A method of providing an image of a scene, said method comprising the steps of: providing an image element including a photovoltaic element which provides electric charge in response to light flux incident thereon, storing electric charge from said photovoltaic element at said image element, and connecting said stored charge to an output device only in response to an interrogation signal to said image element; further including the steps of providing an output amplifier at said image element as part of said output device; and wherein said step of providing said output amplifier includes providing a transistor at said image element, and using said stored charge to control an output voltage signal by controlling conductance of said transistor. view more

The method of claim 15 further including the steps of providing a switch in series with said first-recited transistor, and turning said switch on to conduct said output voltage signal externally of said image element.

The method of claim 16 further including the step of using another transistor as said switch.

The method of claim 16 further including the steps of providing a switch connecting said stored charge to a reference voltage level, and closing said switch momentarily to reset said image element.

The method of claim 19 including the further steps of allowing a predetermined integration time to pass after resetting of said image element, and subsequently to said integration time interrogating said image element by providing said interrogation signal thereto in order to obtain time-integrated image information from said image element via said output device. view more

The method of claim 15 including the further steps of providing an array of plural image elements each substantially identical with said first-recited image element, and providing said interrogation signal only to selected ones of said image elements in said array. view more

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