Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus which effects an electronic shutter operation comprises a solid-state imaging device made up of a plurality of photosensitive pixels arranged in a matrix on a semiconductor substrate, a driving circuit for driving the solid-state imaging device and also controlling the photoelectric conversion time of the photosensitive pixel, a vertical CCD for clipping a first signal obtained during a longer photoelectric conversion time in the solid-state imaging device, at a specified level or above, and then adding the clipped signal to a second signal obtained during a shorter photoelectric conversion time, and a signal processing circuit for amplifying and outputting the added signal, and setting an amplification degree for the second signal to a value larger than an amplification factor for the first signal.

Abstract: A solid state image sensor has a photosensing region formed on a substrate. The photosensing region has a plurality of photocells for receiving an incident image. The photosensing region is capable of changing image sampling modes by relatively shifting image sampling points for the incident image. In the photosensing region, a plurality of first transfer elements are formed and the first transfer elements receive the signal charges from adjoining photocells and transfer them out. Further, a temporary storage region is formed on the substrate having a plurality of second transfer elements therein for each of the first transfer elements. Each of the second transfer elements has a capacity to accommodate all of the signal charges of a corresponding first transfer elements which are read out from the photocells at the same time. A plurality of gate elements are respectively formed between each of the first transfer elements and their corresponding plurality of second transfer elements.

Abstract: A charge-transfer device contains a high-resistance p-well layer formed in the surface of an n-type semiconductor substrate. In the surface of the well layer, a charge-transfer n-channel layer, a charge storage n-channel layer, a charge release n-channel layer, and a charge release n-type drain are formed continuously. An output gate electrode is provided above the junction of the transfer channel layer and the storage channel layer, with an insulating film interposed therebetween. Provided above the release channel layer is a reset gate electrode with an insulating film interposed therebetween. In the surface of the storage channel layer, a charge-sensing p-channel layer of a charge-sensing transistor is formed. The charge-sensing channel layer is arranged so as to be in contact with neither the transfer channel layer nor the release channel layer.

Abstract: An image signal processing apparatus has a fault correcting circuit for replacing a signal output by a fault pixel included in a solid-state image sensor with a signal output by a normal pixel arranged near the fault pixel to correct the fault pixel signal. The fault correcting circuit comprises a memory for storing a data code representing the position and type of the fault pixel, a decoder circuit for converting the data code read from the memory, into a pixel-fault correction pulse, a dividing/delay circuit for dividing a pixel signal output from the image sensor into a plurality of pixel signals and delaying these pixel signals by different delay times, and a switch circuit for selecting pixel signals delayed by different delay times, in accordance with the pixel-fault correction pulse, thereby to replace the fault pixel signal with the normal pixel signal.

Abstract: A solid-state camera device of a horizontal charge-coupled device (HCCD) type includes a large number of CCDs arranged in a matrix to store signal charges, many rows of vertical transfer CCDs for successively reading the signal charge, a dual-line type HCCD for reading the signal charge transferred from the vertical transfer CCDs in synchronism with a horizontal transfer clock signal, an output circuit for outputting a first signal charge as the signal charge for one line transferred from the horizontal transfer CCDs in synchronism with the horizontal transfer clock signal, a band pass filter for selecting a second signal charge including noise having a band of around a frequency of the horizontal transfer clock signal from the first signal charge, a delay memory for delaying the period of the second signal charge for a required period in synchronism with the horizontal transfer clock signal, and a deduction circuit for deducting the second signal charge from the first signal charge provided by the output cir

Abstract: In an X-ray fluoroscopic apparatus including an X-ray tube for radiating an X-ray onto an object to be examined, an image intensifier for converting an X-ray image transmitted through the object into an optical image, a solid-state imaging device having an amorphous silicon layered type charge-coupled device for imaging the optical image through an optical system connected to an output of the image intensifier, and a display for displaying an output image signal from the solid-state imaging device. The solid-state imaging device performs interlaced scanning in a frame storage mode in the odd-numbered field, and in a field storage mode in the even-numbered field.

Abstract: A solid state image sensing device comprises an image sensor for outputting optical images as signal charges, a charge transfer section for transferring signal charges, a first reading section for non-destructively reading transferred signal charges as a plurality of first output signal components, a detecting section for detecting the difference between the first output signal components, a second reading section for adding the signal charges corresponding to the first output signal components which correspond to the difference signal and reading the added signal charges as a second output signal component, an adding section for inserting at least one signal component corresponding to the second output signal component to one or more first output signal components which are canceled due to charge-transfer for addition of signal charges and generating an output signal including a third output signal component, and a level lowering section for lowering the signal levels of the second and third output signal co

Abstract: A solid state image sensor comprises a CCD type image sensing device and a signal detector. This signal detector comprises an FDA type signal detection circuit connected to a signal pick-up terminal of the image sensing device and having a small amount of saturating signals and low noise, an FDA type signal detection circuit connected to the signal pick-up terminal and having a large amount of saturating signals and high noise, and a signal composing circuit for composing the outputs of both signal detection circuits and outputting a composed output and changing a composing ratio in accordance with the output of the FDA type signal detection circuit.

Abstract: A color image sensing system includes a CCD image sensor with an optical color filter. A CCD driver is provided to electrically drive the image sensor, which is attached to a vibration table serving as a swing-driver for moving the image sensor along a horizontal direction such that each cell of the image sensor shifts, in a frame period including first and second field periods, between four different sampling positions substantially aligned in the horizontal direction. During each field period, each cell is positioned at two sampling positions, wherein a brightness signal component is produced at one sampling position and color signal components are produced at these sampling positions. The distance between two sampling positions at which the brightness signal components of the first and second field images are produced is set to be half the horizontal pitch of the cells of the image sensor.

Abstract: A solid state image sensing device comprises a great number of light receiving elements arrayed in rows and columns, a plurality of vertical CCD registers respectively coupled to columns of the light receiving elements for vertically transferring signal charges sensed by the light receiving elements, a horizontal CCD register for horizontally transferring the signal charges transferred from the vertical CCD register, an adder section for adding together signal charges obtained from a predetermined number of light receiving elements arrayed in columns and rows to form one added signal charge and for obtaining a plurality of added signal charges for all the light receiving elements in each of fields, and a field switcher for introducing signal charges obtained from an array of light receiving elements with at least one element shifted from the previous field to the adder section in each field.

Abstract: The solid state image sensor has a photosensing region formed on a substrate. The photosensing region has a plurality of photocells for receiving an incident image. The photosensing region is capable of changing image sampling modes by relatively shifting image sampling points for the incident image. In the photosensing region, a plurality of first transfer elements are formed and the first transfer elements receive the signal charges from adjoining photocells and transfer them out. Further, a temporary storage region is formed on the substrate having a plurality of second transfer elements therein for each of the first transfer elements. Each of the second transfer elements has a capacity to accommodate all of the signal charges of a corresponding first transfer elements which are read out from the photocells at the same time. A plurality of gate elements are respectively formed between each of the first transfer elements and their corresponding plurality of second transfer elements.

Abstract: This invention relates to a super abrasive grinding tool element and grinding tools having the element, the element being formed by bonding, with a resin system adhesive, super abrasive grains of diamond or the like to a mesh base so that the openings of the mesh base are kept open. In the element, there is sufficient cutting edge projection, a sufficient amount of coolant can be supplied, clogging is unlikely to occur, and high cutting efficiency can be maintained for a long time.

Abstract: A multilayered CCD image sensor having semiconductive cells aligned on a substrate to define picture elements of the image sensor, and a photosensitive layer, which is provided above the substrate, is conducted to the semiconductive cells, and photovoltaicly generates charges of light radiation thereon. A vertical charge transfer section is provided on the substrate and is elongated to be parallel to a linear cell array. A horizontal charge transfer section is coupled to one end portion of the vertical charge transfer section, and a drain layer for sweeping out excess charges is coupled to the other end portion of the vertical charge transfer section. In a normal signal charge readout mode, signal charges from the cells are normally transferred to the horizontal charge transfer section through the vertical charge transfer section. A sweep-out operation of excess charges is performed during a vertical blanking period.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical scanner including a horizontally arranged base plate, a light source unit rigidly mounted on the base plate and adapted to emit a beam of light, an optical scanning unit for scanning the light beam in a repetitive cycle and an optical system unit for conducting the scanning beam to a desired surface to be irradiated, the optical scanning unit including a unit base, a torsion bar rigidly supported on the unit base at the opposite ends, a rotor rigidly mounted on the twistable portion of the torsion bar and having a mirror for reflecting the light beam, an electromagnetic drive mechanism for applying a rotational drive force to the rotor and a unit-side mirror for further reflecting the reflected light from the mirror, the optical scanning unit being arranged such that the torsion bar is disposed parallel to the base plate, the light beam being scanned along a plane perpendicular to the base plate on the rotation of the rotor and the reflected beam being scanned along a

Abstract: Image-sensing apparatus using solid-state image-sensing devices, including an improved high voltage generating circuit provided in order to transfer charges stored within the solid-state image-sensing devices. The improved high voltage generating circuit generates a high voltage by adding three pulse voltages with different phases. These pulse voltages are obtained by advantageously utilizing timing pulses prepared for driving the solid-state image-sensing devices.

Abstract: In a real-time video signal processor for processing an input digital video signal divisible into a succession of principal blocks each of which has at least one scanning line and a time duration shorter than a frame period, each principal block is divided into at least two partial blocks with each scanning line divided into the respective partial blocks. A plurality of signal processing modules are assigned with the respective partial blocks of each principal block, respectively. Responsive to the input digital video signal and an additional digital video signal, the signal processing modules process the respective partial blocks of each principal block into processed signals during the time duration, respectively. Each processed signal comprises a first partial signal used as an output signal of the processor and a second partial signal.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device is disclosed, which includes a CCD image sensor having a detection section formed on a substrate at its output stage. The detection section receives a signal charge transferred from a photosensitive cell section, and generates an image voltage signal corresponding to the signal charge. The detection section has an electrically floating semiconductor diffusion layer formed in the substrate. A packet of signal charges from each picture element cell is temporarily stored in the diffusion layer. A reset section is provided to the output stage of the image sensor. The reset section has a reset drain layer so formed in the substrate as to be located near the diffusion layer and a reset gate for controlling flow of charges between the diffusion layer and the reset drain layer. The reset control unit is connected to the reset gate. The reset control unit applies a normal reset pulse signal to the reset gate in a vertical effective period of the image sensor.

Abstract: A multilayered solid-state image sensor has a photoconductive film, which covers pixels formed on a substrate, and acts as a photoelectric converting section for the pixels. The photoconductive film inherently has traps. In an imaging mode of the image sensor, before signal charges are generated in a portion of the photoconductive film corresponding to each pixel upon irradiation of image light, sufficient bias charges to fill all the traps in the photoconductive film are injected into the photoconductive film. Subsequently, excess bias charges remaining in the photoconductive film are removed therefrom. Thus, the traps in the photoconductive film are effectively filled with the bias charges, thereby deactivating the photoconductive film.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor has an electrically floating carrier detecting electrode formed on a substrate, into which the signal carriers are transmitted, a sense amplifier circuit detecting the variation in a voltage of the electrode at the time of transferring the carriers, and a resetting electrode for resetting the potential of the electrode to a predetermined potential at every read-out period of the picture element section. A circuit arrangement for removing noise is provided with two switches which alternately become conductive in response to control pulse signals. The first switch becomes conductive during a first period within one picture element period. During the first period the CCD output signal contains an effective image signal component. The second switch becomes conductive during a second period during which the CCD output signal contains a reset noise component, thereby forcibly fixing the level of the reset noise signal to a DC reference potential so that reset noise can be removed.

Abstract: A sheet or coupon dispensing apparatus includes a magazine for storing a plurality of sheets or coupons and components for advancing each sheet individually from the magazine to a dispensed position. The apparatus is inoperative for dispensing another sheet until a previously dispensed sheet has been removed from the apparatus. The disclosed apparatus is especially adapted for use with automatic equipment, such as automatic vending machines.