Image-sensing charge-coupled device with both high-speed and low-speed read-outs

Claim 1

In a solid image-sensing device provided with: a light-receiving part comprising a plurality of photosensitive cells disposed in a straight-line state on a semiconductor substrate and generating charges corresponding to light information projected thereon; first and second charge-transfer paths respectively disposed on opposite sides of the light-receiving part for receiving and transferring the charges thus generated; and two shift gates respectively provided between the light-receiving part and the first and second charge-transfer paths and functioning to distribute and transfer the charges generated by the light-receiving part alternately to the first and second charge-transfer paths, the improvement wherein a third charge-transfer path having a discretely independent output part is connected respectively to the output end sides of the first and second charge-transfer paths, and the image-sensing device is operated to read out separate signals from the first and second charge-transfer paths at the time of high-speed readout and to alternately read out signals from the first and second charge-transfer paths by way of the third charge-transfer path at the time of slow-speed readout.