Patent EP0100199A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0100199A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
An interline transfer CCD image sensor and a drive circuit therefor
Assignee: Sharp Corp
•
Filing: 1983-07-19
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2003-07-19
Abstract
Abstract An interline transfer CCD image sensor includes a plurality of PN junction photosensor elements disposed in a matrixfash- ion. A plurality of columns of shift register are associated with the matrix aligned PN junction photosensor elements. Each CCD shift register includes a plurality of register elements, each of which includes a buried channel connected to a corresponding PN junction photosensor element via a transfer gate as a potential barrier. A register electrode formed on the buried channel is extended toward the corresponding PN junction photosensor element to cover the transfer gate as the potential barrier. Drive signals are applied to the register electrodes to control the charge transfer operation from the PN junction photosensor to the buried channel in addition to controlling the shift operation in the shift register, thereby eliminating the need for channel stoppers for isolating the photosensor elements.
Inventors
- 👤 Shigehiro Miyatake
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 00:45
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F39/00; H10F39/10; H10F39/12; H10F39/15; H10F39/153
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
191 words
An interline transfer CCD image sensor comprising: a CCD shift register including a plurality of CCD register elements; a plurality of PN junction photosensor elements aligned along said CCD shift register, each one of said plurality of PN junction photosensor elements being associated with a corresponding one of said plurality of CCD register elements to form a sensor unit; a transfer gate interposed between said each one of said plurality of PN junction photosensor elements and said sensor unit, said corresponding one of said plurality of CCD register elements comprising: a buried channel; and register electrode means formed on said buried channel for performing a shift operation in said CCD shift register, said register electrode means being extended toward said one of said plurality of PN junction photosensor elements to cover said transfer gate and reach the edge of said one of said plurality of PN junction photosensor elements included in the said sensor unit; the photosensor elements being devoid of any photosensor element isolation layer; and the electrical isolation between the photosensor elements being provided by the relations between the voltages of the signals applied to the register electrode means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
191 words
An interline transfer CCD image sensor comprising: a CCD shift register including a plurality of CCD register elements; a plurality of PN junction photosensor elements aligned along said CCD shift register, each one of said plurality of PN junction photosensor elements being associated with a corresponding one of said plurality of CCD register elements to form a sensor unit; a transfer gate interposed between said each one of said plurality of PN junction photosensor elements and said sensor unit, said corresponding one of said plurality of CCD register elements comprising: a buried channel; and register electrode means formed on said buried channel for performing a shift operation in said CCD shift register, said register electrode means being extended toward said one of said plurality of PN junction photosensor elements to cover said transfer gate and reach the edge of said one of said plurality of PN junction photosensor elements included in the said sensor unit; the photosensor elements being devoid of any photosensor element isolation layer; and the electrical isolation between the photosensor elements being provided by the relations between the voltages of the signals applied to the register electrode means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
140 words
A drive means for driving an interline transfer CCD image sensor comprising: a plurality of PN junction elements aligned along a CCD shift register including a plurality of CCD register elements, each one of said plurality of PN junction photosensor elements being associated with a corresponding one of said plurarity of CCD register elements to form a sensor unit; register electrodes means formed on a buried channel for performing a shift operation in said CCD shift register; the CCD register element including the register electrode means and the buried channel; and the photosensor elements being devoid of any photosensor isolation layer; the drive means comprising a drive circuit for applying signals to register electrode means such that electrical isolation between a plurality of photosensor elements is provided by the relations between the voltages of signals applied to the register elements.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
140 words
A drive means for driving an interline transfer CCD image sensor comprising: a plurality of PN junction elements aligned along a CCD shift register including a plurality of CCD register elements, each one of said plurality of PN junction photosensor elements being associated with a corresponding one of said plurarity of CCD register elements to form a sensor unit; register electrodes means formed on a buried channel for performing a shift operation in said CCD shift register; the CCD register element including the register electrode means and the buried channel; and the photosensor elements being devoid of any photosensor isolation layer; the drive means comprising a drive circuit for applying signals to register electrode means such that electrical isolation between a plurality of photosensor elements is provided by the relations between the voltages of signals applied to the register elements.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
A drive means for driving an interline transfer CCD image sensor of claim 2, wherein at least one kind of said signals has a three voltage level and at least another kind of said signals has a two voltage level.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
78 words
A drive means for driving an interline transfer CCD image sensor of claim 3, t wherein at least one kind of said signals shows a high level and at least another kind of said signals shows a low level and at least still another kind of said signals shows a low voltage level or an intermeidiate voltage level in a read timing to readout signal information from one of the photosensor elements to one of the register elements.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
99 words
A drive circuit for a CCD image sensor having a line of sensors (3) coupled to respective stages of a shift register, the drive circuit being operable to apply drive signals to electrodes (7,8,9,10) of the register so as to transfer sensor signals from the sensors (3) to the register stages and to shift the sensor signals along the register, characterised in that the drive circuit is operable to generate • drive signals which are such as effectively to isolate each sensor (3) from its adjacent sensors (3) as its sensor signal is transferred to the corresponding register stage.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
99 words
A drive circuit for a CCD image sensor having a line of sensors (3) coupled to respective stages of a shift register, the drive circuit being operable to apply drive signals to electrodes (7,8,9,10) of the register so as to transfer sensor signals from the sensors (3) to the register stages and to shift the sensor signals along the register, characterised in that the drive circuit is operable to generate • drive signals which are such as effectively to isolate each sensor (3) from its adjacent sensors (3) as its sensor signal is transferred to the corresponding register stage.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
63 words
A CCD image sensor having a plurality of register units each comprising a line of register stages each coupled to respective sensor unit (3), the respective register units being electrically isolated from each other by channel stoppers (4) each extending between adjacent register units, characterised in that the channel stoppers (4) do not extend between adjacent sensor units (3) of a register unit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
63 words
A CCD image sensor having a plurality of register units each comprising a line of register stages each coupled to respective sensor unit (3), the respective register units being electrically isolated from each other by channel stoppers (4) each extending between adjacent register units, characterised in that the channel stoppers (4) do not extend between adjacent sensor units (3) of a register unit.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.