA03 2H054 AA01 4M118 AA10 AB01 BA10 BA13 DB01 DB08 DB10 FA06 FA35 GC07 GC14 5B047 AB02 BB02 CA06 CB17 5C024 AX04 BX01 CX61 EX31 EX34 EX42 EX52 GX03 GY04 HX15 HX55 HX60 JX11 JX25 5C051 AA01 BA03 DA03 DB01 DB08 DE03 5C065 AA03 BB48 DD07 DD17 EE03 FF02

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A solid-state imaging device capable of driving a charge transfer gate for controlling charge transfer from an image section constituting a pixel array to a vertical transfer path by dividing the charge transfer gate into a plurality of phases, and corresponding to the plurality of phases. A driving means capable of outputting a plurality of charge transfer gate driving pulses (TG pulses) to the solid-state imaging device; and the driving means for terminating the exposure when a predetermined exposure time has elapsed from the start of the exposure. Exposure control means for outputting a transfer gate drive pulse (TG pulse), wherein when the plurality of charge transfer gate drive pulses (TG pulses) are output with a predetermined output time difference, the output time difference is determined by the exposure time And an output time difference control means variably set in accordance with the condition. 2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising signal correction means for performing a predetermined gain correction for each of the phases with respect to the imaging signal read from the solid-state imaging device. 3. When the exposure time is equal to or longer than a predetermined value, the output time difference control means sets an output time difference between the plurality of charge transfer gate drive pulses (TG pulses) to a predetermined minimum time difference. 3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the signal correction unit is configured not to perform gain correction. 4. A solid-state image sensor which can be driven by dividing a charge transfer gate for controlling charge transfer from an image section constituting a pixel array to a vertical transfer path into a plurality of phases, and corresponding to each of the plurality of phases. Means for supplying a plurality of charge transfer gate drive pulses (TG pulses) to the solid-state imaging device with a predetermined output time difference, and a predetermined gain for each of the phases with respect to an imaging signal read from the solid-state imaging device A signal correcting means for performing correction, and a plurality of charge transfer gate drive pulses (TG pulses) corresponding to the value of the exposure time used so that the ratio of the exposure time of each of the plurality of phases is maintained at a predetermined value. An image pickup apparatus comprising: output time difference control means for variably setting an output time difference.