Abstract: A photo sensing region is included within each pixel in a pixel array. Each photo sensing region collects photo-generated charge. A transfer region is positioned between each photo sensing region and a respective charge coupled device. A charge-coupled device receives charge from each column of pixels in the pixel array. Each charge-coupled device includes one or more barriers for causing the transfer of the charge through the charge-coupled device. Each transfer region includes a barrier that is lower than the one or more barriers in the charge-coupled device so that excess charge in the charge-coupled device flows into the photo sensing region.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling distribution of content within a personal domain that makes use of a determination of the relative proximity to a source device or the geographic locations of the receiving devices. The location information may be determined using a Global Positioning System (GPS) or wireless triangulation systems. Usage rights for devices in the network are determined using the location or proximity determination.

Abstract: A method for reading out an image signal, the method comprising: providing at least two photosensitive regions; providing at least two transfer gates respectively associated with each photosensitive region; providing a common charge-to-voltage conversion region electrically connected to the transfer gates; providing a reset mechanism that resets the common charge-to-voltage conversion region; after transferring charge from at least one of the photo-sensitive regions, disabling all transfer gates at a first time; enabling at least one transfer gate at a subsequent second time; and transferring charge from at least one of the photosensitive regions at a subsequent third time while the at least one transfer gate from the second time remains enabled.

Abstract: An image sensor having a plurality of pixels; each pixel includes one or more photosensitive elements that collect charge in response to incident light; one or more transfer mechanisms that respectively transfer the charge from the one or more photosensitive elements; a charge-to-voltage conversion region having a capacitance, and the charge-to-voltage region receives the charge from the one or more photosensitive elements; a first reset transistor connected to the charge-to-voltage conversion region; a second reset transistor connected to the first reset transistor, which in combination with the first reset transistor, selectively sets the capacitance of the charge-to-voltage conversion regions from a plurality of capacitances.

Abstract: An image sensor that includes a plurality of pixels disposed on a substrate, each pixel includes at least one photosensitive region that collects charges in response to incident light; a charge-to-voltage conversion node for sensing the charge from the at least one photosensitive region and converting the charge to a voltage; an amplifier transistor having a source connected to an output node, having a gate connected to the charge-to-voltage conversion node and having a drain connected to at least a portion of a power supply node; and a reset transistor connecting the output node and the charge-to-voltage conversion node.

Abstract: A method for reading out charge from an interlined CCD having a plurality of photo-sensing regions and a plurality of vertical shift registers, and each photosensitive region is mated respectively to a CCD of a vertical shift register and a color filter having a repeating pattern of two rows in which each row includes at least two colors spanning the photo-sensing regions, the method includes reading out one row from each of the two row pattern; summing the same color from each row in the vertical shift register to reduce the resolution by one half; without transferring charge out of the vertical shift register, repeating the reading and summing steps for the remaining row; and reading out the charge in the vertical shift registers in a manner in which different colors are not summed together.

Abstract: A digital camera includes an image sensor having a substrate having an array of pixels each pixel having a photosensitive region, and the array of pixels includes a subset of at least two pixels; primary microlenses each spanning or substantially spanning each pixel of the subset; and one or more secondary microlenses positioned between the primary microlenses and the plurality of pixels in which each secondary microlens spans one of the subset of pixels so that incident light that passes through the primary microlenses and secondary microlenses are directed onto a center portion or substantially a center portion of the photosensitive regions.

Abstract: An image sensor having a plurality of pixels; each pixel includes one or more photosensitive elements that collect charge in response to incident light; one or more transfer mechanisms that respectively transfer the charge from the one or more photosensitive elements; a charge-to-voltage conversion region having a capacitance, and the charge-to-voltage region receives the charge from the one or more photosensitive elements; a first reset transistor connected to the charge-to-voltage conversion region; a second reset transistor connected to the first reset transistor, which in combination with the first reset transistor, selectively sets the capacitance of the charge-to-voltage conversion regions from a plurality of capacitances.

Abstract: A charge coupled device includes a substrate; a plurality of image pixels arranged in a two dimensional array in the substrate for capturing an electronic representation of an image and for transferring charge in a first direction; a transfer mechanism for transferring charge in a second direction from the plurality of the image pixels for further processing; an amplifier structure disposed in the substrate that receives the charge from the transfer mechanism and converts the charge into a voltage signal; a first opaque layer spanning over the amplifier for blocking near-infrared light inherently generated by an electrical field within the amplifier structure when a voltage is applied; and a second opaque layer deposited into the substrate for also blocking near-infrared light inherently generated by an electrical field within the amplifier structure when a voltage is applied.

Abstract: A method for reading out charge from an interlined CCD having a plurality of photo-sensing regions and a plurality of vertical shift registers, and each photosensitive region is mated respectively to a CCD of a vertical shift register and a color filter having a repeating pattern of two rows in which each row includes at least two colors spanning the photo-sensing regions, the method includes reading out one row from each of the two row pattern; summing the same color from each row in the vertical shift register to reduce the resolution by one half; without transferring charge out of the vertical shift register, repeating the reading and summing steps for the remaining row; and reading out the charge in the vertical shift registers in a manner in which different colors are not summed together.

Abstract: A multimode fiber optical fiber transmission system includes an improved configuration for launching a single mode long wavelength transmission signal into existing multimode optical fiber networks. More specifically, the invention utilizes new single mode long wavelength VCSEL devices to realize a novel transmitter/transceiver for multimode fiber links where offset launch with controlled mode conditioning is achieved without the use of a mode conditioning patchcord, and in some embodiments, without the use of any collecting or focusing elements.

Abstract: A method for reading out charge from an interlined CCD having a plurality of photo-sensing regions and a plurality of vertical shift registers, and each photosensitive region is mated respectively to a CCD of a vertical shift register and a color filter having a repeating pattern of two rows in which each row includes at least two colors that forms a plurality of 5 line sub-arrays sequentially numbered in the space domain; and the color filter spanning the photo-sensing regions, the method includes sequentially or substantially simultaneously reading out lines 1, 3 and 5 into the vertical shift register that keeps the colors separated; summing the charge in lines 1, 3 and 5; sequentially or substantially simultaneously reading out lines 2 and 4 into the vertical shift register that keeps the colors separated; summing the charge in lines 2 and 4; transferring one or more rows of the summed charge into a first horizontal charge-coupled device; transferring alternate charges in the first horizontal charge-couple

Abstract: A matrix router with frequency switching is provided having an energy source electrically connected to a plurality of interface ports. A switching device is provided between the energy source and the plurality of switches. One of the plurality of interface ports includes a paired electrode interface port for the connection of a paired electrode device thereto. The paired electrode device has a first pair of opposed electrodes and a second pair of opposed electrodes for clamping on tissue. When the paired electrode device is operably connected to the paired electrode interface port and actuated, the switching device alternates energy such as bipolar RF from the first pair of opposed electrodes to the second pair of opposed electrodes.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a plurality of pixels overlaid with a color filter pattern of at least two colors having the same color on every other pixel in one direction; three or more charge-coupled devices oriented parallel to the every other pixel color filter repeat pattern; a charge sensing amplifier at the output of at least two of the charge couple devices; each charge-coupled device having a first and a second gate; a CCD-to-CCD transfer gate connecting adjacent charge-coupled devices with the first gate being on one side of the CCD-to-CCD transfer gate and the second gate being on the opposite side of the CCD-to-CCD transfer gate; all CCD-to-CCD transfer gates are electrically connected together; all first gates are electrically connected; and all second gates are electrically connected.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a plurality of pixels for converting incident photons into electrical charge; an overflow drain to draw off excess charge from at one or more of the pixels; a mechanism for summing charge from two or more of the pixels; a first network of resistive devices generating a first overflow drain voltage where at least one of the resistive devices has, in parallel, a fuse that can be opened in response to an external stimulus to provide the optimum overflow drain voltage for pixel anti-blooming protection and saturation signal level for when a plurality of pixels are summed together; and a second network of resistive devices connected to the first network of resistive devices generating a second overflow drain voltage where the second overflow drain voltage is a fraction of the first overflow drain voltage and the second overflow drain voltage provides the optimum overflow drain voltage for pixel anti-blooming and saturation signal level for when none or substantially none of the plurality o

Abstract: An electrosurgical device having a distal tip for creating a lesion on tissue includes a first electrode and a second electrode that are parallel for the delivery of RF energy to tissue. A sensor electrode is provided parallel to and spaced away from the first electrode a different distance than the second electrode. When the sensor electrode and at least one of the first and second electrodes are in contact with tissue, The electrosurgical device can perform at least one of the following: ablating tissue, and sensing at least one selected from the group of voltage, tissue impedance, electrical conduction, conduction time, conduction velocity, and signal phase angle.

Abstract: An interconnect structure of the single or dual damascene type and a method of forming the same, which substantially reduces the surface oxidation problem of plating a conductive material onto a noble metal seed layer are provided. In accordance with the present invention, a hydrogen plasma treatment is used to treat a noble metal seed layer such that the treated noble metal seed layer is highly resistant to surface oxidation. The inventive oxidation-resistant noble metal seed layer has a low C content and/or a low nitrogen content.

Abstract: A charge coupled device having a plurality of non-adjacent first gate electrode pairs; a plurality of second gate electrode pairs placed in every second space between the first gate electrode pairs; a plurality of third gate electrode pairs placed in the spaces between the first gate electrode pairs not occupied by the second gate electrode pairs; wherein, in a full resolution mode, the first gate electrode pairs are clocked substantially 180 degrees out of phase with respect to the second and third gate electrode pairs and the second and third gate electrode pairs are clocked substantially equally; and wherein, in a half resolution, double speed mode, the second and third gate electrode pairs are clocked substantially 180 degrees out of phase with respect to each other and substantially 50% duty cycle and the first gate electrode pairs are clocked with 25% or less duty cycle and 90 degrees out of phase with respect to the second gate electrode pairs.

Abstract: A method of forming a charge-coupled device including the steps of forming well or substrate of a first conductivity type; a buried channel of a second conductivity type; a plurality of first gate electrodes; partially coating the first gate electrodes with a mask substantially aligned to an edge of the first gate electrodes; implanting ions of the first conductivity type of sufficient energy to penetrate the first gates and into the buried channel; and a plurality of second gate electrodes covering regions each over the buried channel between the first gate electrodes.

Abstract: An interconnect structure of the single or dual damascene type and a method of forming the same, which substantially reduces the surface oxidation problem of plating a conductive material onto a noble metal seed layer are provided. In accordance with the present invention, a hydrogen plasma treatment is used to treat a noble metal seed layer such that the treated noble metal seed layer is highly resistant to surface oxidation. The inventive oxidation-resistant noble metal seed layer has a low C content and/or a low nitrogen content.