Patent ID: 6472653
Filing Date: 2002-10-29
Classification: H01L,H04N

Abstract:
An imaging apparatus having a plurality of photosensitive cells arranged in a plurality of rows, said cells providing an output representing a measure of accumulated charge, comprisingat least one channel of photosensitive cells, said channel having at least one photosensitive device from each of said rows wherein said accumulated charge in one of said cells is available to a subsequent one of said cells within said channel; at least one barrier level coupled to each of said at least one channel, said barrier limiting the amount of said accumulated charge collected in said photosensitive cells, wherein said barrier is configured to cause alterations in charge capacity of the subsequent one of said photosensitive cells to incrementally increase said accumulated charge capacity in the subsequent one of the cells relative to the one of said cells; and means for removing excessive accumulated charge.