US4879470A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Photoelectric converting apparatus having carrier eliminating means
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1988-01-13
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Granted: 1989-11-07
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Expires: 2008-01-13
Abstract
Abstract In a photoelectric converting apparatus having a plurality of photosensors divided into an opening portion and a light shielding portion, a carrier eliminating structure to block the inflow of photosignals from the opening portion is provided between the photosensor in the light shielding portion and the photosensors in the opening portion. The photosensor comprises of a photoelectric converting transistor having a control electrode region to accumulate the carriers generated by the light excitation. The carrier eliminating structure has the same constitution as that of the photosensor. The potential of the control electrode region is fixed to a constant potential so as to attract the carriers from the opening portion.
Inventors
- 👤 Shigetoshi Sugawa
- 👤 Yoshio Nakamura
- 👤 Nobuyoshi Tanaka
- 👤 Isamu Ueno
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 02:43
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F39/00; H10F39/10; H10F39/12; H10F39/197; H04; H04N; H04N25/00; H04N25/60; H04N25/62; H04N25/625; H04N25/70; H04N25/701; H04N25/76
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
58 words
A photoelectric converting apparatus comprising: a plurality of photosensors divided into an opening portion and a light shielding portion; and means for biasing at least one photosensor provided between the photosensors in said light shielding portion and the photosensors in the opening portion to prevent a flow of photosignals from said opening portion to said light shielding portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
58 words
A photoelectric converting apparatus comprising: a plurality of photosensors divided into an opening portion and a light shielding portion; and means for biasing at least one photosensor provided between the photosensors in said light shielding portion and the photosensors in the opening portion to prevent a flow of photosignals from said opening portion to said light shielding portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said photosensors comprises a photoelectric converting transistor having a control electrode region to accumulate carriers generated by a light excitation, and wherein a potential of said control electrode region is set to a constant potential so as to attract carriers from said opening portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for shielding the biased photosensor from light.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for eliminating an output of a photosensor in said light shielding portion from outputs of the photosensors in said opening portion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
A photoelectric converting apparatus comprising: light measuring means including a plurality of phototransistors having plural emitters; and selecting means for selecting the emitters in a desired portion among said plurality of phototransistors to provide a photometric signal formed by the selected emitters.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
A photoelectric converting apparatus comprising: light measuring means including a plurality of phototransistors having plural emitters; and selecting means for selecting the emitters in a desired portion among said plurality of phototransistors to provide a photometric signal formed by the selected emitters.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein each of said phototransistors includes a photoelectric converting transistor having a control electrode region to accumulate carriers generated by the light excitation and a plurality of main electrode regions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said selecting means forms the photometric signal by selectively using the signal of one of the main electrode regions of each of said phototransistors.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said main electrode region which is used by said selecting means constitutes an emitter.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said selecting means includes a switching element.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said selecting means connects emitters of predetermined phototransistor cells to a common output line.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a portion of said plurality of phototransistors is shielded from light.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising carrier eliminating means for preventing the movement of carriers between the light shielded phototransistors and the phototransistors which are not shielded from light.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
71 words
An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein each of said phototransistors comprises a photoelectric converting transistor having a control electrode region to accumulate carriers generated by light excitation, and wherein said carrier eliminating means has the same constitution as said phototransistors, and wherein a potential of said control electrode region is fixed to a constant potential so as to attract the carriers from the phototransistors which are not shielded from light.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
86 words
A photoelectric converting apparatus comprising: a plurality of photosensors each having an accumulation region of a semiconductor of one conductivity type to accumulate carriers generated by light excitation, said light excitation being caused by light impinging from one side of said accumulation region; and a first region of a semiconductor of an opposite conductivity type joined to said accumulation region and a second region of a semiconductor of said one conductivity type joined to said first region provided on the other side of said accumulation region.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
86 words
A photoelectric converting apparatus comprising: a plurality of photosensors each having an accumulation region of a semiconductor of one conductivity type to accumulate carriers generated by light excitation, said light excitation being caused by light impinging from one side of said accumulation region; and a first region of a semiconductor of an opposite conductivity type joined to said accumulation region and a second region of a semiconductor of said one conductivity type joined to said first region provided on the other side of said accumulation region.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein in a joined portion of said first and second regions, at least a portion below said accumulation region is formed so as to have a high impurity concentration.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising means for reversely biasing said first and second regions.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein a portion of said plurality of photosensors is shielded from light.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising carrier elimination means for preventing the movement of carriers between the light shielded photosensors and the photosensors which are not shielded from the light.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
71 words
An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein each of said photosensors comprises a photoelectric converting transistor having a control electrode region to accumulate carriers generated by light excitation, and wherein said carrier eliminating means has the same constitution as said photosensors, and wherein a potential of said control electrode region is fixed to a constant potential so as to attract the carriers from the photosensors which are not shielded from light.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising selecting means for selecting the photosensors in a desired portion among said plurality of photosensors, said control means for forming a photometric signal from said selected photosensors.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein each of said photosensors includes a photoelectric converting transistor having a control electrode region to accumulate carriers generated by light excitation, and a plurality of main electrode regions.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said selecting means forms the photometric signal by selectively using the signal of one of the main electrode regions of each of said photosensors.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said main electrode region which is used by said selecting means comprises an emitter.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said selecting means includes a switching element.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-11-06 | 1993-05-08 | 1993-11-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-11-06 | 1997-05-08 | 1997-11-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-11-06 | 2001-05-08 | 2001-11-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |