Abstract: A charge coupled device (CCD) image sensor for producing a video output for a given TV line standard wherein the image section (9) has a number of CCD elements appropriate to the given line standard and the store section (11) has a number of CCD elements appropriate to a second, higher line standard. The electronic package required to drive the sensor is then not very different from an electronic package required to drive a sensor for the higher line standard, thus making it practicable to use in the sensor an electronic package capable of use in sensors for either standard.

Abstract: A frame transfer buried channel CCD image sensor incorporating an anti-blooming drain structure (25, 27) wherein accumulation of charge of opposite polarity to that drained by the anti-blooming drain structure is prevented. This can conveniently be achieved by arranging for the buried channel diffusion (19) in each channel to stop short of the anti-blooming drain diffusion (25) on one side of each channel. As a result of the prevention of charge accumulation the anti-blooming drain structure remains effective with optical overloads much greater than the optical overload at which anti-blooming performance begins to deteriorate in conventional buried channel CCD image sensors.