Abstract: The present invention is directed to a linear image sensor, the electric charge storage time of which can be varied. According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a linear image sensor in which a read-out gate and a charge-transfer gate are disposed on one side of an image sensor array, and a drain gate and a drain region are disposed on the other side of the image sensor array, whereby the electric charge storage time in which a signal charge is transferred by the charge-transfer register after the signal charge is read out by the application of a read-out signal to the read-out gate and the next read-out signal is applied to the read-out gate can be varied by varying the application timing of the drain gate signal.

Abstract: A CCD solid-state image pickup device includes a CCD solid-state image pickup element which includes a sensor array comprising a number of one-dimensionally arranged photosensitive units, a read-out gate, a transfer register and electronic shutter means comprising a drain gate and a drain region, the read-out gate and the transfer register being disposed at one side of the sensor array and the electronic shutter means being disposed at the other side of the sensor array, an output level comparator for comparing the output level of each image pickup signal from the CCD solid-state image pickup element with the output level of a predetermined reference signal to output a comparison signal, and a shutter-timing generating unit for generating an output timing of a shutter pulse for a predetermined period on the basis of the comparison signal from the output level comparator, and supplying the shutter pulse to the electronic shutter means of the CCD solid-state image pickup element at the generated output timing.

Abstract: A solid state imager element has a sensor portion, a register portion and a read gate portion for reading a signal charge from the sensor portion and transferring the same to the register portion, wherein a potential difference is formed in the read gate portion in a reading and transferring direction for directing an unnecessary charge or noise toward the register portion to thereby suppress noise in the sensor portion.

Abstract: An input circuit for a charge-coupled device (CCD) delay line is comprised of a semiconductor substrate, a CCD delay line formed on the semiconductor substrate, first and second registers each having substantially the same maximum treating charge amount as that of the CCD delay line and formed on the semiconductor substrate, an input portion of the first register having substantially the same structure as that of the CCD delay line, output portions of the first and second registers having substantially the same structure each other, a control circuit for controlling the second register so that an output signal from the second register becomes a signal corresponding to the maximum treating charge amount, a comparing circuit for comparing output signals of the first and second registers, wherein an output signal of the comparing circuit is fed back to an input source of the input portion of the first register so that the output signal from the first register becomes equal to the output signal from the second re