JPH06253203A - Solid-state image pickup element inspecting instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate the need for a microcomputer from an instrument of the solid-state image pickup device and to reduce bit number inspecting of a switch. CONSTITUTION:An EIS-CCD 11 is divided into upper and lower parts and when a switch 15 is used to select an upper part of the EIS-CCD 11, an output address setting circuit built in an EIS-TG13 varies a drive pulse of the EIS-TG13 so that the circuit discharges charges of a lower signal charge line within a vertical blanking period at a high speed and outputs the charges on an upper signal charge lines within a video period at a usual transfer speed. Thus, the charges of the upper signal charge lines are outputted from the EIS-CCD 11. When the switch 15 is used to select the lower part of the EIS-CCD, charges of the lower signal charge lines are outputted within a video period at a usual transfer speed and the charges of the upper signal charge lines are discharged at a high speed for the vertical blanking period. Thus, all charges of signal charge lines of the EIS-CCD 11 are outputted by using the switch 15 to select output addresses of the EIS-CCD 11.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a solid-state image pickup device inspection apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, video cameras have become more multifunctional and more sophisticated, and functions such as camera shake prevention and electronic zoom have become indispensable.

The number of vertical signal charge lines in which the signal charges of two rows of photodiodes, that is, the photoelectric conversion elements of two rows are vertically mixed on the vertical CCD is larger than the number of scanning lines of the television system. When a large number of solid-state image pickup devices (hereinafter referred to as EIS-CCD) are displayed on a monitor for inspection, all pixels cannot be displayed simultaneously on a normal monitor.

The image output inspection method of the above EIS-CCD will be described below with reference to the EIS-CCD screen output example of FIG. When inspecting the EIS-CCD, as shown in FIG. 3, first, the upper part (A) of the EIS-CCD is displayed on the monitor, and then the lower part (B) of the EIS-CCD is displayed on the monitor. All the photodiodes of the EIS-CCD are displayed and inspected.

Hereinafter, the EIS-CC used at this time
The D inspection device will be described with reference to the block diagram of the EIS-CCD inspection device in FIG.

The EIS-CCD inspection device shown in FIG.
-CCD1, EIS-CCD1 for the subject with a lens, etc.
An optical unit 2 for forming an image on the upper side, a circuit (hereinafter referred to as TG) 3 for generating a synchronizing signal of a CCD driving pulse and a television signal, and a voltage of the CCD driving pulse output from TG3 is applied to the EIS-CCD1. Driver 4 for converting the voltage of the pulse to be output, a microcomputer or an emulator (hereinafter referred to as a microcomputer) 5 for transmitting the address data of the output location to the TG 3, a switch 6 for setting the address of the output location in the microcomputer 5, and a sync signal for CCD It is composed of a signal processing unit 7 which performs synthesis or the like on the output and outputs it as a television signal.

The operation of the conventional EIS-CCD inspection device will be described below.

First, the subject is EIS-ed by the optical unit 2.
An image is formed on the CCD 1.

Next, the address of the image portion desired to be output from the EIS-CCD 1 is set in the switch 6 of several bits (9 bits are required when the number of vertical lines is 300), and output from the EIS-CCD 1. Determines the number of vertical signal charge lines to be applied. Then, the output address data is transmitted from the microcomputer 5 to the TG 3 according to the setting of the switch 6.

The drive pulse of TG3 changes according to the above output address data, and the changed drive pulse is applied to the driver 4
Is applied to the EIS-CCD 1 via. Then, the CCD output that is output according to the data of the output address is output to the signal processing unit 7. The CCD output is converted into a television signal by the signal processing unit 7 and then displayed on a monitor for inspection.

[0011]

However, in the above-mentioned configuration, in determining the output address of the image,
There is a problem that the data transfer via the microcomputer is required and the structure of the inspection device becomes complicated.

In the case of a CCD having 300 signal charge lines, the switch requires 9 bits,
There is also a problem that the number of bits of the switch increases.

In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to remove the microcomputer from the structure of the conventional inspection device and reduce the number of bits of the switch, thereby simplifying the inspection device and the operation.

[0014]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention divides a photoelectric conversion part into a plurality of parts in the vertical direction in advance and divides the divided part in the photoelectric conversion part designated by a switch. The data is sequentially output to the monitor for inspection.

Specifically, in the solution means taken by the invention of claim 1, a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements are arranged two-dimensionally and a photoelectric conversion portion in which signal charges are accumulated, and a photoelectric conversion portion are transferred. A vertical transfer unit for transferring the signal charges in the vertical direction, a vertical drive unit for transferring the signal charges of the vertical transfer unit in the vertical direction, and a signal charge transferred from the vertical transfer unit in the horizontal direction. And a signal charge detection unit for converting the signal charge transferred from the horizontal transfer unit into a signal voltage or a signal current and outputting the signal voltage or signal current. For a solid-state image sensor inspecting device for inspecting a solid-state image sensor in which the number of mixed signal charge lines is larger than the number of scanning lines of a television system, the photoelectric conversion unit is divided into a plurality of vertically divided parts. Each of the above Specifying unit for sequentially specifying one of the divided photoelectric conversion units having signal charge lines less than the number of scanning lines of the John system, and the divided photoelectric conversion unit specified by the specifying unit for the vertical drive unit. Control means for controlling the signal charge of the signal charge line belonging to the unit to be transferred.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of the first aspect, the control means applies the drive pulse for transferring the signal charge of the signal charge line belonging to the divided photoelectric conversion section designated by the designating means to the vertical drive section. In addition, a configuration in which a driving pulse generating means for outputting to is provided is added.

[0017]

According to the structure of claim 1, when the designating unit designates one of the plurality of divided photoelectric conversion units, the control unit causes the vertical driving unit to designate the divided photoelectric conversion unit. In the solid-state image sensor, only the signal charges belonging to the one division photoelectric conversion unit among the signal charges existing in the vertical transfer unit are transferred to the horizontal transfer unit in the solid-state imaging device. The signal is transferred and output from the signal charge detection unit as a signal voltage or a signal current. When the designating unit designates another divided photoelectric conversion unit of the plurality of divided photoelectric conversion units, the signal charges belonging to the other divided photoelectric conversion unit among the signal charges existing in the vertical transfer unit are transferred to the horizontal transfer unit. And is output as a signal voltage or a signal current from the signal charge detection unit. In this way, by sequentially designating the plurality of divided photoelectric conversion units, all the signal charges of the photoelectric conversion units are transferred and output.

According to the invention of claim 2, the drive pulse generating means of the control means outputs the drive pulse for transferring the signal charge of the signal charge line belonging to the divided photoelectric conversion part designated by the designating means to the vertical drive part. The vertical drive unit sequentially transfers the designated signal charges of the vertical transfer unit to the horizontal transfer unit based on the drive pulse.

[0019]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, based on the block diagram of FIG. 1, EIS-
The CCD inspection device will be described.

In the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes an EIS-CCD, and the EIS-CCD 11 is a photoelectric conversion unit in which a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements are two-dimensionally arranged and signal charges are accumulated,
A vertical transfer unit for vertically transferring the signal charges transferred from the photoelectric conversion unit, a horizontal transfer unit for horizontally transferring the signal charges transferred from the vertical transfer unit, and the horizontal transfer And a signal charge detection unit that converts the signal charge transferred from the unit into a signal voltage or a signal current and outputs the signal voltage or signal current.

In the figure, reference numeral 12 denotes an optical unit for forming an image of a subject on the EIS-CCD 11 by a lens or the like.
Reference numeral 13 designates a transfer number of signal charge lines in the vertical direction by designating a switch 15 which will be described later, and a control circuit (hereinafter, referred to as EIS-TG) as a control means for generating a CCD drive pulse and a synchronizing signal of a television signal in accordance therewith. , 14 is a CCD output from the EIS-TG13.
A driver as a vertical drive unit for converting the voltage of the drive pulse into the voltage of the pulse applied to the EIS-CCD 11, 15
Is a switch as designating means for setting the address of the output location of the EIS-CCD 11, and 16 is a signal processing section for synthesizing the synchronizing signal with the CCD output and outputting a television signal.

The operation of the EIS-CCD inspection apparatus according to this embodiment will be described below.

Here, as an example, a case where the number of signal charge lines in the vertical direction of the EIS-CCD is 300 and the number of scanning lines in one field (60 Hz) of the television system is 250 will be described. The upper part (A) of the EIS-CCD shown in FIG. 3 is from the first stage to the 250th stage of the signal charge line in the vertical direction.
The lower part (B) of the CCD is 51 of the vertical signal charge line.
It is assumed that it is from the third stage to the 300th stage.

First of all, the subject is subjected to EIS by the optical unit 12.
Imaged on CCD 11.

Next, the switch 15 is used to switch the EIS-CCD.
When the upper part (A) of 11 is selected, the output address setting circuit built in the EIS-TG 13 is set to 2 of the signal charge line.
High-speed discharge (about 400 kHz) from the 51st to 300th steps into the vertical blanking, and output from the 1st to 250th steps of the signal charge line at the normal transfer rate (about 16 kHz) within the video period. The drive pulse of the EIS-TG 13 is changed to. Then, by applying the drive pulse voltage-converted by the driver 14 to the EIS-CCD 11, the upper 250 stages of the signal charge line are output from the EIS-CCD 11, and the CCD output is used as a synchronization signal in the signal processing unit 16. They are combined and output as a television signal. And EIS-CCD is on the monitor
The upper part (A) of 11 is output as an image and inspected.

Similarly, the switch 15 is used to switch the EIS-CC.
When the lower part (B) of D is selected, the output address setting circuit built in the EIS-TG 13 is connected to the signal charge line 51
Normal transfer speed (about 16kHz)
z) in the video period, and the first to the 50th stages of the signal charge line are rapidly discharged into the vertical blanking (about 4
Drive pulse of the EIS-TG 13 is determined so as to set the frequency to 00 kHz). Then, by applying the drive pulse voltage-converted by the driver 14 to the EIS-CCD 11, the lower 250 steps of the signal charge line is output from the EIS-CCD 11, and the CCD output is the CCD output.
In 6, it is combined with the synchronizing signal and output as a television signal. Then, the lower part (B) of the EIS-CCD 11 is output to the monitor as an image and inspected.

As described above, in the inspection apparatus for the solid-state image pickup device according to this embodiment, the EIS-CCD 1 is directly operated by the switch 15.
EIS-C by switching the output address of 1
All the signal charge lines of the CD 11 are output, and the image output inspection of all the photodiodes is performed.

Therefore, when the output location is determined, the number of transfer stages can be directly determined by the switch 15 through the vertical transfer setting circuit built in the EIS-TG 13, so that the microcomputer and the emulator can be omitted.

The switch 15 is the EIS-CCD 1
Since it is only necessary to select the upper part (A) or the lower part (B) of 1, it is possible to output all the photodiodes if the switch 15 can be set to 1 bit.

In this embodiment, the CCD output location is EIS.
-There were two types of upper part (A) and lower part (B) of the CCD 11, that is, the upper part of the screen and the lower part of the screen, but instead of this, C
The CD output location may be set to two or more types, such as an upper screen portion, a lower screen portion, and a central screen portion.

[0032]

As described above, according to the solid-state image pickup device inspection apparatus of the present invention, one of the divided photoelectric conversion units is divided into a plurality of photoelectric conversion units in the vertical direction, and one of the divided photoelectric conversion units is sequentially arranged. Since the vertical drive unit includes the control unit that controls the vertical drive unit to transfer the signal charge of the signal charge line belonging to the divided photoelectric conversion unit designated by the designating unit, the designating unit divides into one. When the photoelectric conversion unit is designated, the control unit causes the vertical drive unit to transfer the signal charges of the signal charge lines belonging to the divided photoelectric conversion unit designated by the designation unit. The signal charges of the signal charge lines belonging to the specified divided photoelectric conversion unit are sequentially transferred to the horizontal transfer unit,
The signal charge detection unit outputs the signal voltage or signal current.

Therefore, according to the present invention, all the signal charges of the photoelectric conversion units can be sequentially transferred only by sequentially designating the divided photoelectric conversion units by the designating means, so that a microcomputer, an emulator and the like are not required. Since the multi-bit switch for determining the address output by the microcomputer, the emulator, etc. is not necessary and the complicated operation is not necessary, the practical effect of the solid-state image sensor inspection apparatus of the present invention is extremely large. is there.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a solid-state image pickup device inspection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional solid-state image pickup device inspection apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of setting an output address when testing a conventional solid-state image sensor.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 EIS-CCD 2 Optical part 3 EIS-TG 4 Driver 5 Microcomputer 6 Switch or emulator 7 Signal processing part 11 EIS-CCD (solid-state image sensor) 12 Optical part 13 EIS-TG (control means) 14 Driver (driving means) 15 Switch (designating means) 16 Signal processing unit

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A photoelectric conversion unit in which a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements are two-dimensionally arranged and signal charges are accumulated, and a vertical transfer unit for vertically transferring the signal charges transferred from the photoelectric conversion unit. A vertical drive unit for vertically transferring the signal charges of the vertical transfer unit, a horizontal transfer unit for horizontally transferring the signal charges transferred from the vertical transfer unit, and a transfer from the horizontal transfer unit. And a signal charge detection unit for converting the received signal charge into a signal voltage or a signal current and outputting the signal voltage or signal current, and the number of signal charge lines formed by mixing the signal charges for two rows of the photoelectric conversion elements is equal to the number of televisions. A solid-state image sensor inspecting device for inspecting a solid-state image sensor having more than the number of scanning lines of the system, wherein the photoelectric conversion unit is vertically divided into a plurality of parts, each of which is equal to or less than the number of scanning lines of the television system. Signal charge line Specifying means for sequentially specifying one of the divided photoelectric conversion parts having a plurality of divided photoelectric conversion parts, and the vertical drive part transfers the signal charges of the signal charge lines belonging to the divided photoelectric conversion parts specified by the specifying means. A solid-state image sensor inspection device, comprising: 2. The control means includes drive pulse generation means for outputting to the vertical drive section drive pulses for transferring the signal charges of the signal charge lines belonging to the divided photoelectric conversion section designated by the designation section. The solid-state image sensor inspection device according to claim 1.