Electronic still camera tube

Claim 2

A camera tube comprising: means for emitting electrons having a spatial variation representative of an incident light intensity pattern when exposed to light in a predetermined wavelength range; an array of storage electrodes each capable of storing an electrical charge in response to said electrons from said electron emitting means; means for accelerating electrons from said electron emitting means to said array of storage electrodes during exposure; a sealed and evacuated envelope surrounding said electron emitting means and said array of storage electrodes; and readout means for sensing the charge on each of the storage electrodes in said array during a readout phase after exposure, said readout means comprising a readout device associated with each storage electrode in said array of storage electrodes, each readout device including means for generating a readout current in an evacuated region adjacent to the storage electrode, and means for collecting said readout current to provide a readout signal, each readout current having a magnitude that is a function of the charge on the adjacent storage electrode so that the readout signals collectively represent said charge pattern.

Claim 3

A camera tube as defined in claim 1 wherein the storage electrodes of said array are arranged in a rectilinear grid of rows and columns and wherein said means for generating a readout current comprises row electrodes respectively aligned with rows of storage electrodes and ultraviolet source means for directing ultraviolet radiation at said row electrodes.

Claim 4

A camera tube as defined in claim 2 wherein said ultraviolet source means includes means for illuminating all of the readout devices during readout and wherein said camera tube further includes means for selectively addressing said readout devices for sequential readout.

Claim 5

A camera tube as defined in claim 2 wherein said ultraviolet source means includes means for illuminating a selected row electrode with a line beam and means for sequentially scanning said line beam over said row electrodes, and wherein said camera tube further includes means for selectively addressing readout devices associated with the selected row electrode.

Claim 6

A camera tube as defined in claim 2 wherein said ultraviolet source means includes means for illuminating a selected row electrode with a line beam for parallel readout of a plurality of readout devices associated with the selected row electrode, and means for sequentially scanning said line beam over said row electrodes.

Claim 7

A camera tube as defined in claim 2 wherein said ultraviolet source means includes means for illuminating a selected readout device with a spot beam, and means for sequentially scanning said spot beam over all of the readout devices.

Claim 8

A camera tube as defined in any of claims 2-6 wherein said means for collecting said readout current includes column electrodes respectively aligned with columns of storage electrodes.

Claim 9

A camera tube defined in any of claims 2-6 wherein said means for collecting said readout current includes readout electrode means on the opposite side of said envelope from said array of storage electrodes.

Claim 10

A camera tube as defined in claim 1 wherein the cells of said array of storage electrodes are arranged in a rectilinear grid of rows and columns, wherein said means for generating a readout current includes row electrodes respectively aligned with rows of storage electrodes and ultraviolet source means for directing ultraviolet radiation at said row conductors and wherein said means for collecting said readout current includes column electrodes perpendicular to said row electrodes and respectively aligned with columns of storage electrodes, said row electrodes and said column electrodes being spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to the plane of said array of storage electrodes, said readout devices being defined at each crossover of a row electrode and a column electrode.

Claim 11

A camera tube as defined in claim 9 wherein said column electrodes and said array of storage electrodes are coplanar and are supported by a substrate, said substrate including parallel, spaced-apart channels under rows of storage electrodes in said array, said row electrodes being disposed in said channels.

Claim 12

A camera tube as defined in claim 10 wherein said channels define between them ridges that support said storage electrodes and said column electrodes.

Claim 13

A camera tube as defined in claim 10 wherein said substrate includes ultraviolet radiation transmissive regions aligned with and below said row conductors, said regions having a higher index of refraction than said substrate.

Claim 14

A camera tube as defined in claim 1 wherein said array of storage electrodes and said electron-emitting means are parallel to each other and are spaced apart within said envelope.

Claim 15

A camera tube as defined in claim 13 wherein said electron-emitting means comprises a photocathode layer.

Claim 16

A camera tube as defined in claim 14 wherein each of said storage electrodes comprise a conductive layer for emitting secondary electrons when bombarded by energetic primary electrons.

Claim 17

A camera tube comprising: a photocathode layer for emitting electrons having a spatial variation representative of an incident light intensity pattern when exposed to light in a predetermined wavelength range; an array of storage electrodes each for storing an electrical charge, said storage electrodes being arranged in rows and columns; means for mounting said photocathode layer and said array of storage electrodes in closely-spaced, substantially parallel alignment; a sealed and evacuated envelope surrounding said photocathode layer and said array of storage electrodes; means for biasing the photocathode layer relative to said array of storage electrodes during exposure so that electrons emitted by said photocathode layer impinge on said array of storage electrodes and form thereon a charge pattern representative of said light intensity pattern; row conductors respectively aligned with said rows of storage electrodes; column conductors respectively aligned with said columns of storage electrodes, said row conductors and said column conductors being spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to said array of storage electrodes and defining readout devices at crossover regions thereof; addressing means for selectively addressing said readout devices during a readout phase after exposure; and means for stimulating electron emission the row conductor of each addressed readout device to form a readout current, said readout current being influenced by the charge on the storage electrodes adjacent to the readout device so that the readout currents collectively provide an electronic representation of said light intensity pattern.

Claim 18

A camera tube comprising: a photocathode layer for emitting electrons having a spatial variation representative of an incident light intensity pattern when exposed to light in a predetermined wavelength range; an array of storage electrodes each for storing an electrical charge, said storage electrodes being arranged in rows and columns; means for mounting said photocathode layer and said array of storage electrodes in closely-spaced, substantially parallel alignment; a sealed and evacuated envelope surrounding said photocathode layer and said array of storage electrodes; means for biasing the photocathode layer relative to said array of storage electrodes during exposure so that electrons emitted by said photocathode layer impinge on said array of storage electrodes and form thereon a charge pattern representative of said light intensity pattern; row conductors respectively aligned with said rows of storage electrodes; column conductors respectively aligned with said columns of storage electrodes, said row conductors and said column conductors being spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to said array of storage electrodes and defining readout devices at crossover regions thereof; addressing means for selectively addressing said readout devices during a readout phase after exposure; and means for stimulating electron emission the row conductor of each addressed readout device to form a readout current, said readout current being influenced by the charge on the storage electrodes adjacent to the readout device so that the readout currents collectively provide an electronic representation of said light intensity pattern.

Claim 19

A camera tube as defined in claim 16 wherein said readout currents are collected by column conductors of the respective readout devices.

Claim 20

A camera tube as defined in claim 16 further including electrode means for receiving readout currents that are injected into the space between said storage electrodes and said photocathode layer.

Claim 21

A camera tube as defined in claim 18 wherein said electrode means for receiving readout currents comprises a readout electrode adjacent to said photocathode layer and means for biasing the readout electrode at a positive potential relative to the addressed readout device.

Claim 22

A camera tube as defined in claim 18 wherein said electrode means for receiving readout currents includes a plurality of conductive strips disposed within said envelope adjacent to said photocathode layer, said conductive strips being aligned perpendicular to said row conductors.

Claim 23

A camera tube as defined in claim 16 wherein said storage electrodes each comprise a thin conductive layer capable of emitting secondary electrons when bombarded by energetic primary electrons.

Claim 24

A camera tube as defined in claim 21 wherein said storage electrodes each comprise an aluminum layer having a thickness in the range of 0.1 micrometer to 0.5 micrometer.

Claim 25

A camera tube as defined in claim 16 wherein said means for stimulating electron emission comprises ultraviolet source means for directing ultraviolet radiation at selected row conductors.

Claim 26

A camera tube as defined in claim 16 wherein said column conductors comprise parallel strips coplanar with said storage electrodes and said row conductors comprise parallel strips spaced from said storage electrodes and said column conductors.

Claim 27

A camera tube as defined in claim 24 wherein said addressing means comprises means for biasing the row conductor of each addressed readout device at a positive potential relative to the most positive potential of said storage electrodes after exposure, and means for biasing the column conductor of each addressed readout device at a positive potential relative to the potential of the row conductor of each addressed readout device.

Claim 28

A camera tube as defined in claim 16 further including means for resetting each of said storage electrodes to a desired potential after said readout phase.

Claim 29

A charge pattern storage and readout device comprising: an envelope defining an evacuated cavity; an array of storage electrodes in said evacuated cavity, each capable of temporarily storing an electrical charge; means for causing a charge pattern to be formed on said array of storage electrodes during a storage phase; and readout means for sensing the charge on each of the storage electrodes in said array during a readout phase after the storage phase, said readout means comprising a readout device associated with each storage electrode in said array, each readout device including means for generating a readout current in an evacuated region adjacent to the storage electrode, and means for collecting said readout current, said readout current having a magnitude that is a function of the charge on the adjacent storage electrode so that the readout currents collectively provide an electronic representation of said charge pattern.

Claim 30

A charge pattern storage and readout device comprising: an envelope defining an evacuated cavity; an array of storage electrodes in said evacuated cavity, each capable of temporarily storing an electrical charge; means for causing a charge pattern to be formed on said array of storage electrodes during a storage phase; and readout means for sensing the charge on each of the storage electrodes in said array during a readout phase after the storage phase, said readout means comprising a readout device associated with each storage electrode in said array, each readout device including means for generating a readout current in an evacuated region adjacent to the storage electrode, and means for collecting said readout current, said readout current having a magnitude that is a function of the charge on the adjacent storage electrode so that the readout currents collectively provide an electronic representation of said charge pattern.

Claim 31

A camera tube comprising: means for emitting electrons having a spatial variation representative of an incident light intensity pattern when exposed to light in a predetermined wavelength range; an array of storage electrodes each capable of storing an electrical charge in response to said electrons from said electron emitting means; means for accelerating electrons from said electron emitting means to said array of storage electrodes during exposure; a sealed and evacuated envelope surrounding said electron emitting means and said array of storage electrodes; and readout means for sensing the charge on each of the storage electrodes in said array during a readout phase after exposure, said readout means comprising a pair of readout electrodes associated with each of said storage electrodes and means for generating a readout current in an evacuated region between said readout electrodes, each pair of said readout electrodes being positioned relative to one of said storage electrodes such that the readout current is a function of the electrical charge on the associated storage electrode.

Claim 32

A camera tube comprising: means for emitting electrons having a spatial variation representative of an incident light intensity pattern when exposed to light in a predetermined wavelength range; an array of storage electrodes each capable of storing an electrical charge in response to said electrons from said electron emitting means; means for accelerating electrons from said electron emitting means to said array of storage electrodes during exposure; a sealed and evacuated envelope surrounding said electron emitting means and said array of storage electrodes; and readout means for sensing the charge on each of the storage electrodes in said array during a readout phase after exposure, said readout means comprising a pair of readout electrodes associated with each of said storage electrodes and means for generating a readout current in an evacuated region between said readout electrodes, each pair of said readout electrodes being positioned relative to one of said storage electrodes such that the readout current is a function of the electrical charge on the associated storage electrode.

Claim 33

A camera tube as defined in claim 28 wherein each of said storage electrodes comprises a thin conductive layer capable of accumulating a net electrical charge in response to incident electrons.