Time-division-multiplex clocking of multiple-charge-tunnel CCD structures, such as line-transfer CCD imagers

摘要

A line-transfer charge-coupled-device (CCD) imager has an image register from which lines of charge packets representing image samples are removed via a plurality of charge funnels. Each charge funnel is a CCD transmission line, wide enough at its input port to connect across the parallelled output ports of a plurality of the parallelled charge transfer channels in the image register of the line-transfer CCD imager, and narrower at its output port which connects to a charge sensing stage. Power for clocking the plurality of charge funnels is conserved when, in accordance with the invention, each of the charge funnels is dynamically clocked for time intervals when charge packets descriptive of image samples are transferred through the charge funnel. The charge funnels receive static clocking voltages at other times.