1. A solid-state image pickup device comprising:
a pixel array including pixels arranged in a matrix, wherein each pixel is configured to perform photoelectric conversion;
a pixel signal readout unit for reading out a pixel signal from the pixel array in units of a plurality of pixels; and
a timing control unit for controlling processing of the pixel signal readout unit by using a timing signal,
wherein the pixel signal readout unit includes:
a plurality of comparators, disposed in correspondence with a column array of pixels, for comparing a readout signal potential with a reference voltage to generate a determination signal and outputting the determination signal, and
a plurality of counters whose operations are controlled by outputs of the comparators, wherein each of the counters counts a comparison time of each corresponding one of the comparators; and
wherein the timing control unit (a) divides a predetermined processing period into at least a first-time readout period, a first comparison period in which a comparison is performed by the comparator, a second-time readout period, and a second-time comparison period in which a comparison is performed by the comparator, (b) classifies the periods into a period required as a fixed period and a period set with an arbitrary period width, and (c) generates a timing signal of processing of each divided period by counting for each divided period in the counter.
2. The solid-state image pickup device according to claim 1, wherein the processing period is one horizontal period.
3. The solid-state image pickup device according to claim 2, wherein the timing control unit generates the timing signal by using a start or end of each period divided from the one horizontal period as a reference.
4. The solid-state image pickup device according to claim 1, wherein the timing control unit comprises:
a counter for performing a count operation from an initial value every time a state signal representative of a processing state of the divided period is switched;
a sequencer circuit for generating the state signal of each divided period in accordance with information on each divided period and a count value of the counter and outputting the state signal to the counter;
a register to which rising period designation information, falling period designation information, rising position designation information, and falling position designation information, on a timing signal generated for each processing state, are set, respectively; and
a circuit configured to read out corresponding setting information of the resister every time the state signal is switched, and generate the timing signals for the respective states corresponding to the setting information and the count value.
5. The solid-state image pickup device according to claim 3, wherein the timing control unit comprises:
a counter for performing a count operation from an initial value each time a state signal representative of a processing state of the divided period is switched;
a sequencer circuit for generating the state signal of each divided period in accordance with information on each divided period and a count value of the counter and outputting the state signal to the counter;
a register to which rising period designation information, falling period designation information, rising position designation information, and falling position designation information, on a timing signal generated for each state, are set, respectively; and
a circuit configured to readout corresponding setting information of the resister every time the state signal is switched, and generate the timing signal for each state corresponding to the setting information and the count value.
6. A driving method for a solid-state image pickup device, the solid-state image pickup device which includes a pixel array including pixels, arranged in a matrix, for performing photoelectric conversion; and a pixel signal readout unit for reading out a pixel signal from the pixel array in units of a plurality of pixels, wherein the pixel signal readout unit includes a plurality of comparators disposed in correspondence with a column array of pixels for comparing a readout signal potential with a reference voltage to generate a determination signal, and outputting the determination signal, and a plurality of counters whose operation are controlled by outputs of the comparators, for counting a comparison time of each corresponding one of the comparators, the method comprising the steps of:
dividing a predetermined processing period into at least a first-time readout period, a first comparison period in which a comparison is conducted by the comparator, a second-time readout period, and a second-time comparison period in which a comparison is performed by the comparator;
classifying the periods into a period required as a fixed period and a period set with an arbitrary period width;
generating the timing signal of processing of each divided period by counting in the counter; and
performing control and processing of the pixel signal readout unit by using the generated timing signal.
7. The driving method for a solid-state image pickup device according to claim 6, wherein the processing period is one horizontal period.
8. The driving method for a solid-state image pickup device according to claim 7, wherein the timing signal is generated by using a start or end of each period divided from the one horizontal period as a reference.
9. A camera system comprising:
a solid-state image pickup device; and
an optical system for focusing an object image on the solid-state image pickup device,
wherein:
the solid-state image pickup device includes:
a pixel array including pixels for photoelectric conversion disposed in a matrix, a pixel signal readout unit for reading out a pixel signal from the pixel array in units of a plurality of pixels, and a timing control unit for controlling processing of the pixel signal readout unit by using a timing signal;
the pixel signal readout unit includes:
a plurality of comparators disposed in correspondence with a column array of pixels for comparing a readout signal potential with a reference voltage to judge the comparison and outputting a judgment signal, and a plurality of counters whose operation is controlled by outputs of the comparators, for counting a comparison time of each corresponding one of the comparators; and
the timing control unit (a) divides a predetermined processing period at least into a first-time readout period, a first comparison period in which a comparison is performed by the comparator, a second-time readout period and a second-time comparison period in which a comparison is performed by the comparator, (b) classifies the periods into a period required as a fixed period and a period set with an arbitrary period width, and (c) generates the timing signal of processing of each divided period by counting with the counter.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for constructing a virtual operating system (VOS), comprising:
according to executable code of an application program loaded in user-mode memory space, acquiring library invoking information of an operating system (OS) library to be invoked for executing the application program;
according to the library invoking information, modifying an access path of the OS library to be invoked by the application program so as to make the application program invoke the VOS; and
a VOS loader loading program code corresponding to the VOS into the user-mode memory space.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of, according to the library invoking information, modifying an access path of OS library to be invoked by the application program so as to make the application program invoke the VOS comprises:
according to the library invoking information, acquiring the OS library to be invoked by the application program; and
using a jump program to replace an executable program at an access entry of the OS library and the application program turning to invoke the VOS according to the jump program.
3. The method according to claim 2, during using the jump program to replace the executable program at the access entry of the OS library, further comprising:
storing the executable program at the access entry of the OS library replaced by the jump program.
4. The method according to claim 3, after the application program turns to invoke the VOS according to the jump program, further comprising:
executing the executable program at the access entry of the OS library replaced by the jump program and returning back to invoke the OS library.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of the VOS loader loading program code corresponding to the VOS into the user-mode memory space comprises:
the VOS loader performing an invoking link between a dynamic link library (DLL) file comprising program code corresponding to the VOS and the executable code of the application program.
6. The method according to claim 1, before acquiring library invoking information of the OS library to be invoked for executing the application program according to executable code of the application program loaded in user-mode memory space, further comprising:
according to an instruction message for executing the application program, allocating memory space for the application program in user-mode memory space; and
loading executable code of the application program into the allocated user-mode memory space.
7. The method according to claim 2, before acquiring library invoking information of the OS library to be invoked for executing the application program according to executable code of the application program loaded in user-mode memory space, further comprising:
according to an instruction message for executing the application program, allocating memory space for the application program in user-mode memory space; and
loading executable code of the application program into the allocated user-mode memory space.
8. The method according to claim 3, before acquiring library invoking information of the OS library to be invoked for executing the application program according to executable code of the application program loaded in user-mode memory space, further comprising:
according to an instruction message for executing the application program, allocating memory space for the application program in user-mode memory space; and
loading executable code of the application program into the allocated user-mode memory space.
9. The method according to claim 4, before acquiring library invoking information of the OS library to be invoked for executing the application program according to executable code of the application program loaded in user-mode memory space, further comprising:
according to an instruction message for executing the application program, allocating memory space for the application program in user-mode memory space; and
loading executable code of the application program into the allocated user-mode memory space.
10. The method according to claim 5, before acquiring library invoking information of the OS library to be invoked for executing the application program according to executable code of the application program loaded in user-mode memory space, further comprising:
according to an instruction message for executing the application program, allocating memory space for the application program in user-mode memory space; and
loading executable code of the application program into the allocated user-mode memory space.