Patent ID: 6686959
Filing Date: 2004-02-03
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A drive process for a photosensitive device comprising a matrix of photosensitive points, the photosensitive points are arranged in at least one row and in at least one column and each photosensitive point of said photosensitive points comprises a switch element connected in series with a photodiode to have a common point, the drive process comprising:exposing at least one photosensitive point of said photosensitive points of the matrix to an erasing light having an intensity and a duration such that a first plurality of charges generated in said at least one photosensitive point modify a voltage of said common point until said voltage of said common point reaches an elbow voltage of the photodiode and the photodiode conducts in a forward direction; reverse-biasing said photodiode; exposing said at least one photosensitive point to a light signal such that a second plurality of charges produced in said at least one photosensitive point by said light signal modify a bias voltage of said photodiode; and reading said at least one photosensitive point after said exposing.