JPH021695A - Solid-state image pickup device and its driving method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To read out a signal charge to an external part in optional order by providing a charge accumulation transfer device installed at the downstream of a colum direction charge transfer device with a cyclic transfer line. CONSTITUTION:The photosensitive element train 1 of 8-pieces of photosensitive elements I1 to I8 and the column direction charge transfer devices 2 transferring the signal charge are arranged alternately in a line direction, and they are formed so that one transfer stage corresponds to 2-pieces of the photosensitive elements. A pair of the charge accumulation transfer devices 8, 9 are located at the downstream of the device 2, and their upper and lower terminals are connected by connecting parts 10, 11 so that the cyclic transfer line 12 is formed, and the signal charge is transferred cyclically as shown by an arrow mark. The transfer line 12 functions as a frame memory to store all the signal charges of all the photosensitive elements. Besides, the connecting part 10 also functions as an input part to receive the signal charge from the device 2 and transfer it to the device 8, and the connecting part 11 also functions as an output part to receive the signal charge from the device 8 and transfer it to a line direction charge transfer device 6. The device 6 and an output circuit 7 are provided at the downstream of the transfer line 12. Thus, the signal charge can be read out in optional order.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Field of Application) The present invention relates to a solid-state imaging device, and particularly to improvements in the structure of a charge transfer device and a driving method thereof.

(Prior Art) FIG. 14 shows an example of the planar structure of a conventional frame incline transfer type (FIT type) solid-state imaging device.

A photosensitive element row 1 consisting of, for example, eight photosensitive elements ■1'' to I8 arranged in the column direction (in the vertical direction of the paper), and a column direction transfer device that transfers the signal charge of this photosensitive element row 1 from the top to the bottom of the paper. 2 are arranged alternately in the row direction (left and right direction on the page). The column direction charge transfer device 2 has four transfer stages, two
One transfer stage is formed corresponding to each photosensitive element.

A selection electrode 3 is provided downstream of each column-wise charge transfer device 2, and next to this selection electrode 3, a pair of two columns of charge storage and transfer devices 4.5 are provided. A selection electrode 3 selectively connects the column charge transfer device 2 to one of the charge storage and transfer devices 4.5. The charge storage and transfer devices 3 and 4 have a pair of eight transfer stages, and function as a frame memory that can store all the signal charges (1) to (2) of all the photosensitive elements. That is, first, the signal charges ■, ■, ■, ■ (first field) of the odd-numbered photosensitive elements are read out to the corresponding transfer stage of the column direction charge transfer device 2, transferred in the column direction, and passed through the selection electrode 3. They are alternately transferred to the charge storage and transfer device 4.5. After the column direction transfer operation of the first field is completed, the signal charges ■, ■ of the even-numbered photosensitive elements.

1 and 2 (second field) are read out to the corresponding transfer stage and transferred in the column direction in the same manner as the first field. At the time of completion of the column direction transfer of the second field, the charge arrangement in the charge storage and transfer devices 4 and 5 becomes as shown in the figure. After that, the signal charges in each column are transferred to the row direction transfer device 6.
The signals are transferred in parallel to each other, and then transferred in the row direction (to the left from the cloth on the paper) and taken out from the output circuit 7 as an electrical signal. Subsequently, similar charge transfer operations are repeated in the order of ■, ■, ■, ■, ■, ■, ■, and all signals are output.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In the conventional solid-state imaging device as described above, each transfer stage of the charge storage and transfer device is formed integrally in the row direction due to restrictions on electrical wiring. Therefore, all charge storage and transfer devices can only perform transfer in the same direction (from the top to the bottom of the page) at the same timing. Under such constraints, the charge arrangement when all signal charges are held in the charge storage and transfer device by two column-direction charge transfers in the first field and the second field is generally limited to that shown in FIG. 14. Therefore, the signal charges are sorted in row number order, that is, ■, ■,
It is not possible to output in the order of ■, ■, ■, ■, ■, ■. Therefore, signal processing such as vertical correlation processing between adjacent rows becomes difficult.

Furthermore, when one transfer stage of a column direction transfer device is made to correspond to four photosensitive elements arranged in a column direction, ■, ■, ■,
The signal charges are read out in the order of (1), (2), (2), (2), (3), making it difficult to form a single field signal as a television signal. That is, at least one transfer stage must be formed corresponding to two photosensitive elements.

Furthermore, since the charge transfer capacity is approximately proportional to the area of one transfer stage, the channel width (width in the horizontal direction of the paper) of the column direction charge transfer device must be increased in order to obtain a predetermined charge transfer capacity. This becomes an obstacle to increasing the degree of integration of the device.

Furthermore, since the selection electrode allocation operation must be performed for each signal charge, it is necessary to devise ways to increase the charge transfer speed in this part.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art described above and to provide a structure of a solid-state imaging device and a method for driving the same, which can extract signal charges to the outside in any order.

[Structure of the invention]

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention includes a photosensitive element array having a plurality of photosensitive elements, and a charge storage and transfer device that stores and transfers signal charges output from the photosensitive element array. , this charge storage and transfer device provides a solid-state imaging device having a cyclic transfer path including a plurality of transfer stages connected in a loop. The present invention also provides a solid-state imaging device including a parallel transfer device that transfers signal charges in parallel from a plurality of transfer stages of a part of a cyclic transfer path to other transfer stages.

Furthermore, the present invention provides a driving method for the solid-state imaging device having the above configuration, in which the cyclic transfer path cyclically transfers signal charges already received from the column direction transfer device, and controls the reception timing of the next signal charge. By this,
A driving method is provided that rearranges the arrangement order of signal charges into an arbitrary order.

The present invention also provides a driving method in which the signal charges are output in an arbitrary order by controlling the output timing of the signal charges while the cyclic transfer path cyclically transfers the signal charges. Furthermore, a driving method is also provided in which the arrangement order of the signal charges in the cyclic transfer path is reversed by transferring the signal charges in parallel within the cyclic transfer path using a parallel transfer device.

(Function) In the solid-state imaging device according to the present invention, signal charges output from the photosensitive element array are transferred to a cyclic transfer path as a charge storage and transfer device. The cyclic transfer path cyclically transfers the received signal charge and controls the reception timing of the next signal charge transferred in the column direction, so that the signal charge is transferred between the idle stages between the signal charges that have already been received. can be received at any transfer stage. As a result, the cyclic transfer path can store signal charges in any order, independent of the order in which signal charges are transferred by the column-direction transfer device, and by sequentially outputting the signal charges, the signal charges can be taken out in any order. will be done. In addition, when the cyclic transfer path receives signal charges, it receives them in the transfer order from the column direction transfer device, and by controlling the timing when outputting them from the cyclic transfer path, the signal charges can be output in any order. It is possible to do so.

(Embodiment) FIG. 2 shows a planar structure of a first embodiment of the solid-state imaging device according to the present invention.

For example, eight photosensitive elements lined up in a row (up and down on the page)! Photosensitive element rows 1 consisting of photosensitive elements 1 to I8 and column-direction charge transfer devices 2 for transferring signal charges from the top to the bottom of the paper are arranged alternately in the row direction. The column direction charge transfer device 2 has four transfer stages, and one transfer stage is formed corresponding to two photosensitive elements.

A pair of two columns of charge storage and transfer devices 8 and 9 are provided downstream of each column direction charge transfer device 2 .

The pair of charge storage and transfer devices 8 and 9 are connected at their upper and lower ends by a first connection portion 10 and a second connection portion 11, and are connected in a loop to form an 8-stage transfer path for cyclic transfer. A path 12 is configured to transfer signal charges cyclically as shown by the arrows. Cyclic transfer path 1
The 8-stage transfer path of No. 2 functions as a frame memory capable of storing all the signal charges (1) to (2) of all the photosensitive elements. The first connection section 10 is an input section of a cyclic transfer path that receives signal charges from the column direction charge transfer device 2 and transfers them to the charge storage and transfer device 8 on the left side of the paper, and the second connection section 11 is the input section of a cyclic transfer path that receives signal charges from the column direction charge transfer device 2. It also functions as an output part of a cyclic transfer path that receives signal charges from the cell and transfers them to the row direction charge transfer device 6.

A row direction charge transfer device 6 and an output circuit 7 having the same configuration as the conventional one are provided downstream of the cyclic transfer path 12.

The first driving method in this first embodiment is shown in FIG.

Odd-numbered signal charges ■ due to the first column direction transfer.

■, ■, ■ are transferred. The signal charges output from the column direction charge transfer device 2 are transferred to the left side charge storage and transfer device 8 through the first connection portion 10 . Left side charge storage and transfer device 8
first receives the signal charge ■ and transfers it to the bottom of the page in two stages,
During this second stage transfer, the next signal charge ■ is received. The signal charges output from the charge storage and transfer device 8 are transferred to the right side charge storage and transfer device 9 through the second connection portion 11 . The right side charge storage and transfer device 9 operates in the same manner as the charge storage device 8 and transfers signal charges upward in the paper. The signal charges output from the right side charge storage and transfer device 9 are transferred to the left side charge storage and transfer device 8 through the first connection portion 10 . Thus, the second
As shown in Figure (a), the signal charges ■, ■, ■, ■ are cyclically transferred counterclockwise within the charge storage and transfer device 8.9 with an empty transfer stage sandwiched between each signal charge.

As shown in FIG. 2(b), when the signal charge ■ is cyclically transferred to the left side charge storage and transfer device 8, even-numbered signal charges ■, ■, ■, ■ are transferred by the second column direction transfer. . First, as shown in FIG. 2(C), the signal charge ■ is transferred to the empty transfer stage after the signal charge ■. Then, as shown in FIG. 2(d), the signal charge (2) is transferred to the empty transfer stage after the signal charge (2). By repeating this operation, all signal charges (1) to (2) are stored in the cyclic transfer path 12 in the order of row numbers.

Then, as shown in FIG. 2(e), when the first signal charge ■ is transferred to the last transfer stage of the left charge storage and transfer device 8,
Thereafter, the signal charges output from the left side charge storage and transfer device 8 are transferred to the row direction charge transfer device 6. As a result, all signal charges (1) to (2) are outputted to the outside through the output circuit 7 in the order of row numbers.

FIG. 3 shows the second driving method in the first embodiment.

In this case, one frame is transferred in the column direction four times. That is, half of the odd-numbered signal charges ■, ■ in the first column-direction transfer, half of the even-numbered signal charges ■, ■ in the second column-direction transfer, and half of the even-numbered signal charges ■, The remaining half ■, ■ are the even-numbered remaining half ■ in the fourth column direction transfer.
,■ are transferred.

As shown in FIG. 3(a), first, the signal charge ■ is transferred to the cyclic transfer path 12 by the first column direction transfer. The cyclic transfer path 12 receives the signal charge ■ and transfers it to 4
Stage transfer is performed, and at the time of the fourth stage transfer, the next signal charge ■ is received as shown in FIG. 3(b). In this way, the signal charges (1) and (2) of the first column direction transfer are stored in the cyclic transfer path 12 with three empty transfer stages in between.

After that, the second column direction transfer starts, and the first signal charge ■
As shown in FIG. 3(C), the charge is transferred to the empty transfer stage immediately after the signal charge . Next, the signal charge (2) is transferred to the idle transfer stage immediately following the signal charge (2) as shown in FIG. 3(d).

The third column-direction transfer operation is performed in the same manner, and the signal charge (2) is transferred to the empty transfer stage immediately following the signal charge (2) as shown in FIG. 3(e). Thereafter, similar operations are repeated, and as a result, all signal charges 1 to 2 are stored in the cyclic transfer path in the order of row numbers. Thereafter, the signal charges (1) to (2) are sequentially outputted to the row direction charge transfer device 6 in the same manner as in the first operation method.

This second driving method is effective when one transfer stage of the column direction charge transfer device is made to correspond to four photosensitive elements in a photosensitive element column.

As devices become more densely integrated, the width of the transfer path allowed in a column-direction charge transfer device is inevitably narrowed.

On the other hand, the transfer capacity is roughly proportional to the area of one transfer stage.

Therefore, in order to secure the required transfer capacity, it is necessary to make the transfer path long over several photosensitive elements. In this case, since only one signal charge can be transferred per one transfer stage, one field signal must be transferred in a plurality of column direction transfers as described above. In such a case, by implementing a transfer method such as the second driving method,
Multiple transfers can easily convert spatially discrete row charges into a series of consecutive orders. Furthermore, since signals from all photosensitive elements can be output independently in one field, so-called complete field readout can be easily realized, and vertical resolution can be increased by performing vertical correlation processing between the photosensitive element signals.

FIG. 4 shows a third driving method in the first embodiment.

In the first and second driving methods described above, the order of the signal charges is rearranged into an arbitrary order by controlling the input timing of the signal charges from the column direction transfer device 2 to the cyclic transfer path 12. On the other hand, the third driving method performs similar rearrangement by controlling the output timing from the cyclic transfer path 12.

First, the odd-numbered signal charges ■, ■ are transferred in the first column direction.
, ■, ■ are transferred, and as shown in FIG. 4(a), the cyclic transfer path 12 receives signal charges ■.

Receive ■, ■, ■ consecutively. Subsequently, even-numbered signal charges ■, ■, ■ are transferred in the second column direction.

(2) is transferred, and as shown in FIG. 4(b), the cyclic transfer path 12 receives the signal charges (2), (2), (2), (2) followed by the signal charges (2), (2), (2), (2).

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 4(c), when the first signal charge ■ is transferred to the last transfer stage of the left side charge storage and transfer device 8, a voltage is subsequently applied to the row direction charge transfer device 6 and the signal charge The charge ■ is outputted to the row direction charge transfer device 6 through the second connection portion 11. The signal charges ■, ■, ■ are transferred to the right side charge storage and transfer device 9 again. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 4(d), when the signal charge ■ reaches the final transfer stage of the left side charge storage and transfer device 8, voltage is again applied to the row direction charge transfer device 6, and the signal charge ■ is transferred to the row direction charge transfer device. The data is transferred to the device 6.

By repeating the same operation, ■, ■, ■, ■, ■, ■, ■ are formed in the cyclic transfer path 12.

The signal charges stored in the order of ■ are ■, ■, ■.

Output in the order of ■, ■, ■, ■, ■.

In this way, in the third driving method, by controlling the timing of voltage application to the cyclic transfer path 12 and the row direction charge transfer device 6, the voltage can be applied in any order regardless of the order within the cyclic transfer path 12. can output signal charges.

FIG. 5 shows the configuration of a cyclic transfer path and its driving method according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The configurations of the photosensitive pixels, row direction charge transfer device, and output circuit of this embodiment are the same as those of FIG. 1, and therefore are not shown.

The cyclic transfer path 13 of this embodiment is constituted by a pair of charge storage and transfer devices 14 and 15 each having two transfer stages. That is, the cyclic transfer path 13 is constituted by four stages of transfer paths, each having 1/2 the number of photosensitive elements. Also,
Although not shown, the number of transfer stages of the column direction charge transfer path 16 is two, and one transfer stage corresponds to four photosensitive elements.

Similarly to the second driving method of the first embodiment, one field of column direction transfer consists of two column direction transfer operations. First of all
FIG. 5(a) is obtained by column-direction transfer of .

As shown in (b), the signal charges ■, ■ are then transferred to the cyclic transfer path 13 by the second column direction transfer, as shown in FIGS. 5(c) and (d). and stored, then ■, ■, ■.

The charges are outputted to the row direction charge transfer device 6 in the order of (2). Next is the third. As shown in FIG. 5(e), even numbered signal charges ■, ■, ■, ■ are transferred to the cyclic transfer path 13 by the fourth column direction transfer, and then outputted in the same manner as described above. Thus, the odd numbered signal charges ■, ■, ■, ■, and the even numbered signal charges ■.

Field reading is performed in the order of ■, ■, and ■.

Note that, as a matter of course, field accumulation readout operations in conventional solid-state imaging devices can also be performed. In that case, in the first field, the combined charge ■+■, ■
+■, ■+■, and ■+■ can be transferred and output, and in the next field, composite charges ■+■, ■+■, and ■10■ can be similarly transferred and output.

Although complete field readout cannot be performed in this second embodiment, it is effective for miniaturization of elements as described above. That is, the width of the column direction charge transfer path can be made as small as possible to maximize the light receiving area (aperture ratio) of the photosensitive element, and as a result, high sensitivity and high S/N ratio can be obtained.

FIG. 6 shows a planar configuration of a third embodiment of the present invention.

This embodiment differs from that shown in FIG. 1 in that the interlace method is not adopted for reading signal charges by the column direction transfer device 21. That is, the column direction transfer device 21 has eight transfer stages corresponding to each of the photosensitive pixels 11 to I8, and can simultaneously read and transfer signal charges in adjacent rows.

Two methods for driving this non-interlaced solid-state imaging device as an interlaced device using the cyclic transfer path 12 are shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

FIG. 7 shows the first driving method in the third embodiment.

In this case, one frame of column direction transfer is performed four times, and signal charges in two adjacent rows are transferred in one column direction transfer.

That is, as shown in FIG. 7(a), first, the signal charge ■ is transferred to the cyclic transfer path 12 by the first column direction transfer. The cyclic transfer path 12 receives the signal charge ■ and transfers it to four stages, and at the time of the fourth stage transfer, as shown in FIG. 7(b)
Receive the next signal charge ■ as shown in . In this way, the signal charges (1) and (2) of the first column direction transfer are stored in the cyclic transfer path 12 with four empty transfer stages in between.

After that, the second column direction transfer starts, and the first signal charge ■
As shown in FIG. 7(C), the charge is transferred to the empty transfer stage immediately after the signal charge ② in the cyclic transfer path 12. Next, the signal charge (2) is transferred to the empty transfer stage immediately following the signal charge (2) as shown in FIG. 7(d).

Thereafter, the third and fourth column direction transfer operations are performed in the same manner.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 7(e), the odd numbered signal charges ■, ■, ■, ■ are followed by the even numbered signal charges ■, ■, ■.
, ■ are arranged, and signal charges ■ to ■ are stored in the cyclic transfer path 12. Thereafter, the signal charges are output to the row direction charge transfer device 6 in accordance with the order within the cyclic transfer path 12.

This first method converts the charge arrangement order to be compatible with the interlace method by controlling the input timing of signal charges to the cyclic transfer path 12, but the second method shown in FIG. has a similar effect by controlling the output timing.

First, as shown in FIG. 8(a), signal charges 1 to 2 are input from the column direction transfer device 21 to the cyclic transfer path 12 in numerical order.

Thereafter, the first signal charge ■ is output from the cyclic transfer path 12 as shown in FIG. 8(b).

The next signal charge ■ is cyclically transferred without being output,
The next signal charge ■ is output as shown in FIG. 8(c). Thereafter, the signal charge ■ is output in the same manner (FIG. 8(d)), and then the signal charge ■ is output.

In this way, the odd numbered signal charges ■, ■, ■.

After the signal charges (2) are output, even-numbered signal charges (2), (2), (2), and (2) are outputted as shown in FIG. 8(e).

FIG. 9 shows the embodiment of FIG. 4 of the present invention. While all of the embodiments up to now have been applied to FIT type solid-state imaging devices, the embodiment shown in FIG.
This is applied to a transfer type solid-state imaging device. In this type of device, as shown, a row of photosensitive elements 1
It itself also serves as a column direction transfer device, and the signal charges ■, ■・
...Output ■ in order of line number.

Therefore, the charge transfer operation of this embodiment is substantially the same as that of the sixth factor FIT type device which does not employ the interlace method. In other words, by performing the driving method shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, signal charges can be read out in an interlaced manner from an FT-type solid-state image signal, which originally cannot be read out in an interlaced manner. .

FIG. 10 shows a fifth embodiment of the invention. The configurations of the photosensitive element and the column direction charge transfer device are the same as those shown in FIG. 1, and will therefore be omitted.

This embodiment differs from the embodiment shown in FIG. The transfer device 9 also has the function of transferring signal charges not only upward but also downward. The parallel transfer device 17 has a function of transferring the signal charges of the right side charge storage and transfer device 9 in parallel to the left side charge storage and transfer device 8 or in parallel in the opposite direction.

FIG. 11 shows an example of a driving method in the fifth embodiment.

The left side charge storage and transfer device 8 successively receives odd numbered signal charges ■, ■, ■, ■ as shown in FIG. 11(a), and transfers them to the right side charge storage and transfer device as shown in FIG. The data is cyclically transferred to the transfer device 9.

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 11(c), the parallel transfer device 17 transfers the signal charges (2) in the right side charge storage and transfer device 9.

■, ■, ■ are transferred in parallel to the left side charge storage and transfer device 8.

As a result, the arrangement order of signal charges ■, ■, ■, ■ becomes ■,
Reverse in the order of ■, ■, ■. Next, the signal charge ■, ■, ■
. As a result, as shown in FIG. 11(d), the signal charges are arranged in ascending order of numbers in the charge storage and transfer device 8.9 from the bottom of the page. Next, the charge storage and transfer device 8゜9 alternately transfers the signal charge downward, and the signal charge becomes ■, ■, ■, ■.
, ■, ■, ■, ■ are output to the row direction charge transfer device 6 in the order.

In this way, in this fifth embodiment, by using a method of rearranging the order of signal charges in the cyclic transfer path all at once using a parallel transfer device, it is possible to rearrange the order of charges by a predetermined number by cyclic transfer. The required effort can be saved.

Note that it is of course possible to implement the same operating method as the first embodiment using this fifth embodiment.

Although the fifth embodiment is applied to an FIT type solid-state imaging device, it is of course possible to add a parallel transfer device to an FT type device as shown in FIG.

FIG. 12 shows an embodiment of the electrode structure of the cyclic transfer path according to the present invention. FIG. 13 shows the electrode configuration when a parallel charge transfer device is further added to the cyclic transfer path.

One transfer stage 20 of the cyclic transfer path consists of four electrodes, and has a well-known four-layer drive configuration in which transfer pulses of four different phases φ1 to φ4 are applied to each electrode. In this case, for example, a stacked two-layer polycrystalline silicon electrode structure is used as the electrode structure, and the first. A third phase (φ1.φ3) electrode is formed from the first layer of polycrystalline silicon, and a second layer of polycrystalline silicon. If the fourth phase (φ2° to φ4) electrodes are formed of TS two-layer polycrystalline silicon, the same phase electrodes of the cyclic transfer paths can be integrally formed for all the cyclic transfer paths.

It should be noted that the preferred embodiments described in this specification are illustrative and not restrictive. The invention may be carried out in other ways without departing from its essential characteristics. For example, the number of electrodes in the transfer stage of the cyclic transfer path is four in FIG. 11 and I2, but it can also be three. The scope of the invention is indicated by the claims, and all modifications that come within the meaning of those claims are included therein.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, since the cyclic transfer path is provided in the charge storage and transfer device provided downstream of the column direction charge transfer device, the timing of inputting signal charges to the cyclic transfer path is By controlling the timing of output from the cyclic transfer path, signal charges can be read out in any order independent of the order of signal charges transferred by the column direction transfer device. The readout method can be easily performed in accordance with necessary signal processing such as vertical correlation processing.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a plan configuration diagram of a first embodiment of a solid-state imaging device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a first driving method in the first embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a second driving method in the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the third driving method in the first embodiment, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the planar configuration of the main part of the second embodiment of the present invention and its driving method, FIG. 6 is a plan configuration diagram of the third embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the first driving method of the third embodiment, and FIG. 8 is an explanation of the second driving method of the third embodiment. FIG. 9 is a plan configuration diagram of the fourth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 0 is a plan configuration diagram of the main part of the fifth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
The figures are explanatory diagrams of the driving method of the fifth embodiment, Figures 12 and 13.
FIG. 14 is a plan configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the electrode configuration of a cyclic transfer path according to the present invention, and FIG. 14 is a plan configuration diagram of a conventional solid-state imaging device. 11~I8...Photosensitive element, ■~■...Signal charge, 1
... Photosensitive element column, 2.16 ... Column direction charge transfer device, 6 ... Row direction charge transfer device, 7 ... Output circuit, 8
゜9゜14゜5...Charge storage transfer device, 12゜13...Cyclic transfer path, 17...Parallel transfer device, 20...1 transfer stage.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A photosensitive element row (1) having a plurality of photosensitive elements (I) arranged in the column direction, and a charge storage for accumulating and transferring signal charges output from this photosensitive element row. In the solid-state imaging device provided with a transfer device, the charge storage and transfer device includes a plurality of transfer stages (8
, 19, 10, 11).
2) A solid-state imaging device comprising: 2. The charge storage and transfer device consists of a first charge storage and transfer device (8) and a second charge storage and transfer device (9) that transfer signal charges in opposite directions, and the first and second charge storage and transfer devices The storage and transfer device (8, 9) has its both ends (10, 11)
2. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein transfer paths are connected to form the cyclic transfer path. 3. Each photosensitive element (I) adjacent to the photosensitive element row (1)
2. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, which is a frame interline transfer type solid-state imaging device, further comprising a column direction transfer device (2) for transferring signal charges from the frame in the column direction. 4. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the photosensitive element row (1) itself is a frame transfer type configured to transfer the signal charge in the row direction. 5. Parallel transfer of signal charges of some transfer stages (8, 9) of a part of the cyclic transfer path (12) in parallel to some other transfer stages (9, 8) of the cyclic transfer path The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising a transfer device (17). 6. The charge storage and transfer device is a first charge storage and transfer device that can transfer signal charges both in opposite directions and in the same direction.
8) and a second charge storage and transfer device (9), the first and second charge storage and transfer devices (8, 9) have a transfer path connected to each other at both ends of the cyclic transfer path (8).
12), and further includes a first charge storage and transfer device (8, 9) between the first and second charge storage and transfer devices (8, 9).
6. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 5, further comprising a parallel transfer device (17) for transferring signal charges in parallel from the second charge storage/transfer device (9) to the second charge storage/transfer device (9) or in the opposite direction. 7. Consists of a photosensitive element row (1) having a plurality of photosensitive elements (I) and a plurality of transfer stages connected in a loop that receives and transfers signal charges output from this photosensitive element row (1). In a method for driving a solid-state imaging device including a charge storage and transfer device having a cyclic transfer path (12), the cyclic transfer path (12) cyclically transfers already received signal charges and transfers the signal charges to be received next. 1. A method for driving a solid-state imaging device, characterized in that the arrangement order of signal charges is rearranged into an arbitrary order by controlling the reception timing of the signal charges. 8. The column-direction charge transfer device divides all the signal charges in the photosensitive element row (1) into a plurality of column-direction transfers and transfers them to the cyclic transfer path (12).
2) receives several signal charges transferred in one column direction transfer so that a predetermined number of empty transfer stages are sandwiched between the signal charges, and transfers the received signal charges cyclically to the next transfer stage. Some of the signal charges transferred by the column direction transfer are received in the empty transfer stage after the already received signal charges, and by repeating this operation, the arrangement order of all the signal charges in the cyclic transfer path can be changed to the desired order. 8. The method for driving a solid-state imaging device according to claim 7, wherein the solid-state imaging device is rearranged as follows. 9. All signal charges (<1>, <3>, <5>, <7>) of the first field (I1, I3, I5, I7) in the interlace method of the photosensitive element row (1) are 1 to the cyclic transfer path (12) by column direction transfer;
Next, all signal charges (<2>, <4>, <6>, <8>) of the second field (I2, I4, I6, I8) are
are transferred to the cyclic transfer path (12) by column direction transfer, and the cyclic transfer path (12) transfers all the signal charges of the first field (<1>, <3>, <5>, <7>
) is received such that one empty transfer stage is sandwiched between the signal conductors, and then the total signal charge of the second field (〈2〉,
By receiving the signal charges (<4>, <6>, <8>) into the empty transfer stage between the first field signal charges (<1>, <3>, <5>, <7>), all signals are transferred. The arrangement order of the charges is determined by the row numbers (<1>, <2>, <3>, <4>, <5>, <6>,
9. The method for driving a solid-state imaging device according to claim 8, wherein the rearrangement is performed as follows: <7>, <8>). 10. Signal charges (<1>, <5>) every predetermined number of rows of the first field (I1, I3, I5, I7) in the interlace method of the photosensitive element column (1) are transferred once in the column direction. The signal charges (<2>, <6>) of the second field (I2, I4, I6, I8) every predetermined number of rows are transferred to the cyclic transfer path (12) by transfer, and then the signal charges (<2>, <6>) of the second field (I2, I4, I6, I8) are transferred to the cyclic transfer path (12). The data is transferred to the cyclic transfer path (12) by column direction transfer, and this operation is repeated thereafter, and the cyclic transfer path (12) transfers data every predetermined number of rows of the first field transferred by one column direction transfer. signal charge (<1>, <5>
) at a predetermined number of transfer stages, and signal charges of the first field that have already received signal charges (<2>, <6>) at a predetermined number of rows of the second field transferred by the next column direction transfer. (<1>, <5>), and by repeating this operation, all signal charges are arranged in the same order as the photosensitive pixels (I) (
<1>, <2>, <3>, <4>, <5>, <6>, <
9. The method for driving a solid-state imaging device according to claim 8, wherein the rearrangement is performed as follows. 11. Signal charges (<1>, <2>) of two adjacent photosensitive pixels (I1, I2) of the photosensitive element row (1) are transferred in the column direction once to the cyclic transfer path (12). then the next two adjacent photosensitive pixels (I3, I4)
The signal charges (<3>, <4>) are transferred to the cyclic transfer path (12) in one column direction transfer, and this operation is repeated thereafter, and the cyclic transfer path (12) is transferred in one column direction. Two signal charges (<1>,
<2>) is received at every transfer stage corresponding to the number of rows in one field in the interlace method, and the signal has already received two signal charges (<3>, <4>) to be transferred by the next column direction transfer. By receiving charges (<1>, <2>) in the empty transfer stage immediately after and repeating this operation, the arrangement order of all signals is changed to all signal charges (<1>, <2>) in the first field of the interlaced method. (<3>, <5>, <7>), then the total signal charge of the second field (<2>, <4>, <6>)
, <8>) are arranged (<1>, <3>, <5>
, <7>, <2>, <4>, <6>, <8>). The method for driving a solid-state imaging device according to claim 8. 12. Photosensitive element row (1) having a plurality of photosensitive elements (I)
and a plurality of transfer stages connected in a loop that receive and transfer signal charges output from the photosensitive element array (1).
8, 9, 10, 11).
2), wherein the cyclic transfer path (12)
A method for driving a solid-state imaging device, characterized in that the signal charges are output in any order with the signal charges by controlling the timing of outputting the signal charges while cyclically transferring the signal charges. 13. Total signal charges of the first field (<1>, <3>, <5
〉, 〈7〉) are transferred to the cyclic transfer path (12) in the first column direction transfer, and then all signal charges of the second field (〈2〉, 〈4〉, 〈6〉, 〈 8>) to the cyclic transfer path (12) in a second column direction transfer,
The cyclic transfer path (12) transfers signal charges (<1>, <3>, <5>, <
7>, <2>, <4>, <6>, <8>) without intervening empty transfer stages, and the total signal charge (<1
〉,〈3〉,〈5〉,〈7〉,〈2〉,〈4〉,〈6〉
, <8>), all signal charges are received in the order of row numbers (<1>, <2>, <3>, <4>, <5>,
13. The method for driving a charge transfer device according to claim 12, wherein the charge transfer device is outputted to (6), (7), or (8)). 14. Total signal charges of the photosensitive element row (1) (<1>, <2>, <3>, <4>, <5>, <6>,
<7>, <8>) are transferred to the cyclic transfer path (12) according to the arrangement order of the photosensitive elements, and the cyclic transfer path (12) transfers the signal charges (<1>, <2>, <3>) to the cyclic transfer path (12).
〉, 〈4〉, 〈5〉, 〈6〉, 〈7〉, 〈8〉) from each other without any empty transfer stages between them. <3>, <4>, <5>, <6>,
After the reception of the signal charges (<7>, <8>) is completed, the signal charges (<1>, <3>) of the first field of the interlaced method are received.
〉, 〈5〉, 〈7〉) are output in order of line number, and then the second
The signal charge of the field (〈2〉,〈4〉,〈6〉,〈
13. The method for driving a solid-state imaging device according to claim 12, wherein the solid-state imaging device is outputted in the order of row numbers. 15. A charge storage and transfer device includes a photosensitive element row (1) having a plurality of photosensitive elements and a charge storage and transfer device for accumulating and transferring signal charges output from the photosensitive device row (1), and the charge storage and transfer device includes: First and second charge storage and transfer devices (8, 9) capable of transferring signal charges in opposite directions or in the same direction and having transfer paths connected at both ends to form a cyclic transfer path; Parallel transfer device (17) provided between the second charge storage and transfer devices (8, 9)
In the method for driving a solid-state imaging device, the total signal charge (<1>, <3>, <5>, <7>) of the first field by the interlacing method of the photosensitive element row (1) is The cyclic transfer path (12
), and then all the signal charges of the second field are transferred to the cyclic transfer path (12) by a second column direction transfer.
The cyclic transfer path (12) continuously transfers signal charges (<1>, <3>, <5>, <7>) by the first column direction transfer to the first charge storage device (8). ) and cyclically transfers it to the second charge storage and transfer device (9), and then the parallel transfer device (17) transfers the signal charges (<1>, <3) in the second charge storage device (19). 〉,〈5〉,〈7
) to the first charge storage device (8) to reverse the arrangement order of the signal charges, and then the cyclic transfer device (12) transfers the signal charges to the first charge storage device (8) in parallel.
) in the signal charges (<7>, <5>, <3>, <1>) are cyclically transferred to the second charge storage and transfer device (9), and the signal charges are transferred to the first charge storage and transfer device (8). The signal charges (<2>, <4>, <6>) are continuously transferred by the second column direction transfer.
, <8>), and then the first and second charge transfer devices (8, 9) alternately transfer the signal charges (<1>, <2>, <
3>, <4>, <5>, <6>, <7>, <8>).