Solid state imaging apparatus

Claim 2

A solid state imaging apparatus having a substrate and a plurality of cells formed on the substrate, which accumlate charge signals in response to an intensity of an incident light from an object and producing a video signal representing an optical image of the object, by reading the charge signals from said cells, in which each of said cell comprises : a photosensitive element ; a switching element which is substantially connected to said photosensitive element and reads out/the charge signals therefrom under the control of a read pulse; and a coupling element for capacitive coupling the connection point of said photosensitive element and the switching element to an electrode to which a blooming suppression pulse is supplied, the blooming supression pulse being in synchronism with said read pulse.

Claim 3

A solid state imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said photosensitive element comprises a heterojunction photoconductor which also constructs said coupling element.

Claim 4

A solid state imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said coupling element comprises a capacitor coupling the connection point to said electrode.

Claim 5

A solid state imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said switching element comprises a FET.

Claim 6

A solid state imaging apparatus having a substrate and plurality of.cells formed on the substrate, which accumulate charge signals in response to an intensity of an incident light from an object and producing a video signal representing an optical image of the object by reading the charge signals from said cells, in which each of said cell comprises : a first diode which has a junction capacitance and accumulates the charge signals therein ; a switching element which is substantially connected to said first diode and reads out the charge signals therefrom under the control of a read pulse applied to a control electrode thereof ; a second diode which has a junction capacitance therein and is connected to the connection point of said first diode and said switching element ; a first means supplying said read pulse to the control electrode,of said switching element,; and a second means supplying a bias voltage which includes a blooming suppression pulse to one of said first and second diodes, the blooming suppression pulse being in synchronism with the read pulse.

Claim 7

A solid state imaging apparatus having a substrate and plurality of.cells formed on the substrate, which accumulate charge signals in response to an intensity of an incident light from an object and producing a video signal representing an optical image of the object by reading the charge signals from said cells, in which each of said cell comprises : a first diode which has a junction capacitance and accumulates the charge signals therein ; a switching element which is substantially connected to said first diode and reads out the charge signals therefrom under the control of a read pulse applied to a control electrode thereof ; a second diode which has a junction capacitance therein and is connected to the connection point of said first diode and said switching element ; a first means supplying said read pulse to the control electrode,of said switching element,; and a second means supplying a bias voltage which includes a blooming suppression pulse to one of said first and second diodes, the blooming suppression pulse being in synchronism with the read pulse.

Claim 8

A solid state imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first diode comprises a heterojunction photoconductor.

Claim 9

A solid state imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein said bias voltage has a predetermined voltage level except in the interval of said blooming suppression pulse, and the connection point of said first and second diodes is clamped at a voltage level decided by the predetermined voltage level when the intensity of the incident light exceeds a predetermined amount.

Claim 10

A solid state imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said cell further comprises ; a temporary storage region for temporary storing said charge signals read out through said switching element from said first diode ; and a transfer element having an electrode for transfering out the charge signals from said temporary storage region for producing the video signal under the control of a transfer pulse provided to the electrode: which is coupled to the control electrode of said switching element.

Claim 11

A solid state imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the amplitude of said read pulse is larger than that of said transfer pulse.

Claim 12

A solid state imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the amplitude of said read pulse is equal to that of said transfer pulse.

Claim 13

A solid state imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 8, 9 or 10, wherein the level of the bias voltage is larger than that of said transfer pulse and the connection point of said first diode and said switching element is clamped at a predetermined voltage level decided by said bias voltage when the intensity of the incident light is about to exceed a predetermined amount.

Claim 14

A solid state imaging apparatus for producing a video signal representing an optical image of an object, said apparatus comprising ; a semiconductor substrate ; a plurality of a diffused regions which are formed in said substrate and have an opposite conductivity characteristic with respect to that of said substrate so as to form a first diode ; a plurality of other regions which are formed in or upon said diffused regions so as to form a second diode ; an insulating layer formed on said substrate ; a gate electrode means which is formed on said insulating layer and reads out charge signals which is accumulated in one of said first and second diodes and the amount of which is in proportion to the amount of the incident light, under the control of a read pulse supplied thereto ; and -a electrode means electrically coupled to said other regions, to which means a bias voltage including a blooming suppression pulse which is in synchronism with the read pulse.

Claim 15

A solid state imaging apparatus for producing a video signal representing an optical image of an object, said apparatus comprising ; a semiconductor substrate ; a plurality of a diffused regions which are formed in said substrate and have an opposite conductivity characteristic with respect to that of said substrate so as to form a first diode ; a plurality of other regions which are formed in or upon said diffused regions so as to form a second diode ; an insulating layer formed on said substrate ; a gate electrode means which is formed on said insulating layer and reads out charge signals which is accumulated in one of said first and second diodes and the amount of which is in proportion to the amount of the incident light, under the control of a read pulse supplied thereto ; and -a electrode means electrically coupled to said other regions, to which means a bias voltage including a blooming suppression pulse which is in synchronism with the read pulse.

Claim 16

A solid state imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said other regions comprise heterojunction photoconductors formed upon said diffused regions for accumulating the charge signals.

Claim 17

A solid state imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said other regions comprise second diffused regions each of which is formed in said diffused regions and has an opposite conductivity characteristic with respect to that of said diffused regions to form the second diode.

Claim 18

A solid state imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 12, 13 or 14, wherein the potential of said diffused regions is clamped at a predetermined level decided by the level of said bias voltage when the amount of the incident light is about to exceed a predetermined amount.

Claim 19

A solid state imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 12, further comprising ; a plurality of temporary storage regions in the substrate for temporary storing said charge signals which are read out from said diffused regions under the control of the read pulse, and a transfer means which includes said gate electrode means and transfers said charge signals from said storage regions under the control of a transfer pulse supplied to said gate electrode.

Claim 20

A solid state imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the amplitude of said read'pulse is larger than that of said transfer pulse.

Claim 21

A solid state imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the amplitude of said read pulse is equal to that of said transfer pulse.

Claim 22

A solid state imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 16,17 or 18, wherein the level of the bias voltage is larger than that of said transfer pulse and the potential of said diffused regions is clamped at a predetermined level decided by the level of said bias voltage when the amount of the incident light is about to exceed a predetermined amount.