Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 2
Claim 1
Independent Claim
486 words
A charge sensor, for use with a charge transfer device comprising: two cross-coupled MOS transistors T 1 and T 2 each having a source, a drain and a gate, the gate of T 2 and the drain of T 1 being connected to a first junction A 1 and the gate of T 1 and the drain of T 2 being connected to a second junction A 2 , while the sources of T 1 and T 2 are connected to a third junction A 3 ; two load MOS transistors T 3 and T 4 each having a source, a drain and a gate, the sources of T 3 and T 4 being directly and continuously connected to A 1 and A 2 , respectively, and the drains of T 3 and T 4 being directly and continuously connected to a fourth junction A 4 , while the gates of T 3 and T 4 are coupled to a signal supply means; a positive and negative current supply lead for passing a current between the junctions A 3 and A 4 , junction A 4 being directly and continuously connected to one of said current supply leads, and a fifth MOS transistor T 5 , which acts as a switch and has a gate which is connected to a clock voltage source which also timely applies the clock voltage for the intermittent energization of the sensor, a source and a drain; a sixth (T 6 ) and a seventh (T 7 ) MOS transistor, each having a source, a drain and a gate, the drain of T 6 being connected to A 1 and the drain of T 7 being connected to A 2 , while the sources of T 6 and T 7 are connected to the other of the current supply leads and the gates are connected to a clock voltage source for intermittently opening and closing the transistors T 6 and T 7 ; the drain of T 5 being connected to the junction A 3 and the source of T 5 being directly and continuously connected to the other supply lead associated with A 3 and the gates of T 5 , T 6 and T 7 being connected to said clock voltage sources which supply clock voltage in a manner such that at the beginning of each cycle the junctions A 1 and A 2 are first set to a rest voltage by closing the transistors T 6 and T 7 , after which, while T 5 is opened, T 6 and T 7 are also opened and the signal charges to be read are supplied directly to the gates of T 3 and T 4 , as a result of which a signal-dependent voltage difference is obtained between the junctions A 1 and A 2 , whereupon the transistors T 5 is closed and said voltage difference is increased.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
486 words
A charge sensor, for use with a charge transfer device comprising: two cross-coupled MOS transistors T 1 and T 2 each having a source, a drain and a gate, the gate of T 2 and the drain of T 1 being connected to a first junction A 1 and the gate of T 1 and the drain of T 2 being connected to a second junction A 2 , while the sources of T 1 and T 2 are connected to a third junction A 3 ; two load MOS transistors T 3 and T 4 each having a source, a drain and a gate, the sources of T 3 and T 4 being directly and continuously connected to A 1 and A 2 , respectively, and the drains of T 3 and T 4 being directly and continuously connected to a fourth junction A 4 , while the gates of T 3 and T 4 are coupled to a signal supply means; a positive and negative current supply lead for passing a current between the junctions A 3 and A 4 , junction A 4 being directly and continuously connected to one of said current supply leads, and a fifth MOS transistor T 5 , which acts as a switch and has a gate which is connected to a clock voltage source which also timely applies the clock voltage for the intermittent energization of the sensor, a source and a drain; a sixth (T 6 ) and a seventh (T 7 ) MOS transistor, each having a source, a drain and a gate, the drain of T 6 being connected to A 1 and the drain of T 7 being connected to A 2 , while the sources of T 6 and T 7 are connected to the other of the current supply leads and the gates are connected to a clock voltage source for intermittently opening and closing the transistors T 6 and T 7 ; the drain of T 5 being connected to the junction A 3 and the source of T 5 being directly and continuously connected to the other supply lead associated with A 3 and the gates of T 5 , T 6 and T 7 being connected to said clock voltage sources which supply clock voltage in a manner such that at the beginning of each cycle the junctions A 1 and A 2 are first set to a rest voltage by closing the transistors T 6 and T 7 , after which, while T 5 is opened, T 6 and T 7 are also opened and the signal charges to be read are supplied directly to the gates of T 3 and T 4 , as a result of which a signal-dependent voltage difference is obtained between the junctions A 1 and A 2 , whereupon the transistors T 5 is closed and said voltage difference is increased.