EP0260858A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Photoelectric conversion apparatus
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1987-09-07
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2007-09-07
Abstract
Abstract A photoelectric conversion apparatus comprising a plurality of photoelectric conversion cells, each including a semiconductor transistor having a control electrode area which in turn includes a plurality of main electrode areas for reading signals, wherein the potential of the control electrode area is controlled to store carriers produced by optical pumping in the control electrode area, to read, from the main electrode area, a signal controlled by the storage voltage produced due to the storage, and to perform a refreshing operation to nullify the carriers stored in the control electrode area. A device is provided for performing a peak detection on the basis of signals from the main electrode area. At least one of the photoelectric conversion cells is shielded from light. The peak detection device performs the peak detection by detecting the difference between a peak signal obtained on the basis of a signal from the photoelectric conversion cells and a dark signal from the photoelectric conversion cells shielded from light.
Inventors
- 👤 Shigetoshi Sugawa
- 👤 Nobuyoshi Tanaka
- 👤 Toshiji Suzuki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 00:01
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N25/00; H04N25/70; H04N25/76; H04N25/60; H04N25/63; H04N25/633; H04N25/77; H10; H10F; H10F39/00; H10F39/10; H10F39/12; H10F39/197; H10F39/80; H10F39/805; H10F39/8057
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
151 words
A photoelectric conversion apparatus comprises: a plurality of photoelectric conversion cells, each including a semiconductor transistor having a control electrode area which in turn includes a plurality of main electrode areas for reading signals, wherein the potential state of the control electrode area of each cell is controlled to store carriers produced by optical pumping in the control electrode area, to read, from the main electrode area, a signal controlled by the storage voltage produced due to the storage, and to perform a refreshing operation to nullify the carriers stored in the control electrode area; at least one of the photoelectric conversion cells being shielded from light; and means for performing a peak detection by detecting the difference between a peak signal obtained on the basis of a signal from the main electrode areas of the photoelectric conversion cells and a dark signal from the photoelectric conversion cells shielded from light.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
151 words
A photoelectric conversion apparatus comprises: a plurality of photoelectric conversion cells, each including a semiconductor transistor having a control electrode area which in turn includes a plurality of main electrode areas for reading signals, wherein the potential state of the control electrode area of each cell is controlled to store carriers produced by optical pumping in the control electrode area, to read, from the main electrode area, a signal controlled by the storage voltage produced due to the storage, and to perform a refreshing operation to nullify the carriers stored in the control electrode area; at least one of the photoelectric conversion cells being shielded from light; and means for performing a peak detection by detecting the difference between a peak signal obtained on the basis of a signal from the main electrode areas of the photoelectric conversion cells and a dark signal from the photoelectric conversion cells shielded from light.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
89 words
A photoelectric conversion apparatus of claim 1, wherein each such photoelectric conversion cell includes two main electrode areas for reading signals, one main electrode area of the photoelectric conversion cells shielded from light and one main electrode area of each of the photoelectric conversion cells not shielded from light being connected together to a common line, the peak detection being performed by sensing the difference between a signal appearing on the common line and a signal from the other electrode area of the photoelectric conversion cells shielded from light.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
A photoelectric conversion apparatus of claim 1, wherein each such semiconductor transistor includes a bipolar transistor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A photoelectric conversion apparatus of claim 1, further including: control means for controlling the output level of the photoelectric conversion cells to an appropriate one using the output of the peak detection performing means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
A photoelectric conversion apparatus of claim 4, wherein the control means includes means for controlling exposure to the photoelectric conversion cells.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
A photoelectric conversion apparatus of claim 4, wherein the control means includes means for controlling a signal storage time in the photoelectric conversion cells.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A photoelectric conversion apparatus of claim 4, wherein the control means includes means for controlling the gain of the output from the photoelectric conversion cells.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
67 words
A photoelectric conversion apparatus comprising: a) a plurality of photoelectric conversion cells, each including at least a first and a second output terminal, the cells including ones shielded from light and exposed to light; and b) means for performing a calculation between at least signals at the first output terminals of the exposed cells and a signal at one output terminal of the cell shielded from light.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
67 words
A photoelectric conversion apparatus comprising: a) a plurality of photoelectric conversion cells, each including at least a first and a second output terminal, the cells including ones shielded from light and exposed to light; and b) means for performing a calculation between at least signals at the first output terminals of the exposed cells and a signal at one output terminal of the cell shielded from light.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
A photoelectric conversion apparatus of claim 8, wherein the photoelectric conversion cells include a transistor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
A photoelectric conversion apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first and second output terminals include a plurality of main electrode areas of each such transistor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
A photoelectric conversion apparatus of claim 8, further including: means for connecting together the first output terminals of at least the plurality of cells exposed to light.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
A photoelectric conversion apparatus of claim 11, wherein the calculation performing means performs a calculation between a signal obtained via the connecting means and a signal at one output terminal of the cell shielded from light.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
A photoelectric conversion apparatus of claim 8, wherein the calculation performing means includes substracting means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
72 words
A photoelectric converter, comprising a first transistor means responsive to light to store in a control electrode region thereof a number of charge carriers dependent on the received light, a second transistor means similar to the first, but shielded from light, and means for producing a signal which is a function of the difference in the numbers of charges stored in the control electrode regions of the first and second transistor means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
72 words
A photoelectric converter, comprising a first transistor means responsive to light to store in a control electrode region thereof a number of charge carriers dependent on the received light, a second transistor means similar to the first, but shielded from light, and means for producing a signal which is a function of the difference in the numbers of charges stored in the control electrode regions of the first and second transistor means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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