Eastman-kodak Company

Robert H Philbrick

Herbert J Erhardt

Constantine N Anagnostopoulos

Eric Gordon Stevens

Roger S Gaborski

Antonio S Ciccarelli

Kenneth G Corl

J Terrence Flynn

Jay B Soper

Carl W Schlack

A linear image sensor comprising a linear array of photosites adjacent to a charge coupled device (CCD) that is preferably a two phase CCD with a transfer gate between the array of photosites and the CCD with an output amplifier situated at the end of the CCD. At least one of the phases is divided into a split phase having two sets of electrically isolated gates that can be operated as a single phase or as two independent phases. The linear sensor operates in a reduced resolution mode by summing charge packets from adjacent photosites wherein the split phase functions as essentially two alternating phases with the phase that is not split being held at a D. C potential.

Constant speed, variable resolution two-phase CCD

Packaging of high resolution linear solid state image sensors can result in a significant cost savings over conventional packaging processes, while adding several features. Cost reduction is accomplished by drastically reducing the cover glass size, eliminating the need for rounded corners as well as need for an epoxy ring on the cover glass, and integrating a wire bond light shield into the IC package. Additional cost savings are realized by eliminating the thermal cure cycle presently required to attach the cover glass, a process which can take several hours to completed. The invention replaces the conventional IC package with a two piece assembly. The bottom piece is a low profile plastic or ceramic IC package and the top piece is an inexpensive molded piece which serves as a cap with an integrated light shield aperture and cover glass holder.

Linear image sensor package assembly

A CCD image sensor having a linear array of individual imaging photodetecting cells aligned along a scanning line for sensing light information and converting the light information to charge carriers. A CCD shift register, adjacent to the linear array of photodetecting cells, is used for receiving and temporarily storing the charge carriers generated by the photodetecting cells of the linear array. The CCD shift register has a plurality of CCD cells, each of the photodetecting cells being associated with at least two CCD cells such that there is an imaging CCD cell for receiving the charge carriers from the associated photodetecting cell, and at least one buffer cell for receiving a pre-loaded signal to reduce charge transfer inefficiency of the charge carriers. A pre-loaded signal is injected into the buffer cells of the CCD shift register and all the cells are clocked out such that the pre-loaded buffer cells are clocked through the image cells to improve charge transfer inefficiency characteristics.

Image sensor with improved charge transfer inefficiency characteristics

An electronic organizer is provided that incorporates an internal electronic scanner and a touch sensitive display screen to enter text and image data. The internal electronic scanner permits both machine generated text and image data to be scanned and directly entered into the electronic organizer. Hand-printed text data is also entered directly via the touch sensitive display screen using a stylus or pen. The scanned machine generated text, the scanned image data and the hand-printed text can either be preserved as an image-oriented bit map, or optical character recognition routines can be applied to the data to identify characters and convert the identified characters to computer coded text data. Data entered into the electronic organizer is arranged in a relational database format, which permits the operator to quickly and easily enter and retrieve related information between a number of different databases with a minimal amount of effort. A small document transport mechanism is provided to aid in the scanning of small size documents.

Image-based electronic pocket organizer with integral scanning unit

The present invention is directed to an image sensor which comprises a body of a semiconductor material having therein a plurality of photodetectors arranged in a line and a CCD shift register extending along the line of photodetectors adjacent to but spaced from an edge of the photodetectors. The CCD shift register includes a channel region and a plurality of first and second gate electrodes extending over and insulated from the channel region. One of each of the first and second gate electrodes extends across a portion of the edge of each photodetector. Each of the first electrodes has an arm extending along the entire edge of its respective photodetector between the photodetector and the second gate electrode. A separate transfer region is in the body between the edge of each photodetector and its respective first electrode and extends along the entire edge of the photodetector. A transfer gate is over and insulated from the transfer regions.

Transfer region design for charge-coupled device image sensor

An array of linear CCD image sensors comprises first, second and third CCD image sensors arranged in spaced parallel relation on a body of a semiconductor material. Each CCD image sensor comprises a row of photodetectors, a CCD shift register extending along the row of photodetectors and an output circuit at one end of the CCD shift register. All of the output circuits are at a common end of their respective CCD shift registers. Each CCD shift register includes first and second sets of gate electrodes alternating along the CCD shift register. A first bus line connects the first gate electrodes of each CCD shift register and a second bus line electrically connects the second gate electrodes of each CCD shift register. One of the bus lines of the second CCD shift register is electrically connected to a bus line of the first CCD shift register, and the other bus line of the second CCD shift register is electrically connected to a bus line of the third CCD shift register. This allows all of the bus lines to extend around the output circuits without extending the space between the image sensors.

Growing community of inventors

Rochester, NY, United States of America

Robert H Philbrick