Radiant energy – Photocells; circuits and apparatus – Optical or pre-photocell system
Patent
1983-10-18
1986-08-12
Willis, Davis L.
Radiant energy
Photocells; circuits and apparatus
Optical or pre-photocell system
358213, H04N 314, H04N 5335
Patent
active
046058621
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to solid state image pickup apparatus employing a solid state image pickup device which comprises a charge transfer device, and more particularly, is directed to an improved solid state image pickup apparatus employing a solid state image pickup device of the interline transfer type and a shutter mechanism provided to the solid state image pickup device for producing an image pickup signal output representing a still image, in which the light-receiving aperture ratio is substantially increased so that the photo-sensitivity is improved.
TECHNICAL BACKGROUND
Solid state image pickup devices comprising a charge transfer device such as a charge coupled device (hereinafter referred to as a CCD) are classified broadly into the frame transfer type and the interline transfer type, and each of them is utilized in different way so as to make a good use of its advantages and features.
An example of a solid state image pickup device of the interline transfer type using a CCD is constituted as shown in FIG. 1, and comprises a photo-sensing and vertical transfer portion 3 which includes a plurality of photodetectors 1 arranged in horizontal and vertical rows and vertical transfer portions 2 each formed with a group of CCDs and provided along each of the vertical rows of the photodetectors 1, a horizontal transfer portion 4 coupled with the photo-sensing and vertical transfer portion 3 and an output portion 5 coupled with the horizontal transfer portion 4 and provided with a signal output terminal 5a, the whole of which are formed on a common semiconductor substrate.
In a solid state image pickup apparatus employing such a solid state image pickup device as mentioned above, a predetermined vertical transfer driving signal and a predetermined horizontal transfer driving signal are applied to the vertical transfer portions 2 and the horizontal transfer portion 4, respectively, so that vertical and horizontal charge transfers are performed in the solid state image pickup device. With such driving signals, signal charge obtained in the photodetectors 1 in response to the light received thereby during for example, one frame period is read out to the vertical transfer portions 2 and then transferred vertically toward the horizontal transfer portion 4 by the charge transfer operation of the vertical transfer portions 2 during each horizontal blanking period so that the signal charge produced in each horizontal row of the photodetectors 1 is transferred in turn to the horizontal transfer portion 4. The signal charge transferred to the horizontal transfer portion 4 is further transferred horizontally to the output portion 5 by the charge transfer operation of the horizontal transfer portion 4 during each horizontal video period and as a result of this an image pickup signal output is obtained at the signal output terminal 5a.
The photo-sensing and vertical transfer portion 3 mentioned above contains transfer gate areas 6 provided between each vertical row of the photodetectors 1 and the corresponding one of the vertical transfer portions 2, and a channel stop area 7 and an overflow control gate portion 8 provided around each of the photodetectors 1, as shown in FIG. 2. Further, an overflow drains 9 is provided contiguous to each of the overflow control gate portions 8, and each of the overflow drains 9 and the corresponding one of the vertical transfer portions 2 are separated by a channel stop area 10. The above mentioned various areas and portions are covered by insulating layer, and on the insulating layer, vertical transfer electrodes .phi..sub.1 and .phi..sub.2 each elongated in the horizontal direction are provided alternately in the vertical direction in the areas corresponding to the vertical transfer portions 2. Each vertical transfer electrode .phi..sub.1 is composed of a charge storage electrode .phi..sub.1c and a charge transfer electrode (potential barrier electrode) .phi..sub.1t, and each vertical transfer electrode .phi..sub.2 is composed of a charge storage electrode .phi
REFERENCES:
patent: 3896474 (1975-07-01), Amelio et al.
patent: 4354104 (1982-10-01), Chikamura et al.
patent: 4446364 (1984-05-01), Hayashi et al.
patent: 4460912 (1984-07-01), Takeshita et al.
Allen Stephone B.
Sony Corporation
Willis Davis L.
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