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:
Aug. 19, 2003
Filed:
Nov. 21, 2001
Hiraku Kozuka, Kanagawa, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A photoelectric conversion apparatus is comprised of a light-receiving element having a first semiconductor region of a first conduction type, and a second semiconductor region of a second conduction type for storing a charge generated by photoelectric conversion adjacent to the first semiconductor region, a readout electrode for reading a signal based on the charge stored in the second semiconductor region; and at least a pair of electrode portions spaced from each other along a photoreceptive surface so as to place a photoreceptive portion of the second semiconductor region in between, and connected to the first semiconductor region. Applied to the pair of electrode portions is a voltage that completely depletes the photoreceptive portion of the second semiconductor region and that can create a potential gradient for moving the charge stored in the second semiconductor region, to the readout electrode side.