Radiant energy – Photocells; circuits and apparatus – Photocell controlled circuit
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-18
2001-01-09
Le, Que T. (Department: 2878)
Radiant energy
Photocells; circuits and apparatus
Photocell controlled circuit
C250S216000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06172351
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical integrated circuit that integrates an image pickup device (for use with a video camera or an electronic camera) and a peripheral circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 7A and 7B
show an IC chip for a conventional charge coupled device (CCD) as an image pickup device. The CCD comprises photo diodes
71
, a horizontal CCD transferring portion
72
, a vertical CCD transferring portion
73
, and a signal outputting portion
74
. As shown in
FIG. 8
, the CCD is housed in a ceramics package
81
. Electrode pads of the CCD are connected with wire bonds
82
. The resultant structure is packaged with a cover glass
83
. As shown in
FIG. 9
, a CCD camera comprises a light receiving portion
91
, a CCD
92
, a signal processing IC
93
, a CCD driving IC
94
, and a noise processing IC
95
.
An MOS type sensor that had been used for an image pickup device as with a conventional CCD has been attractive because of improvements in sensitivity, S/N ratio, and so forth. Unlike with the conventional CCD, since the CMOS sensor can be fabricated in a conventional IC fabricating process, as shown in
FIG. 10
, an image pickup device
101
and peripheral circuits
102
to
107
are integrated as a one chip IC. Thus, when this IC is used for a video camera, the size thereof can be decreased.
When electrode pads P are disposed to the IC that integrates the image pickup portion
101
and the peripheral circuits
102
to
107
by the wire bond method as shown in
FIG. 7
, impedance of each of power supply and ground of the internal circuits rises due to the influence of internal line connections. Thus, various problems such as noise and signal crosstalk take place.
In addition, when bare chips as shown in
FIG. 11
are mounted in the state that the electrode pads are disposed on the periphery of ICs (as in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 7-99214), the size of a cover glass
101
becomes large. Thus, the cost rises and optical accuracy deteriorates. In addition, as shown in
FIG. 12
, light L that enters through the cover glass
101
internally reflects on a peripheral portion
122
of an image pickup portion
121
of a CCD
112
. Thus, a ghost may take place in the resultant picture contains a ghost.
As described above, in the conventional optical integrated circuit apparatus, impedance of each of power supplies and ground of internal circuits rises due to the influence of internal line connections thereof. Thus, various problems such as noise and signal crosstalk take place. In addition, the size of the cover glass becomes large and the cost rises. Moreover, the optical accuracy deteriorates.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an optical integrated circuit apparatus that suppresses the influence of internal line connections thereof and that allows the size of a cover glass to decrease.
To accomplish the above-described object, an optical integrated circuit apparatus according to the present invention is an optical integrated circuit having at least one optical functional portion for converting incident light into an electric signal and a peripheral circuit portion for processing the electric signal received from the optical functional portion, comprising signal electrode pads disposed on the periphery of the optical integrated circuit and on the periphery of the optical functional portion.
Thus, since internal line connections can be routed on the periphery of an analog portion and a digital portion, the optical accuracy can be improved and the impedance of an output signal can be decreased.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4447720 (1984-05-01), Ogawa et al.
patent: 4841348 (1989-06-01), Shizukuishi et al.
patent: 1-173752 (1989-07-01), None
patent: 7-99214 (1995-04-01), None
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
Le Que T.
Pillsbury Madison & Sutro LLP
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