Abstract: A method for driving a solid-state imaging element, which includes photoelectric conversion parts; vertical charge-transfer paths transferring signal charges from the photoelectric conversion parts in the vertical direction, each of the vertical charge-transfer paths including pairs of a first and second electrodes; and a horizontal charge-transfer path transferring the signal charge in a horizontal direction, is provided and includes applying driving pulses to the first and second electrodes to transfer the signal charge in the vertical direction. The transferring of the signal charge in the vertical charge-transfer paths is performed in such a way that when the signal charge is transferred from an electrode whose length is longer, a charge transfer time is lengthened, and that when the signal charge is transferred from an electrode whose length is shorter, a charge transfer time is shortened.

Abstract: A first voltage is impressed to a reading out electrode for reading out accumulated signal electric charges from photo electric conversion elements to transfer channels in a reading out period and at a same time during the reading out period a second voltage is imposed to at least one of the transfer electrodes adjoining to the reading out electrode for each photo electric conversion element for accumulating the signal electric charge in the vertical electric charge transfer channel under the one of the transfer electrode in a first mode for outputting signal electric charges independently, and only the first voltage is imposed only to the reading out electrode for reading out the accumulated signal electric charge from the photo electric conversion elements to the transfer channels in a reading out period in the second mode for adding the signal electric charges.

Abstract: A solid state imaging apparatus comprises a semiconductor substrate, photoelectric conversion elements, a vertical electric charge transferring device, a horizontal electric charge transferring device that temporarily stores the signal electric charges transferred from the vertical electric charge transferring device and transfers the signal electric charges to a horizontal direction in a sequential order, wherein the horizontal electric charge transferring device comprises at least two lines of horizontal shift registers and an electrode structure with which one shift register can transfer the signal electric charges to a direction that is 180 degrees different from another shift register and also can transfer the signal electric charges to a same direction as the another shift register continuously with the other shift register by changing driving of at least one of the shift registers, and output detecting devices.

Abstract: A charge coupled device comprises a semiconductor substrate of one conductive type, a first charge couple device having a series of electrodes linearly arranged on the semiconductor substrate, a second charge coupled device diverged into tow lines at an end of the first charge coupled device, detectors, each of which detects a signal transferred by one of two lines of the diverged second charge coupled device, and output devices, each of which outputs the signal detected by one of the detectors, wherein a plane shape of a last electrode of the first charge coupled device connecting to the diverged second charge coupled device is a shape wherein a length of a transfer channel of the last electrode becomes shorter as going far from a right angled direction of a transfer direction of the first charge coupled device starting from a boundary part of divergence of the diverged second charge coupled device.

Abstract: A tape cassette of this invention is equipped with a memory capable of accommodating at least management information including identification information unique to each tape cassette. A magnetic tape housed in the tape cassette is written with identification information that is supposed to be the same in content as the memory-stored identification information. When the tape cassette is loaded into a tape drive system, the system acquires both the memory-stored identification information and the tape-stored identification information to determine a match therebetween. A mismatch between the two sets of identification information, if detected, is interpreted to mean that the tape cassette has been tampered with, and read and write operations on the cassette are restricted accordingly. This enhances security against fraudulent uses of the tape drive system.

Abstract: A tape cassette of this invention is equipped with a memory capable of accommodating management information. Where the tape cassette is used, a MIC mode switch is written to a predetermined area on the magnetic tape held in the cassette. That item of information specifies whether or not the use of the management information held in the memory is mandatory upon write or read operations to or from the magnetic tape. A check is made on the consistency between the MIC mode switch read from the magnetic tape on the one hand and a result of access to the memory on the other hand. If an inconsistency is detected, that is interpreted as something fraudulent having been committed on the tape cassette. In such a case, read and write operations on the illegitimate cassette are restricted. This improves security of a tape drive system running the tape cassette.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus comprises a semiconductor substrate that defines a two-dimensional surface; a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, each of which generates a signal electric charge corresponding to an amount of incident light, the photoelectric conversion elements arranged in two-dimension on the semiconductor substrate; vertical signal charge transfer devices that are arranged between columns of the photoelectric conversion elements and transfer the signal electric charges generated by the photoelectric conversion elements in a vertical direction; a line memory that is arranged on ends of the vertical signal charge transfer devices and temporally stores the signal electric charges transferred by the vertical signal charge transfer devices; and a horizontal signal charge transfer devices that is consisted of four-phase electrodes, selectively reads the signal electric charges stored in the line memory, adds a plurality of the electric signal charges in a row direction and sequentiall

Abstract: A driving method for a solid state image pickup device, having four or more transfer stages as one transfer unit, includes reading signal charge from the charge accumulation regions to the vertical charge transfer channels. The reading step includes (b-1) applying the barrier forming voltage to a first transfer electrode to form a barrier of at least one stage per the transfer unit; (b-2) applying the read pulse to a second transfer electrode to read signal charge from a corresponding charge accumulation region to a corresponding vertical charge transfer channel; and (b-3) applying a cancellation pulse to a third transfer electrode spaced by at least one transfer stage from the first transfer electrode, the cancellation pulse cancelling out a potential change in the charge accumulation region to be caused by the read pulse.

Abstract: A drain region is formed along a horizontal charge transfer channel constituting a horizontal charge transfer element, and a barrier region for charges is formed between the horizontal charge transfer channel and drain region. A two-electrode element is formed by using the horizontal charge transfer channel, barrier region and drain region. A solid state image pickup device can be manufactured with high productivity, which device can drain charges in the horizontal charge transfer element at high speed.

Abstract: A drain region is formed along a horizontal charge transfer channel constituting a horizontal charge transfer element, and a barrier region for charges is formed between the horizontal charge transfer channel and drain region. A two-electrode element is formed by using the horizontal charge transfer channel, barrier region and drain region. A solid state image pickup device can be manufactured with high productivity, which device can drain charges in the horizontal charge transfer element at high speed.

Abstract: A tape cassette of this invention is equipped with a memory capable of accommodating management information. The memory retains an MIC logical format type designating a format state, either formatted or unformatted, of the magnetic tape. A check is made on the consistency between the format state designated by the MIC logical format type and the format state estimated by reading data from the magnetic tape. If an inconsistency is detected, that is interpreted to mean that the tape cassette has been tampered with, and read and write operations on the cassette are controlled accordingly. This enhances security against fraudulent uses of a tape drive system loaded with the tape cassette.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus, comprising: a semiconductor substrate defining a two-dimensional surface; a multiplicity of photo electric conversion elements arranged in a plurality of rows and in a plurality of lines in a light receiving region of the semiconductor substrate and each accumulating signal electric charges; a vertical electric charge transfer device having a plurality of vertical electric charge transfer channels arranged vertically between rows of the photo electric conversion elements and a plurality of transfer electrodes horizontally arranged over the vertical electric charge transfer channels, wherein the vertical electric charge transfer device transfers the signal electrical charges accumulated by the photo eclectic conversion elements by setting a transfer line transferring vacant signals on an up stream side in a vertical direction of every transfer line transferring the signal electrical charges; reading out parts, each corresponding to each one of the multiplicity of the photo elec

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus comprises a semiconductor substrate, a multiplicity of photo electric conversion elements, a vertical electric charge transfer device having a plurality of vertical electric charge transfer channels and transfer electrodes, reading out parts and a driving device that imposes a first voltage to the reading out electrode for reading out the accumulated signal electric charge from the photo electric conversion elements to the transfer channels in a reading out period and at a same time during the reading out period imposes a second voltage to at least one of the transfer electrodes adjoining to the reading out electrode for each photo electric conversion element for accumulating the signal electric charge in the vertical electric charge transfer channel under the one of the transfer electrode. Damage in the dynamic range of the solid-state imaging apparatus can be prevented.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus comprises a semiconductor substrate, a multiplicity of photo electric conversion elements, a vertical electric charge transfer device having a plurality of vertical electric charge transfer channels and transfer electrodes, reading out parts and a driving device that imposes a first voltage to the reading out electrode for reading out the accumulated signal electric charge from the photo electric conversion elements to the transfer channels in a reading out period and at a same time during the reading out period imposes a second voltage to at least one of the transfer electrodes adjoining to the reading out electrode for each photo electric conversion element for accumulating the signal electric charge in the vertical electric charge transfer channel under the one of the transfer electrode. Damage in the dynamic range of the solid-state imaging apparatus can be prevented.

Abstract: A driving method for a solid state image pickup device, having four or more transfer stages as one transfer unit, includes reading signal charge from the charge accumulation regions to the vertical charge transfer channels. The reading step includes (b-1) applying the barrier forming voltage to a first transfer electrode to form a barrier of at least one stage per the transfer unit; (b-2) applying the read pulse to a second transfer electrode to read signal charge from a corresponding charge accumulation region to a corresponding vertical charge transfer channel; and (b-3) applying a cancellation pulse to a third transfer electrode spaced by at least one transfer stage from the first transfer electrode, the cancellation pulse cancelling out a potential change in the charge accumulation region to be caused by the read pulse.

Abstract: A tape cassette of this invention is equipped with a memory capable of accommodating management information. The memory retains an MIC logical format type designating a format state, either formatted or unformatted, of the magnetic tape. A check is made on the consistency between the format state designated by the MIC logical format type and the format state estimated by reading data from the magnetic tape. If an inconsistency is detected, that is interpreted to mean that the tape cassette has been tampered with, and read and write operations on the cassette are controlled accordingly. This enhances security against fraudulent uses of a tape drive system loaded with the tape cassette.

Abstract: A tape cassette of this invention is equipped with a memory capable of accommodating at least management information including identification information unique to each tape cassette. A magnetic tape housed in the tape cassette is written with identification information that is supposed to be the same in content as the memory-stored identification information. When the tape cassette is loaded into a tape drive system, the system acquires both the memory-stored identification information and the tape-stored identification information to determine a match therebetween. A mismatch between the two sets of identification information, if detected, is interpreted to mean that the tape cassette has been tampered with, and read and write operations on the cassette are restricted accordingly. This enhances security against fraudulent uses of the tape drive system.

Abstract: A tape cassette of this invention is equipped with a memory capable of accommodating management information. Where the tape cassette is used, a MIC mode switch is written to a predetermined area on the magnetic tape held in the cassette. That item of information specifies whether or not the use of the management information held in the memory is mandatory upon write or read operation to or from the magnetic tape. A check is made on the consistency between the MIC mode switch read from the magnetic tape on the one hand and a result of access to the memory on the other hand. If an inconsistency is detected, that is interpreted as something fraudulent having been committed on the tape cassette. In such a case, read and write operations on the illegitimate cassette are restricted. This improves security of a tape drive system running the tape cassette.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor for a solid-state image pickup apparatus includes photosensitive cells each having a photosensitive area divided into a main region and a subregion. The subregion is extended to include the position of a virtual pixel. A light-screening layer is formed with optical openings corresponding to the main and subregions, so that light is incident not only to the main region or actual pixel but also to the subregion at the position of the virtual pixel. Spatial information is therefore available even at the position of the virtual pixel in the form of a signal charge.

Abstract: When a memory in cassette (MIC) in a loaded tape cassette can successfully be accessed, an MIC type stored in the MIC is detected to judge a data format the tape cassette has. To this end, the tape cassette is adapted such that the data format or the loaded tape cassette can be identified without detecting an identification hole formed in the tape cassette. Thus, it is possible to easily accommodate any future extension of the data format.