Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a protection circuit protecting a semiconductor integrated circuit from electrostatic discharge, the protection circuit has a detection circuit detecting the electrostatic discharge, a trigger circuit generating a trigger signal based on the output signal of the detection circuit, and a thyristor having a PNP transistor and an NPN transistor, and operating by the trigger signal from the trigger circuit, the PNP transistor having an emitter connected to a first terminal of the semiconductor device, the NPN transistor having an emitter connected to a second terminal of the semiconductor device and a collector connected to base of the PNP transistor. The protection circuit further has a switching element controlling the connected between the PNP and NPN transistors in accordance with the output signal of the detection circuit.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a protection circuit protecting a semiconductor integrated circuit from electrostatic discharge, the protection circuit has a detection circuit detecting the electrostatic discharge, a trigger circuit generating a trigger signal based on the output signal of the detection circuit, and a thyristor having a PNP transistor and an NPN transistor, and operating by the trigger signal from the trigger circuit, the PNP transistor having an emitter connected to a first terminal of the semiconductor device, the NPN transistor having an emitter connected to a second terminal of the semiconductor device and a collector connected to base of the PNP transistor. The protection circuit further has a switching element controlling the connected between the PNP and NPN transistors in accordance with the output signal of the detection circuit.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for producing a still image of an object using an image pickup element, which captures an image as a plurality of pixels. The method includes calculating relative displacement amounts between positions of the object on a plurality of frame images taken by the image pickup element, producing a synthesized still image of the object as an image containing an amount of information N times as large as that of each of the frame images using the relative displacement amounts to shift and overlay the plurality of frame images, and carrying out an interpolation processing so that intervals between adjacent pixels distributed on said synthesized still image are substantially the same, by a Fourier series expansion of a distribution state of pixels on said synthesized still image.

Abstract: In a solid-state image sensor, first color filters for a first color and associated photodiodes are disposed with a uniform pitch in all pixels in a chip. As to microlenses, however, those in pixels located in a central area of the chip are disposed to substantially align with aperture centers of the pixels, and those in pixels distant from the center of the chip are disposed to shift their centers from aperture centers of the pixels by first shift amounts (offset amounts) in a direction toward the chip center or chip peripheries. The first shift amounts are determined, depending on the wavelength of the first color, to increase in a predetermined rate from the chip center toward the chip ends. Second shift amounts for shifting microlenses in pixels for a second color are determined to increase from the chip center toward the chip ends in a rate different from the rate of the first shift amounts accounting the wavelength of the first color.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes on a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, a well of the opposite conductivity type and, in addition, a plurality of light-sensitive elements formed in the well. A reverse bias voltage applied to the semiconductor substrate with respect to the well causes charge stored in the light-sensitive elements less than or equal to a potential barrier voltage to leak out into the semiconductor substrate. On the substrate a detection circuit detects the resistance of the semiconductor substrate and a setting circuit sets the reverse bias voltage in such a manner as to keep the potential barrier voltage constant, based on the resistance detected by the detection circuit.