Fairchild Camera and Instrument Corp.

Kamleshwar C Gunsagar

Gilbert F Amelio

John P Guadagna

A device for introducing a known amount of charge to a line of charge storage elements in a charge-coupled device fabricated in a conductor-insulator-semiconductor system includes a buffer charge storage element fabricated adjacent a first charge storage element in the line of charge storage elements, the buffer charge storage element having its gate electrode controlled by a logic pulse whose level determines whether charge is to be introduced to the line of charge storage elements, and precharge means coupled to this buffer charge storage element for supplying a saturating charge to the buffer charge storage element.

Device for introducing charge

A line-addressable random-access memory (LARAM) comprises a plurality of lines of charge storage elements, means for introducing charge representing binary information to the beginning of particular ones of the plurality of lines of charge storage elements which are addressed, at least one data clock signal means for effecting the transfer of charge along those lines of the charge storage elements which are addressed, an address-selection matrix electrically coupled between the clock signal means and the lines to permit the addressed ones of the lines to be clocked, and charge-sensor means for receiving charge from the addressed lines and, in response thereto, generating a signal which represents the data signified by the charge and for recirculating a refreshed representation of the charge to the means for introducing charge.

Line-addressable random-access memory

A balanced differential capacitively decoupled charge sensor for detecting small amounts of charge comprises balanced differential sensing means adapted to receive charge representing data and charge representing a reference value, a pair of capacitance decoupling transistors, the respective drains of each of said pair of capacitance decoupling transistors being electrically coupled to the respective inputs of said differential sensing means, a matched pair of charge output nodes electrically coupled to the respective sources of said capacitance decoupling transistors and adapted to receive, respectively, data charge and reference charge, and means for biasing and resetting both of said charge output nodes so that said capacitance decoupling transistors are functioning in a high transconductance mode when data charge and reference charge are received.

Growing community of inventors

Campbell, CA, United States of America

Kamleshwar C Gunsagar