The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 02, 1996
Filed:
Nov. 23, 1993
Ryohei Miyagawa, Yokohama, JP;
Shinji Ohsawa, Tokyo, JP;
Hirofumi Yamashita, Kawasaki, JP;
Michio Sasaki, Yokohama, JP;
Yoshiyuki Matsunaga, Kamakura, JP;
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Kawasaki, JP;
Abstract
A solid-state imaging device includes a substrate, and an array of charge-packet storage cells or picture elements (or 'pixels') arranged on the substrate, each including a storage diode that stores therein a signal charge packet indicative of an incident light. A charge transfer section is coupled with the array of picture elements. The transfer section includes a charge-coupled device (CCD) register layer that is spaced apart from the storage diode to define a channel region therebetween, and a first insulated electrode overlying the register layer and the channel region. A reset section is coupled to the storage diode, for potentially resetting the storage diode by additionally injecting an extra charge packet into the storage diode and by causing the charge to drained from the storage diode. A potential controller is provided which forces, when a signal charge packet is read out of the storage diode toward the CCD register layer, the storage diode to decrease in potential so that the storage diode becomes potentially less than its potential as set during the reset operation, while causing the channel region to be fixed at almost the same potential during the read operation and the reset operation.