Color image sensor with picture elements each comprising an MN matrix of red, green, and blue photoelectric conversion elements featuring controllable charge storage time and selective readout for each color

摘要

A color image sensor comprises a matrix of three kinds of photoelectric conversion elements for photoelectrically converting red, green, and blue color components of light, respectively, into signal charges and storing the same therein. In the matrix, the photoelectric conversion elements are grouped by m rows and n columns to form picture elements. Shift electrodes for photoelectric conversion elements corresponding to the same color are connected to one another. When a storage end signal is impressed on the shift electrodes corresponding to a selected color, the signal charges in the corresponding photoelectric conversion elements are transferred to and stored in CCDs. Color select switches are sequentially turned on so as to extract signal charges from CCDs corresponding to a selected color for each picture element in the matrix. The charges extracted from the CCDs in each picture element corresponding to the same color are simultaneously extracted and added together. The process is repeated for the other two primary colors. The period of time during which signal charges are stored in the photoelectric conversion elements for each color is controllable.