Apparatus and method for producing a still image video signal using solid-state imaging device

摘要

A solid-state imaging device exposed to incident light ray for a predetermined period of time is driven such that photoelectric conversion signals produced therein are read out twice or more. The photoelectric conversion signals read out in sequence are added to each other such that two or more photoelectric conversion signals from each pixel are added to each other, to produce a resultant sum image signal. The photoelectric conversion signals from the solid-state imaging device may be digitally processed such that A/D converted signal resulted from a first time reading out from the solid-state imaging device is stored in a memory, and this signal is added to a subsequently A/D converted signal resulted from a second time reading out. In the case that the number of times of reading out from the solid-state imaging device is only two, the A/D converted signal resulted from the second time reading may be multiplied by a predetermined coefficient before addition. In the case that a nonlinear quantization characteristic is given to the A/D converter, nonlinear-to-linear conversion is effected before addition.