Abstract:
Amplifier circuits including a transistor having its control element connected to one terminal of a first capacitor and having one end of its conduction path connected to one terminal of a second capacitor of greater capacity than the first capacitor. A pulse applied to the other terminal of the second capacitor is coupled through the capacitor to the transistor. The pulse is of sufficient amplitude and polarity to enable conduction through the transistor causing it to charge or discharge the second capacitor an amount proportional to the signal present at said first capacitor. The first capacitor may be the output of a first charge transfer stage register and the second capacitor may be the input of a second charge transfer register.
Abstract:
A charge transfer circuit for amplifying relatively low signal levels. The circuit includes a charge transfer register for propagating a charge signal along the register. Amplifying means are coupled along the register for sensing and amplifying the charge signal. The outputs of the amplifying means are then summed to produce an output signal having a high signal-to-noise ratio.
Abstract:
A sensor array having photosensitive elements formed as an integral part of each stage of a shift register chain. Each stage has charge storage means. The photosensitive elements are coupled to the charge storage means for discharging them as a function of externally applied photo signals and, consequently, developing charge deficits in said charge storage means. The shift register, in response to a clocking signal, transfers the charge deficits from one stage to the next along the chain producing a serial output signal at an output terminal.
Abstract:
During the serial shifting to an output buffer of the radiation induced charge signal accumulated in a row (or column) of an array, the successive signals are processed to improve the contrast of the sensed image. The portion of each signal of greater than a given amplitude is transmitted to a buffer stage and the remaining portion of each signal is removed. In one form of the invention, the signal-to-noise ratio is then enhanced at the expense of resolution by combining at the buffer the processed signal from a number of adjacent charge storage locations.
Abstract:
The image information producing photosensitive elements of the sensor, which are arranged in rows and columns, are addressed row-by-row and column group-by-column group to decode the information. The signal information from a group of elements in a row is impressed simultaneously upon a like group of signal processing circuits, with each of which is associated a pair of signal storage devices, each having an input gate and an output gate. The input gates for one set of corresponding storage devices are concurrently operated to impress a group of signals simultaneously upon these storage devices during a given time period while the output gates for the other set of corresponding storage devices are operated sequentially to transfer the signals stored in the other set of storage devices to the output circuit. The operation of the input and output gates is reversed in the succeeding time period and this alternating operation continues until the information from all of the sensor elements is transferred to the output circuit.
Abstract:
Charge transfer decoder circuits for coupling, one at a time, a plurality of signal input points to a single output terminal. Signals, applied in parallel to the input points, are propagated, in an ordered sequence, from the input points to the output terminal along selectively enabled transfer paths, where each path includes the same number of charge transfer devices.
Abstract:
A matrix in which each row comprises a charge transfer register, a number of display elements equal to the number of register stages, and modulators responsive to information stored in each register for controlling the amount of excitation received by the display elements for that register.
Abstract:
Apparatus to increase signal-to-noise ratio of output signals from a charge transfer circuit. Video signals from a charge transfer image sensor array are increased in amplitude by combining light responsive charges of selected sensor elements. Circuitry is arranged to provide summation of signals from, for example, adjacent sensor array elements.
Abstract:
Circuit means for storing charge produced by elements of a matrix array and for producing an output signal indicative of the amount of charge stored. In two of the circuits illustrated, each column of the array is coupled to the base of a transistor and to one terminal of a charge storage means and two valued sampling pulses are applied between the emitter of the transistor and the other terminal of the charge storage means. For one value of the sampling pulse the transistor is reversed biased and charge generated by one of said elements is accumulated on said charge storage means. For the other value of the sampling pulse, the transistor is forward biased for reading out the charge stored on said means and concurrently removing the accumulated charge on said storage means. In another of the circuits a pair of diodes are employed at each column rather than a transistor.
Abstract:
An image sensor array of photodetector elements, with two phototransistors at each element. Each phototransistor has emitter, base, and collector regions, with PN junctions between the regions serving as photodetectors which integrate incident light flux. The inherent capacitance of the emitter-base junction of one phototransistor is substantially greater than the inherent capacitance of the other junctions, to provide capacitance for charge storage during the period between incident light and sampling. The emitter-base junction of the second phototransistor serves as a switch when the element is sampled, to provide an electrical output representative of the integrated light. The video output may be derived from the collector regions or from either of the emitter regions.