Each of even series outputs of a CCD is clamped by a third capacitor and a fifth transistor in a high precise mode of a reader. Each of odd series outputs of the CCD is clamped by a first capacitor and a second transistor. The clamped odd and even series outputs are converted to digital signals by a first AD converter. In a high speed mode of the reader, odd series outputs of the CCD are clamped in a unit of one line period by first and second capacitors and the second transistor. In the high speed mode, even series outputs of the CCD are clamped in the unit of one line period by third and fourth capacitors and a fifth transistor. The clamped odd and even series outputs are respectively converted to digital signals by individual first and second AD converters. In this reader, the high precise mode or the high speed mode can be selected in accordance with necessity.

An imaging system and method for registering a plurality of fractionally shifted integrated scenes of an image for an imaging system using an optical system and a sensing system, said sensing system including an integer number of photosensor arrays, such as, a CCD sensor array, wherein said integer is a number N greater than or equal to 2, said photosensor arrays having optical line spacings OLS(K+1:K) in reference to a leading photosensor array K and with respect to a lagging photosensor array K+1, for K equal to an integer from 1 to N-1, and wherein each of said plurality of N photosensor arrays further includes corresponding N transfer gate receiving means, so that, each of said N photosensor arrays is capable of being independently triggered to convert optical signals into electrical signals in response to a corresponding one of a plurality of transfer gate signals, TG.sub.i (t), where i is an integer from 1 to N, and wherein each one of said transfer gate signals has a periodicity T and angular frequency .omega., said transfer gate signals being of the general form TG.sub.i (t)=Tg.sub.i (.omega.(t-.tau..sub.i). In one important embodiment of the present invention, the periodic transfer gate signals are shifted in time by a delay equal to the product of the fractional lineskip and period of the transfer gate signal. The fractional lineskip is the fractional component of the optical line spacing between a leading photosensor array and a lagging photosensor array divided by the scanned pixel size.

A method and apparatus for interactively modifying an image defined by original digital data, representing the color content of pixels of the image at a first resolution. The apparatus comprises a first store (4;12) for storing the digital data of the pixels at the first resolution; a monitor (9); a digitizing table (5); and an image processor (6;13,15). The image processor (6;13,15) is responsive to signals from the digitizing table (5) to select a modification algorithm and a portion of the image stored in the first store (4;12) to which the algorithm is to be applied. The image processor is further adapted to modify a subset of pixels of the image portion in accordance with the selected algorithm and to cause the modification image portion to be displayed on a monitor (9) at a second, lower resolution under the control of the modified pixels, and to modify and display successive subsets of the high resolution pixels while the same image portion and algorithm are selected and until all the high resolution pixels within the selected portion have been modified.

An operating element with a settable operating characteristic for generating numerical control values A converts position signals P corresponding to the position of a linear sensor element into control values A using an assignment characteristic curve. Different assignment characteristic curves can be selected by means of a control quantity K. An arrangement for processing video or audio signals processes input signals S.sub.in accordance with a function S.sub.out (A, S.sub.in). The numerical control values A are fed by means of an operating element to the arrangement for processing video or audio signals.

The linear image sensor according to the present invention includes a light receiving a member consisting of at least three light receiving pixel lines 11, 12 and 13; signal charge transfer sections 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36 located on both sides of each of the light receiving pixel lines 11, 12 and 13 of the light receiving a member; and branch transfer sections 33c and 34c which branch from the signal charge transfer sections 33 and 34, which are located on both sides of at least one of the at least three light receiving pixel lines 11, 12 and 13, to extend to reach the signal charge transfer sections 32 and 35 of the adjacent light receiving pixel lines 11 and 13.