Photoelectric conversion apparatus with shielded cell
Patent 4972243 Issued on November 20, 1990. Estimated Expiration Date: 
March 20, 2009. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
March 20, 2009. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.Patent References 3560755 3624428 3626825 3753247 Semiconductor image sensor Light shield for a semiconductor device comprising blackened photoresist Photo-sensor device and image scanning system employing the same Solid-state imaging apparatus Image pickup device Solid-state image sensor with exposure controller InventorsAssigneeApplicationNo. 325023 filed on 03/20/1989US Classes:257/435, With optical shield or mask means250/204, Adjusting optical system to balance brightness in plural paths250/214.1, Special photocell250/578.1, Plural light sources or optical paths257/290, Light responsive or combined with light responsive device257/462, Phototransistor257/E27.149, Bipolar transistor imager (EPO)330/59, HAVING LIGHT-CONTROLLED OR ACTIVATED DEVICE (I.E., NOT LIGHT SIGNAL)330/69, SUM AND DIFFERENCE AMPLIFIERS348/230.1, Readout of solid-state image sensor considered or altered348/297Accumulation or integration time responsive to light or signal intensityExaminersPrimary: Mintel, WilliamAttorney, Agent or FirmForeign Patent References
International ClassH01L 027/14Foreign Application Priority Data1986-09-19 JPAbstractA photoelectric conversion apparatus has a plurality of photoelectric conversion cells. Each cell includes a semiconductor transistor having a control electrode area which in turn includes a plurality of main electrode areas for reading signals. The potential of the control electrode area is controlled to store carriers produced by optical pumping in the control electrode area, to read, from the main electrode area, a signal controlled by the storage voltage produced due to the storage, and to perform a refreshing operation to nullify the carriers stored in the control electrode area. A device is provided for performing a peak detection on the basis of signals from the main electrode area. At least one of the photoelectric conversion cells is shielded from light. The peak detection device performs the peak detection by detecting the difference between a peak signal obtained on the basis of a signal from the photoelectric conversion cells and a dark signal from the photoelectric conversion cells shielded from light. | |
