JPS5831672A - Electronic camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To decrease the time required for discharging unnecessary electric charge, by providing a drain in a charge transfer section. CONSTITUTION:When a shutter button is depressed, a drive control circuit 20 drives charges to drains D1-DN for column transfer sections C1- CN. The charges transferred to the drains D1-DN are discharged externally via a terminal 36. Simltaneously, the circuit 20 drives charges to a row transfer section 32 so that the charges are transferred to the terminal 36. Thus, the unnecessary charges of rows and columns in the transfer section are discharged at the same time. After the discharge of unnecessary charges is finished, an optical shutter is opened. Since the time required for the discharge through the simultaneous discharge of the unnecessary charges can be decreased, shutter chance can easily be obtained.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] The present invention relates to an electronic camera using a solid-state image sensor.

Generally, photography is carried out by exposing a film using a camera and then printing the film onto photographic paper. In recent years, instead of exposing film, so-called electronic cameras have been used to convert optical information into electrical signals, record this on magnetic tape, etc., and then make an eight-dimensional copy. is being created. Here, as an imaging intermediate stage to obtain an electrical #i injury signal, CC
It is convenient to use a solid-state imaging probe such as D in terms of miniaturization. In general, a solid-state imaging probe consists of a light-receiving section that generates a charge in response to light, and a transfer section that transfers and outputs the charge obtained by the light-receiving section. Here, even when the light receiving section is not irradiated with light, unnecessary charges may exist in the receiving tS and the transfer section. For this reason, in conventional electronic cameras, when the shutter lead is pressed once, the shutter is opened after several frames are transferred in order to discharge unnecessary charges in the light receiving section and the transfer section. That is, since there is a delay time of several frames' worth of transfer time (approximately 0.2 to 1 second) from when the shutter button is pressed until the shutter is actually opened, there is a risk of losing a photo opportunity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic camera using a solid-state image sensor that can shorten the time required to discharge unnecessary charges before a photographing operation.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the electronic camera according to the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG. FIG. 111 is a schematic configuration diagram thereof. A light shielding strip 11 with one end open is provided within the main body 10. A lens 14 is provided at the open end of the light shielding tube 12. A shutter 1g and an all-in-one image sensor 18 are also provided inside the Jlt3M shielding cylinder 11, and the light incident through the lens 74% is irradiated to the solid-state image sensor 18 through the shutter 1ipH to generate various drive signals. The output signal of the drive control path IO is supplied to the sensor 16 and the imaging probe 18 . The output signal of the solid-state imaging probe II is supplied to the signal processing circuit Ill, where it is subjected to predetermined encoding.

The output encoded signal of No. 01 processing station 22 is written as 111814.
A recording medium such as a magnetic tape is supplied with the number.

11!2 is a plan view of the solid-state image sensor 18. FIG. 8 photodiodes as light receiving elements on the conductive substrate 10
The 8M summer is formed in a matrix of MffN columns and serves as a light receiving section, and the adjacent ξζ column transfer S C of the photodiode in each column is formed.
t to C, are provided.

At one end of the column transfers sc1 to CM, a row transfer taxs orthogonal thereto is provided, and at the other end of each column transfer sc1 to CM, a drain consisting of the base 4[1o and the cow conductor 1 of the opposite conductivity type is provided.
D and -D summers are provided respectively.

One end of the row transfer 12 is connected to the output @14i, and the 1 drain IIDI~D summer is connected to the terminal B6i.

The column transfer units 1ees to CI and the row transfer unit 81 are comprised of COD shift registers shielded from light, and have electrodes connected to the drive control rtskxoζζ, although not shown. Furthermore, it is desirable that the column transfer set to CM be of a three-phase or four-phase drive type.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained. When the shirt button is pressed, the drive control circuit 10 performs column transfer set-mar.
A drive signal is supplied to transfer the charge to the drains -〇, ~D1. The unnecessary charges transferred to the F lanes D1 to DI are discharged to the outside through the terminals 86Jh-. At the same time, the % drive control circuit 20 supplies a drive signal to the row transfer section S2 so as to transfer the charge to the output terminal 36. Transfer one line by C @J,? Unnecessary charges that exist inside are also discharged to the outside. In this way, QJI! According to the embodiment, unnecessary charges existing in the column transfer units C1 to C1 are transferred to the row transfer m5zt.
- Since the unnecessary charges in the column transfer sC to Cw and the row transfer mix can be discharged at the time of t-P4, they can be discharged to the direct drains 1iD1 to DH, respectively. This result 1
You can shorten the time required to discharge unnecessary charges, and press the shirt button to release η1, etc.

You can open the shutter immediately and do not lose % shutter chance, specifically this 'km@, the time required to discharge this unnecessary charge! can be expressed as follows.

TWT c MNQ w/Q t N MaroT c M Qo/Q t - (1) where %
Tc is the transfer period of column transfer is and row transfer -, MNQn is the initial charge amount of the entire solid-state image sensor, and 'Qt is the transfer charge amount of one time of column transfer 11 and row transfer section.

On the other hand, if the charges in the column transfer @C@M-Cw are discharged to the outside via the row transfer s11 as in the conventional case, the time T required for this is expressed as follows.

T"=xTcMNQn/Qt=@=Ntons In other words, according to this embodiment, unnecessary electrodeposition can be discharged in the conventional time of 17N.Furthermore, if this is 1!, conventionally all column transfers 11cs to CM About 1 discharge I
While IC row transfer 111 and LP are not provided, in this embodiment, each drain 11D is provided for each column transfer unit C1 to C2.
Since t~DMJk is provided, the time required for discharge can be shortened to 1/N.

When seven hours have passed since the shutter button was pressed, the drive control circuit jO opens the shutter 16 for a predetermined period of time and causes the photodiodes 811 to 811 to accumulate signal charges. Thereafter, when the shutter is closed again, the drive control path 20 supplies a drive signal to the solid-state imaging device 18 so that the signal charge is output from the column transfer S through the row transfer sJk.

The uniform signal thus obtained is processed and recorded.

Next, @2 embodiment of this invention will be explained. The second example of the underground corridor is different only in the solid-state image sensor, as shown in the plan view in Figure 183. Ixmttri is the same as the first embodiment.
The same parts as in the example are given the same reference numerals and the explanation is omitted. In the 182 example, the t-drains 11Dt-D)I and the row transfer s11 are provided on the same end side with respect to the column transfer C8-01ζ.

In other words, column transfer 1nlet・~CM for one column QJM@
The length corresponding to the photodiode is longer than the length corresponding to the photodiode, and the drain sD is connected to the side of the column transfer 1llC1~cmto longer than the length corresponding to the photodiode through the gate electrode 01~GIJk-.
, ~Dw are provided, and a line transfer s12 is provided at the end (). The gate electrodes 01 to aW are connected to a drive control path 20 via a control terminal 11. With this ξ, column transfer 1
1cs~CM is single phase.

Any two-phase, three-phase or four-phase drive Jl&j may be used.

To explain the operation of the second embodiment, the transfer direction of the first column transfer units C1 to CM is only the downward direction (direction of row transfer s32).When the shirt button is pressed, the first drive control circuit 10 operates for a time T. makes the gate electrode conductive. From this k, the charges in the one-column transfer 11Cs-Cw are discharged to the drains 11Ds-D lid, respectively. At the same time, the drive control circuit 10 also drains the charges in the row transfer [612]. After the shutter is turned off for a predetermined period of time, the dart electrodes 01 to Gm are put into a non-conducting state, and the charges in the one column transfer fact to C1 are transferred to the row transfer @11 and output as an image signal from the 1 output @14. Output.

According to this embodiment, no! In addition to being able to shorten the distance between area transfer #1#, the transfer signals supplied to the single-column transfers s01 to CI can always be transfer signals in the same direction Φ, which also has the effect of simplifying the circuit configuration.

Both of the above-mentioned embodiments have been described with respect to an interline transfer type solid-state image pickup device, but the present invention also provides an arrangement in which the light receiving device and the column transfer section may be shared by the same COD or Qp as shown in FIG. In Figure 4, %CI electric ~ C'M
is a column transfer section consisting of a CCD left register with a transparent electrode, and @11! Same as example - drain 1llD
t~D irises are at one end of column transfer me's~C's, row transfer s
12 is provided at the other end. Since the operation is the same as that of the first embodiment, the explanation will be omitted. Also, in a solid-state image sensor as shown in Fig. 114, the ray ylI is
! As in the embodiment, it may be provided on the same end side as the number row transfer section.

This invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. As a light receiving element, in addition to a photodiode, a Mo8@ structure with a transparent electrode provided on an insulating film or a photoconductive element may also be used.
Also, each transfer ail is ccD' (BBD may also be used.

As explained above, according to the present invention, by providing the drain S for discharging the charges in the one-column transfer section, an electronic camera is provided that can discharge unnecessary charges in the solid-state, image pickup/imaging device in a short time. can do.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

IJ! Figure 1 shows a schematic configuration of an embodiment of an electronic camera according to the present invention. Figure 11121m is a plan view of the solid-state camera element. Plan view 51g4 of Example cIJ gymnastics image element! ! FIG. 3 is a plan view of a solid-state camera element according to a 3$il embodiment. J6...Shutter s I O"' drive-control, 80
... Cow' conductor board, 8,1~BMM-... Photodiode. D, -Ox...drain section, Jj-...row transfer section, 3
4... Output end, C0-CN... Column transfer unit. Outgoing Agent Benwetsushi Rin Pressure Hiko No. 31 Figure 1 Figure 2 l Area

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) A semiconductor substrate, a light receiving device (1) consisting of a multiplicity of photodetecting elements arranged in a matrix on the substrate and generating signal charges according to the amount of received light, and the substrate corresponding to each of the photodetecting elements. A solid-state sensor having a column transfer section formed on a substrate to transfer signal charges in the column direction, and a row transfer section formed on a substrate at one end of the column transfer section to transfer signal charges in the row direction. s1 element, an optical means having a shutter and exposing the sI light receiving section for a predetermined period of time, a driving means for supplying a transfer signal to the target sI element, and s1 travel transfer s! %s1 in an electronic camera equipped with a means for writing the output signal
The solid-state image sensing device is formed on a substrate on either side of the column transfer section, and has a conductive drain opposite to the substrate.
*Furthermore, 1, when the shirt button is pressed, the activation means transfers the charges in the light receiving section and the column transfer section to the drain section, and transfers the charges in the row transfer section in the row direction;
An electronic camera characterized in that the V-edge of the optical means is turned down after discharge of the charge is completed. (2) The mth drain section is formed at the end opposite to the row transfer section, and the driving means transfers the charge in the column transfer section to the drain section when the shutter button is pressed, so that the shutter is connected to I#.
The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein when Iη1 is received, a number transfer signal is supplied to transfer the image to the line transfer unit. (3) The drain part is formed in the direction of the row transfer part, and a gate electrode is further formed between #1lls of the column transfer m and the drain part, so that when the shutter button is pressed,
Part II is characterized in that when the gate electrode is circulated and the charge is transferred to the upper drain gate and the shutter gate is opened, the gate electrode 11r is made non-conductive and the charge is transferred to the loop transfer section. An electronic camera according to clause III of the patent claims. (4) 41m1'F characterized in that the light receiving and external transmitting parts are combined in the previous Ie Solid State Gymnastics II ticket.
The electronic camera according to the 11th item [d].