Patent attributes
A photo-current mode of operation is disclosed for Full Frame CCDs, and Frame-Transfer CCDs, that is suitable for electrical power generation, when not in operation for image sensing, and for Interline-Transfer CCDs, that is suitable for image sensing, and also suitable electrical power generation, when not in operation for image sensing. Further, CMOS Image Sensors (CIS), including 1T Passive Pixels, or 1T Avalanche Photo-Diode Pixels, in which all pass transistors in the matrix are turned ON simultaneously thereby allowing the photo-current produced by each photo-diode in each pixel to flow towards the periphery where suitable circuitry will handle the photo-current for electrical power generation and/or storage. Also, CMOS Image Sensors (CIS), including any Active Pixel Sensor (APS) design, such as the 3T, or 3T Log, or 4T, or 5T, wherein each column-parallel VDD line connecting the Reset Transistors, or the Log Transistors, in a single column of pixels, to column-parallel circuitry at the edge of the pixel matrix, is connected through multiple pass transistors, to different column-parallel blocks of circuitry that are selected alternatively, and that include (1) a VDD voltage source for standard image sensing operation, (2) a block of circuitry suitable to handle photo-current signals for image sensing purposes, and (3) a block of circuitry that is suitable to handle photo-current for electrical power generation and/or storage purposes.
