Interline type charge transfer imaging device

Claim 2

A solid-state imaging device comprising: a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements regularly arranged in horizontal and vertical directions; a plurality of vertical charge transfer devices which vertically transfer charges, each of said vertical charge transfer devices being composed of a plurality of sets of three electrodes driven by three-phase pulses; a plurality of transfer gates through which a signal charge produced in each photoelectric conversion element in response to incident light is transferred to the channel beneath a predetermined electrode of the vertical charge transfer device; horizontal charge transfer means by which signal charges delivered from each vertical charge transfer device are horizontally transferred; first and second wires, through which driving pulses are sent into first and second electrodes of said three electrodes in each of said sets, running in the horizontal direction; and a third wire, through which driving pulses are sent to the third electrode of said three electrodes, running in the vertical direction; wherein said third wire and said third electrode have a shielding effect protecting said vertical charge transfer device against incident light.

Claim 3

A solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein said third wire and said third electrode are formed by an opaque metal layer.

Claim 4

A solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein said third wire and said third electrode are formed by a double-layer structure consisting of a polycrystalline silicon layer and an opaque silicide layer disposed on the polycrystalline silicon layer.

Claim 5

A solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein said third wire and said third electrode are formed by a double-layer structure consisting of a polycrystalline silicon layer and an opaque metal layer disposed on the polycrystalline silicon layer.

Claim 6

A solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of transfer gates includes an electrode, the electrode which is included as part of said transfer gate being composed of two of said three electrodes in each of said sets.

Claim 7

A solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, which further includes means for temporarily storing the signal charge between said vertical charge transfer device and said horizontal charge transfer means.

Claim 8

A solid-state imaging device according to claim 6, wherein said storage means offers capacity for storing signal charges from the photoelectric conversion elements which are horizontally arranged in one or two rows.

Claim 9

A solid-state imaging device according to claim 6, wherein said storage means offers capacity for storing signal charges from the photoelectric conversion element in all the rows.

Claim 10

A solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, which further includes a plurality of charge transfer devices which transfer a smear charge.

Claim 11

An imaging apparatus comprising: a solid-state imaging device which includes, a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements regularly arranged in horizontal and vertical directions, a plurality of vertical charge transfer devices which vertically transfer the charges, each of said vertical charge transfer devices being composed of a plurality of sets of three electrodes driven by three-phase pulses, a plurality of transfer gates through which a signal charge produced in each photoelectric conversion element in response to incident light is transferred to the channel beneath a predetermined electrode of the vertical charge transfer device, and horizontal charge transfer means by which signal charges delivered from each vertical charge transfer device are horizontally transferred; pulse generating means which generates pulses for driving the vertical charge transfer devices, transfer gates, and horizontal charge transfer means; first and second wires through which driving pulses are sent to first and second electrodes of said three electrodes in each of said sets of three electrodes, the first and second wires running in the horizontal direction; and a third wire through which driving pulses are sent to the third electrode of said three electrodes, the third wire running in the vertical direction; wherein said third wire and said third electrodes have a shielding effect protecting said vertical charge transfer device against incident light; and wherein said pulse generating means generating the pulses for driving said vertical charge transfer devices and horizontal charge transfer means in such a manner that the signal charges from the photoelectric conversion elements arranged in adjacent two rows, the two-row combination being different between odd- and even-numbered fields, are transferred from said vertical charge transfer devices to said horizontal charge transfer means in the horizontal blanking period, and further the signal charges from said photoelectric conversion elements arranged in adjacent two rows are transferred to their output terminals by said horizontal charge transfer means in the picture signal period subsequent to said horizontal blanking period.

Claim 12

An imaging apparatus comprising: a solid-state imaging device which includes, a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements regularly arranged in horizontal and vertical directions, a plurality of vertical charge transfer devices which vertically transfer the charges, each of said vertical charge transfer devices being composed of a plurality of sets of three electrodes driven by three-phase pulses, a plurality of transfer gates through which a signal charge produced in each photoelectric conversion element in response to incident light is transferred to the channel beneath a predetermined electrode of the vertical charge transfer device, and horizontal charge transfer means by which signal charges delivered from each vertical charge transfer device are horizontally transferred; pulse generating means which generates pulses for driving the vertical charge transfer devices, transfer gates, and horizontal charge transfer means; first and second wires through which driving pulses are sent to first and second electrodes of said three electrodes in each of said sets of three electrodes, the first and second wires running in the horizontal direction; and a third wire through which driving pulses are sent to the third electrode of said three electrodes, the third wire running in the vertical direction; wherein said third wire and said third electrodes have a shielding effect protecting said vertical charge transfer device against incident light; and wherein said pulse generating means generating the pulses for driving said vertical charge transfer devices and horizontal charge transfer means in such a manner that the signal charges from the photoelectric conversion elements arranged in adjacent two rows, the two-row combination being different between odd- and even-numbered fields, are transferred from said vertical charge transfer devices to said horizontal charge transfer means in the horizontal blanking period, and further the signal charges from said photoelectric conversion elements arranged in adjacent two rows are transferred to their output terminals by said horizontal charge transfer means in the picture signal period subsequent to said horizontal blanking period.

Claim 13

An imaging apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the signal charges from the photoelectric conversion elements located nearest said horizontal charge transfer means are transferred from said vertical charge transfer devices to said horizontal charge transfer means in the vertical blanking period of either one of two successive fields, and said signal charges are discharged by said horizontal charge transfer means from their output terminals.

Claim 14

An imaging apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the signal charges from the photoelectric conversion elements located in the row farthest from said horizontal charge transfer means are transferred by said vertical charge transfer devices away from said horizontal charge transfer means and discharged from a region where the photoelectric conversion elements are arranged.

Claim 15

An imaging apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said horizontal charge transfer means comprises one charge transfer device which separately transfers the signal charges from said photoelectric conversion elements arranged in adjacent two rows.

Claim 16

An imaging apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said horizontal charge transfer means comprises two charge transfer devices, one of which transfers the signal charges from the photoelectric conversion elements located in one of said adjacent two rows and the other transfers the signal charges from the photoelectric conversion elements in the other of said adjacent two rows.