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US4894699A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Optical control circuit and semiconductor device for realizing the circuit

Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Co Ltd
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Filing: 1989-01-25
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Granted: 1990-01-16
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Expires: 2009-01-25
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Abstract

Abstract An optical control circuit is formed by connecting a photoconductive element and resistive element at their one end to the control electrode of a transistor, while connecting the other end of the photoconductive element to one of output electrodes of the transistor and the other end of the resistive element to a predetermined voltage supply point. With this simple circuit arrangement, an effective input control with respect to the control electrode of the transistor can be realized.

Inventors

  • 👤 Yutaka Hayashi
  • 👤 Shigeaki Tomonari
  • 👤 Keizi Kakite

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 12:53
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F30/00; H10F30/10; H10F19/00; H10F19/30; H10F19/31; H10F39/00; H10F39/10; H10F39/103; H03; H03K; H03K17/00; H03K17/51; H03K17/56; H03K17/687; H03K2017/6875; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim 136 words
A semiconductor device comprising at least two different semiconductor devices taken from a group consisting of a photoconductor, a resistor, and a transistor, said two different semiconductor devices each comprising and being operatively connected through an identical semiconductor layer structure of a first conduction type semiconductor layer, a low impurity concentration semiconductor layer, and a second conduction type semiconductor layer stacked in that order on a substrate, wherein one of said two different semiconductor devices further comprises a pair of mutually separated electrode layers stacked on said second conduction type semiconductor layer to form first and second conductive electrodes, said second conduction type semiconductor layer comprises mutually separated first and second parts, and said first and second conductive electrodes are provided in contact with said first and second parts of said second conduction type semiconductor layer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 136 words
A semiconductor device comprising at least two different semiconductor devices taken from a group consisting of a photoconductor, a resistor, and a transistor, said two different semiconductor devices each comprising and being operatively connected through an identical semiconductor layer structure of a first conduction type semiconductor layer, a low impurity concentration semiconductor layer, and a second conduction type semiconductor layer stacked in that order on a substrate, wherein one of said two different semiconductor devices further comprises a pair of mutually separated electrode layers stacked on said second conduction type semiconductor layer to form first and second conductive electrodes, said second conduction type semiconductor layer comprises mutually separated first and second parts, and said first and second conductive electrodes are provided in contact with said first and second parts of said second conduction type semiconductor layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 35 words
The device of claim 1, wherein said one of said two different semiconductor devices is said photoconductor realized by a resistance value of said relatively low impurity concentration semiconductor layer varying upon incidence of light.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 39 words
The device of claim 1, wherein said one of said two different semiconductor devices is said resistor, further comprising means for shielding light from an area between said first and second parts of said second conduction type semiconductor layer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 76 words
The device of claim 1, wherein said one of said two different semiconductor devices is said transistor, further comprising a control electrode formed on said substrate in contact with said first conduction type semiconductor layer at an area corresponding to an area between said first and second conductive electrodes, said relatively low impurity concentration semiconductor layer forming a channel zone, an electric current through which is controlled by an electric voltage applied to said control electrode.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 33 words
The device of claim 1, wherein said one of said two different semiconductor devices is said resistor, further comprising means for shielding light from an area between said first and second conductive electrodes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 26 words
The device of claim 1, further comprising at least one of each of said group of semiconductor devices including said photoconductor, said resistor, and said transistor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 32 words
The device of claim 6, further comprising an array of photoconductive elements connected in parallel with said transistor, said control electrode of said transistor being connected to said photoconductor and said resistor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 22 words
The device of claim 7, further comprising a switching element having a gate and a source between which said transistor is connected.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 24 words
The device of claim 8, wherein said substrate is transparent and electrically insulating, light being made incident on the device through the transparent substrate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 47 words
The device of claim 5, wherein said photoconductor further comprises a pair of mutually separated electrode layers stacked on said second conduction type semiconductor layer to form first and second conductive electrodes, a resistance value of said relatively low impurity concentration layer varying upon incidence of light.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 30 words
The device of claim 10, wherein said resistor further comprises means for shielding light from an area between said first and second parts of said second conduction type semiconductor layer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 67 words
The device of claim 11, wherein said transistor further comprises a control electrode formed on said substrate in contact with said first conduction type semiconductor layer at an area corresponding to an area between said first and second conductive electrodes, said relatively low impurity concentration semiconductor layer forming a channel zone, an electric current through which is controlled by an electric voltage applied to said control electrode.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 22 words
The device of claim 12, further comprising a switching element having a gate and a source between which said transistor is connected.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 24 words
The device of claim 13, wherein said substrate is transparent and electrically insulating, light being made incident on the device through the transparent substrate.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1993-01-15 1993-07-17 1994-01-16 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1997-01-15 1997-07-17 1998-01-16 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2001-01-15 2001-07-17 2002-01-16 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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