Radiant energy – Photocells; circuits and apparatus – Photocell controlled circuit
Patent
1991-01-07
1992-11-24
Nelms, David C.
Radiant energy
Photocells; circuits and apparatus
Photocell controlled circuit
2502141, H01J 4014
Patent
active
051665115
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The article "An Anthropomorphic Retina-like Structure for Scene Analysis" by Giulio Sandini and Vincenzo Tagliasco, published in Computer Graphics and Image Processing, Volume 14, No. 3, 1980, describes a retina-like structure of a radiation-sensitive means which has advantages over the prior art, for instance for application in robotics.
Further prior art is to be found in the novelty search report of the European Patent Office:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,645,681
Computer Graphics and Image Processing, vol. 14, no. 3, 1980,
EP-A-0203667
U.S. Pat. No. 4,131,793
As background of the present invention published lectures--held after the priority date of the present case--by the inventors are available:
ISCAS workshop (1989) to be published in: "Analog VLSI Implementation of Neural Systems";
Transducers 89 at Montreux, Jun. 25-30, 1989, paper to be published in "Sensors and Actuators";
Article by G. Sandini and P. Dario; Active Vision Based on Space - Variant Sensing;
SPIE vol. 1242, Charge-Coupled Devices and Solid State Optical Sensors (1990), by G. Kreider, J. Van der Spiegel, Dept. of Electrical Engineering University of Pennsylvania, Pa. 19104-6390.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has for its object to realize a retina-like radiation-sensitive device using CCD techniques.
The preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a device which is efficient in obtaining radiation information, such that only when an object is to be studied in detail, is a rectangular CCD having a high number of small pixels used. A (rougher) outline can be maintained by the outer parts.
Further advantages, features and details will become apparent in the light of a description of preferred embodiments according to the present invention, in which description reference is made to a drawing, in which:
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 shows a third, preferred embodiment according to the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a partly broken away, perspective view of a detail of the embodiment of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view along the line indicated by the arrows in FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 shows a diagram of another detail of the structure of FIG. 3;
FIGS. 7A-7I show signal diagrams to elucidate the operation of the embodiment of the invention of the diagram of FIG. 6; and
FIG. 8 shows a diagram of detail VIII from FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A first embodiment 1 of a radiation-sensitive means according to the present invention comprises four rings 2, 3, 4 and 5 wherein charges generated by radiation in radiation-sensitive elements are carried via transfer elements (not shown) coupled to these radiation-sensitive elements to a drain means 6 consisting of drain elements for radial draining of this charge. In the center is a rectangular charge-coupled device 7 of known type provided with a drain means 8.
As stated above, the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 has advantages for use in robotics as the radial change of the density or resolution of radiation-sensitive elements here forms an approximation of the resolution of radiation-sensitive elements occurring in the human eye.
These advantages likewise obtain for the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, wherein the signals deriving from radiation-sensitive elements are transferred according to the arrows radially outward in sections 9, 11, 12 to an annular drain means 13 provided with an output connection 14. Disposed in the center is a rectangular or square CCD 16 provided with a radial drain means 17.
The radiation-sensitive means 18 (FIG. 3) according to the invention comprises a middle section 19, an inner ring 20, a central ring 21, an outer ring 22 and a radial drain means 23 wherein the signals transported in the direction of the arrows of both the central section 19 and the circular registers are combined.
With the embodiment 18 of FIGS. 3 and 4 of the radiation-sensitive means, the operation is carri
REFERENCES:
patent: 4910568 (1990-03-01), Takei et al.
Claeys Cor L. M.
Dario Paolo
Debusschere Ingrid
Kreider Gregory
Sandini Giulio
Davenport T.
Interuniversitair Micro-Elektronica Centrum vzw
Nelms David C.
Shaw, Jr. Philip M.
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