Patent EP0327344A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0327344A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Solid state image sensor
Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc
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Filing: 1989-02-01
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-02-01
Abstract
Abstract An image sensor comprises an array of photo-transistors (1) each of which has a collector region, an emitter region and a base region. A first switch (4) is connected to the base region of each photo-transistor. A second switch (2) is connected to the base region of each photo-transistor (1) and is operative after the respective photo-transistor (1) has discharged electric charge accumulated therein during exposure thereof to incident light, thereby to set a potential level of the base region thereof to a given substantially constant value thereby to re-set the corresponding photo-transistor.
Inventors
- 👤 Satoshi Machida
- 👤 Yukito Kawahara
- 👤 Hiroshi Mukainakano
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 11:59
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N25/00; H04N25/70; H04N25/76
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
99 words
An image sensor comprising an array of photo-transistors (1) each of which has a collector region, an emitter region and a base region, and a first switch means (4) connected to the base region of each photo-transistor, characterised by a second switch means (2) connected to the base region of each photo-transistor (1), each of the switch means being operative after the respective photo-transistor (1) has discharged electric charge accumulated therein during exposure thereof to incident light to set a potential level of the base region thereof to a given substantially constant value thereby to re-set the corresponding photo-transistor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
99 words
An image sensor comprising an array of photo-transistors (1) each of which has a collector region, an emitter region and a base region, and a first switch means (4) connected to the base region of each photo-transistor, characterised by a second switch means (2) connected to the base region of each photo-transistor (1), each of the switch means being operative after the respective photo-transistor (1) has discharged electric charge accumulated therein during exposure thereof to incident light to set a potential level of the base region thereof to a given substantially constant value thereby to re-set the corresponding photo-transistor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
An image sensor as claimed in claim 1 characterised by a common voltage line held at a given first potential level (VDD) and connected to the collector regions of the photo-transistors (1), and a common signal line (6) re-settable to a given second potential level (GND) and connected to the emitter regions of the photo-transistors.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
An image sensor as claimed in claim 2, characterised by including third switch means (3) connected to the corresponding emitter region of each photo-transistor for re-setting a potential level of the emitter region to a given value (VR) closer to the first potential level (VDD) than to the second potential level (GND).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
56 words
An image sensor as claimed in claim 2 or 3, characterised in that each of the second switch means (2) is operative to re-set the potential level (VR) of the base region of the respective photo-transistors (1) to a given constant value closer to the first potential level (VDD) than to the second potential level (GND).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
An image sensor as claimed in any preceding claim characterised by including a base electrode disposed over a surface of a part of the base region of each photo-transistor, the base electrode being connected to the respective second switch means (2).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
An image sensor as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that each of the second switch means (2) is composed of a MOS switching transistor having drain, source, channel and gate regions, the base electrode being connected to the drain region.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
An image sensor as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that each of the second switch means (2) is composed of a MOS switching transistor having drain, source, channel and gate regions, the drain region being used also as the base region of the respective photo-transistor (1).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
78 words
An image sensor comprising an array of photo-transistors, each of the photo-transistors having a collector region, an emitter region, and a base region; and a plurality of switch means connected to the respective base regions, each of the switch means operative after the corresponding photo-transistor discharges photo-electric charge accumulated therein during exposure thereof to the incident light to set a potential level of the base region thereof to a given constant value to thereby re-set the corresponding photo-transistor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
78 words
An image sensor comprising an array of photo-transistors, each of the photo-transistors having a collector region, an emitter region, and a base region; and a plurality of switch means connected to the respective base regions, each of the switch means operative after the corresponding photo-transistor discharges photo-electric charge accumulated therein during exposure thereof to the incident light to set a potential level of the base region thereof to a given constant value to thereby re-set the corresponding photo-transistor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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