EP0148786A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of driving a CCD image sensor
Assignee: Sharp Corp
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Filing: 1985-01-10
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-01-10
Abstract
Abstract A CCD image sensor includes a plurality of PN junction photodiodes (3) aligned in a matrix fashion, and a plurality of CCD vertical shift registers of which each register element is associated with one of said plurality of PN junction photodiodes (3). A transfer gate (50) is formed between the corresponding pair of CCD shift register element and the PN junction photodiode. The CCD image sensor does not have channel stoppers between the PN junction photodiodes (3). Register electrodes are made of upper register electrodes (8, 10) and lower register electrodes (7, 9) which are extended to portions provided between the adjacent two PN junction photodiodes (3). The upper register electrodes (8, 10) overlap the lower register electrodes (7, 9) at desired portions to achieve the shift operation in the CCD vertical shift registers. By properly controlling the clock pulses applied to the upper and lower register electrodes (7, 8, 9, 10), electrical isolation is achieved between adjacent two PN junction photodiodes (3). At a timing when the charges stored in the PN junction photodiodes (3) are transferred to the CCD vertical shift register, the clock pulse applied to the lower register electrodes (7,9) bears three levels V L , V, and V H .
Inventors
- 👤 Shigehiro Miyatake
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 16:07
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F39/00; H10F39/10; H10F39/12; H10F39/15; H10F39/153
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
191 words
A drive method for a CCD image sensor which includes a substrate (1), a plurality of PN junction photodiodes (3) formed in said substrate and aligned in a matrix fashion, a plurality of CCD vertical shift registers formed in said substrate (1) and associated with said plurality of PN junction photodiodes (3), lower electrode means formed on said CCD vertical shift registers, the upper electrode means (8,10) overlapping a portion of said lower electrode means (7,9) and being extended to said portions provided between adjacent two photodiodes (3), the drive method comprising applying clock pulses having two levels V L and V I to both of said lower and upper electrode means (7,8,9,10) in order to conduct shift operation in said plurality of CCD vertical shift registers while achieving electrical isolation between said plurality of PN junction photodiodes (3), characterised in that the drive method further comprises applying clock pulses having three levels V L , V I and VH to said lower electrode means (7,9) at a time at which charges stored in said plurality of PN junction photodiodes (3) are transferred to said plurality of CCD vertical shift registers.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
191 words
A drive method for a CCD image sensor which includes a substrate (1), a plurality of PN junction photodiodes (3) formed in said substrate and aligned in a matrix fashion, a plurality of CCD vertical shift registers formed in said substrate (1) and associated with said plurality of PN junction photodiodes (3), lower electrode means formed on said CCD vertical shift registers, the upper electrode means (8,10) overlapping a portion of said lower electrode means (7,9) and being extended to said portions provided between adjacent two photodiodes (3), the drive method comprising applying clock pulses having two levels V L and V I to both of said lower and upper electrode means (7,8,9,10) in order to conduct shift operation in said plurality of CCD vertical shift registers while achieving electrical isolation between said plurality of PN junction photodiodes (3), characterised in that the drive method further comprises applying clock pulses having three levels V L , V I and VH to said lower electrode means (7,9) at a time at which charges stored in said plurality of PN junction photodiodes (3) are transferred to said plurality of CCD vertical shift registers.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
194 words
A method of driving a CCD image sensor, which sensor comprises a plurality of photoelectric elements (3) and a plurality of CCD shift registers each associated with a plurality of the said photoelectric elements (3), the CCD shift registers having lower electrode means (7,9) extending over the CCD channels (2) of the shift registers and over regions between adjacent photoelectric elements (3) and upper electrode means (8,10) overlapping in part the lower electrode means (7,9) and extending over the CCD channels (2) of the shift registers and over regions between adjacent photoelectric elements (3), the method comprising applying to both the upper and the lower electrode means (7,8,9,10) clock signals (01, 02, 03, 04) having two levels in order to shift the charges along the shift registers while maintaining electrical isolation between adjacent photoelectric elements, and applying to one of the said electrode means a clock pulse at a third level in order to transfer charge stored by a photoelectric element to an associated said CCD shift register, characterised in that the said lower electrode means (7,9) comprises the said electrode means to which the said clock pulse at a third level is applied.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
194 words
A method of driving a CCD image sensor, which sensor comprises a plurality of photoelectric elements (3) and a plurality of CCD shift registers each associated with a plurality of the said photoelectric elements (3), the CCD shift registers having lower electrode means (7,9) extending over the CCD channels (2) of the shift registers and over regions between adjacent photoelectric elements (3) and upper electrode means (8,10) overlapping in part the lower electrode means (7,9) and extending over the CCD channels (2) of the shift registers and over regions between adjacent photoelectric elements (3), the method comprising applying to both the upper and the lower electrode means (7,8,9,10) clock signals (01, 02, 03, 04) having two levels in order to shift the charges along the shift registers while maintaining electrical isolation between adjacent photoelectric elements, and applying to one of the said electrode means a clock pulse at a third level in order to transfer charge stored by a photoelectric element to an associated said CCD shift register, characterised in that the said lower electrode means (7,9) comprises the said electrode means to which the said clock pulse at a third level is applied.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
90 words
A method according to claim 2, in which a portion of the CCD channels (2) of the shift registers controlled by the said lower electrode means (7,9) and which may accept a charge from a photoelectric element (3) during the said transfer is greater than an adjacent portion of the CCD channels (2) of the shift registers controlled by the said upper electrode means (8,10) which could accept a charge from a photoelectric element (3) if the said pulse at a third level was applied to the upper electrode means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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