Solid-state image pickup device having a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements on a common substrate

• US 5,801,373 A
• Filed: 10/14/1997
• Issued: 09/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/01/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Oozu, Hayao, Sugawa, Shigetoshi, Miyawaki, Mamoru, Ishizaki, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen, Stephone B.
• Application Number:
  US08/950,176
• Time in Patent Office: 322 Days
• Field of Search: 250/208.1, 250/226, 250/578.1, 358/513-515, 358/494, 257/440, 257/446
• US Class Current: 250/208.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14621 Colour filter arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1463 Pixel isolation structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14645 Colour imagers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14647 Multicolour imagers having a stacked pixel-element structure, e.g. npn, npnpn or MQW elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14649 Infrared imagers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00846 based on detection of a dedicated indication, e.g. marks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00864 Modifying the reproduction, e.g. outputting a modified copy of a scanned original details of composing or otherwise geometrically modifying originals H04N1/387
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00875 Inhibiting reproduction, e.g. by disabling reading or reproduction apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/486 with separate detectors, each detector being used for one specific colour component
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/11 for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/11 Arrangement of colour filter arrays [CFA]; Filter mosaics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/443 by reading pixels from selected 2D regions of the array, e.g. for windowing or digital zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/701 Line sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/767 Horizontal readout lines, multiplexers or registers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

In a solid-state image pickup device this invention, in order to satisfactorily detect optical signals over a wide spectrum range from a visible light range to an invisible light range, a photoelectric conversion element for converting an optical signal in the invisible light range into an electrical signal, and photoelectric conversion elements for converting an optical signal in the visible light range into an electrical signal are formed on a common semiconductor chip.

Claims

1. A solid-state image pick-up device comprising:

a plurality of first photoelectric conversion elements for converting red light into electrical signals;

a plurality of second photoelectric conversion elements for converting green light into electrical signals;

a plurality of third photoelectric conversion elements for converting blue light into electrical signals; and

a plurality of fourth photoelectric conversion elements for converting light not comprising red, green and blue light into electrical signals, said first, second, third and fourth photoelectric conversion elements being arranged in a line in a predetermined alternating order,

wherein said solid-state image pick-up device has at least one of the following;

(a) means for inputting in parallel the electric signals converted by said first, second, third and fourth photoelectric conversion elements, and for outputting in serial the electric signals from one output line;

(b) means for inputting in parallel the electric signals converted by said first, second and third photoelectric conversion elements, and for outputting in serial the electric signals from at least one output line, and means for inputting in parallel only the electric signals converted by said fourth photoelectric conversion elements, and for outputting the input electric signals converted by said fourth photoelectric conversion elements from one output line serially; and

(c) means for inputting in parallel the electric signals converted by said first, second, third and fourth photoelectric conversion elements, and for outputting the respective electric signals in serial to one of four output lines arranged in parallel.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein each of said first, second and third photoelectric conversion elements comprises a photodiode and a color filter.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein one of said first, second and third photoelectric conversion elements is between two of said fourth photoelectric conversion elements.

4. A solid-state image pick-up device comprising:

a plurality of first photoelectric conversion elements for converting light of a first visible wavelength region into electrical signals;

a plurality of second photoelectric conversion elements for converting light of a second visible wavelength region different from the first visible wavelength region into electrical signals;

a plurality of third photoelectric conversion elements for converting light of a third visible wavelength region different from the first and second visible wavelength regions into electrical signals; and

a plurality of fourth photoelectric conversion elements for converting non-visible light into electrical signals, said first, second, third and fourth photoelectric conversion elements being arranged in a line, in a predetermined alternative order,

wherein said solid-state image pick-up device has at least one of the following;

(a) means for inputting in parallel the electric signals converted by said first, second, third and fourth photoelectric conversion elements, and for outputting in serial the electric signals from one output line;

(b) means for inputting in parallel the electric signals converted by said first, second and third photoelectric conversion elements, and for outputting in serial the electric signals from at least one output line, and means for inputting in parallel only the electric signals converted by said fourth photoelectric conversion elements, and for outputting the input electric signals converted by said fourth photoelectric conversion elements from one output line serially; and

(c) means for inputting in parallel the electric signals converted by said first, second, third and fourth photoelectric conversion elements, and for outputting the respective electric signals in serial to one of four output lines arranged in parallel.

5. An image information processing apparatus comprising:

illumination means for illuminating an original to obtain an optical signal; and

image pickup means for picking up the optical signal, said image pickup means comprising (1) a plurality of first photoelectric conversion elements for converting red light of the optical signal into electrical signals, (2) a plurality of second photoelectric conversion elements for converting green light of the optical signal into electrical signals, (3) a plurality of third photoelectric conversion elements for converting blue light of the optical signal into electrical signals, and (4) a plurality of fourth photoelectric conversion elements for converting light not comprising red, green and blue light of the optical signal into electrical signals, said first, second, third and fourth photoelectric conversion elements being arranged in a line in a predetermined alternating order,

wherein said information processing apparatus has at least one of the following;

(a) means for inputting in parallel the electric signals converted by said first, second, third and fourth photoelectric conversion elements, and for outputting in serial the electric signals from one output line;

(b) means for inputting in parallel the electric signals converted by said first, second and third photoelectric conversion elements, and for outputting in serial the electric signals from at least one output line, and means for inputting in parallel only the electric signals converted by said fourth photoelectric conversion elements, and for outputting the input electric signals converted by said fourth photoelectric conversion elements from one output line serially; and

(c) means for inputting in parallel the electric signals converted by said first, second, third and fourth photoelectric conversion elements, and for outputting the respective electric signals in serial to one of four output lines arranged in parallel.

6. An image information processing apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

image forming means for forming an image from the electrical signals of said first, second and third photoelectric conversion elements;

discrimination means for discriminating the electrical signals of said fourth photoelectric conversion elements from a reference signal; and

control means for controlling an operation of said image forming means based on an output from said discrimination means.

7. An image information processing apparatus comprising:

illumination means for illuminating an original to obtain an optical signal; and

image pickup means for picking up the optical signal, said image pickup means comprising (1) a plurality of first photoelectric conversion elements for converting light of a first visible wavelength region of the optical signal into electrical signals, (2) a plurality of second photoelectric conversion elements for converting light of a second visible wavelength region of the optical signal different from the first visible wavelength region into electrical signals, (3) a plurality of third photoelectric conversion elements for converting light of a third visible wavelength region of the optical signal different from the first and second visible wavelength regions into electrical signals, and (4) a plurality of fourth photoelectric conversion elements for converting non-visible light of the optical signal into electrical signals, said first, second, third and fourth photoelectric conversion elements being arranged in a line in a predetermined alternative order,

wherein said information processing apparatus has at least one of the following;

(a) means for inputting in parallel the electric signals converted by said first, second, third and fourth photoelectric conversion elements, and for outputting in serial the electric signals from one output line;

(b) means for inputting in parallel the electric signals converted by said first, second and third photoelectric conversion elements, and for outputting in serial the electric signals from at least one output line, and means for inputting in parallel only the electric signals converted by said fourth photoelectric conversion elements, and for outputting the input electric signals converted by said fourth photoelectric conversion elements from one output line serially; and

(c) means for inputting in parallel the electric signals converted by said first, second, third and fourth photoelectric conversion elements, and for outputting the respective electric signals in serial to one of four output lines arranged in parallel.

8. An image information processing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

image forming means for forming an image from the electrical signals of said first, second and third photoelectric conversion elements;

discrimination means for discriminating the electrical signals of said fourth photoelectric conversion elements from a reference signal; and

control means for controlling an operation of said image forming means based on an output from said discrimination means.