JPH022687A - Image sensor - Google Patents

Image sensor

Info

Publication number
JPH022687A
JPH022687A JP63149193A JP14919388A JPH022687A JP H022687 A JPH022687 A JP H022687A JP 63149193 A JP63149193 A JP 63149193A JP 14919388 A JP14919388 A JP 14919388A JP H022687 A JPH022687 A JP H022687A
Authority
JP
Japan
Prior art keywords
sensitivity
image sensor
photo receiving
light
phototransistors
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
JP63149193A
Other languages
Japanese (ja)
Inventor
Akira Nakamura
晃 中村
Tsuyoshi Naka
剛志 仲
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Ricoh Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Ricoh Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Ricoh Co Ltd filed Critical Ricoh Co Ltd
Priority to JP63149193A priority Critical patent/JPH022687A/en
Publication of JPH022687A publication Critical patent/JPH022687A/en
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

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  • Facsimile Scanning Arrangements (AREA)
  • Light Receiving Elements (AREA)
  • Solid State Image Pick-Up Elements (AREA)

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain an inexpensive sensor which can realize uniformity in difference of sensitivity among photo receiving devices with a simple structure by a method wherein a means for setting irradiation beam amount for respective photo receiving devices composing a photo receiving part is provided and the irradiation beam amount is set according to the sensitivity of a photo receiving device. CONSTITUTION:In a solid image sensor constituting an image reader, each of photo receiving devices composing a photo receiving part of the solid image sensor is equipped with a means 13 for freely setting irradiation beam amount to the photo receiving device. With the beam amount setting device 13, irradiation beam amount is set with respect to each photo receiving device according to its sensitivity. For example, the image sensor is equipped with phototransistors arranged with same intervals, a phototransistor base 11, an aluminum layer 12 for wiring a collector of the phototransistors and a light filtering layer 13, and the aluminum layer 12 is provided with a function for specifying a photo receiving part (veil 21) with its opening 14. With the area of the opening 14 varied by addition of light filtering layers 13, difference in sensitivity among the respective phototransistors is compensated for.

Description

【発明の詳細な説明】 [産業上の利用分野〕 本発明は、画像読取装置を構成する固体イメージセンサ
に関し、特に、簡易な構成で受光素子間の感度のバラツ
キを補正するイメージセンサに関する。
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a solid-state image sensor constituting an image reading device, and particularly to an image sensor that corrects variations in sensitivity between light-receiving elements with a simple configuration.

〔従来技術〕[Prior art]

従来の画像読取装置では、受光部にホトトランジスタを
設け、走査回路ともバイポーラICで構成したバイポー
ラ密着形イメージセンサや、受光部のホトダイオードア
レイに隣接して電荷転送レジスタを備え、露光量に比例
した電荷を出力するC CD (charge cou
pled device)イメージセンサや、アモルフ
ァスシリコン薄膜を用いて、電荷蓄積形あるいは光導電
形の光電変換を利用するa −3i密着形イメージセン
サ等を用いて画像を読み取っていた。
Conventional image reading devices are equipped with a bipolar contact type image sensor in which a phototransistor is installed in the light receiving section, and both scanning circuits are constructed using bipolar ICs, and a charge transfer register is provided adjacent to the photodiode array in the light receiving section, and a charge transfer register is provided adjacent to the photodiode array in the light receiving section. CCD (charge cou) that outputs charge
Images were read using an a-3i contact image sensor that uses an amorphous silicon thin film and utilizes charge accumulation type or photoconductive type photoelectric conversion.

このようなつなイメージセンサでは、例えば第2図のよ
うに、同じホトトランジスタが等しい間隔で並び、各ホ
トトランジスタの受光部(ベース部21)を特定する遮
光層としての役割を、ホトトランジスタのコレクタ配線
用アルミ層22が担っている。この場合、装置用の各受
光素子の位置に依存するような感度のバラツキに対して
、各ホトトランジスタ自身には補正が行われていない。
In such a continuous image sensor, as shown in FIG. 2, for example, identical phototransistors are lined up at equal intervals, and the collector of the phototransistor serves as a light shielding layer that specifies the light receiving part (base part 21) of each phototransistor. The aluminum layer 22 for wiring plays this role. In this case, each phototransistor itself is not corrected for variations in sensitivity that depend on the position of each light receiving element for the device.

しかし、このような構成では光源の発光特性、光学系の
結像特性、あるいは各受光素子間の感度のバラツキによ
り、画像読取出力に光量ひずみが生じてしまう。
However, in such a configuration, distortion in the amount of light occurs in the image reading output due to variations in the light emission characteristics of the light source, the imaging characteristics of the optical system, or the sensitivity between the light receiving elements.

この対策としては、光量ひずみを電子的に補正して所望
する階調を得る方法が提案されており、シェージング補
正等によりビット感度補正回路を用いて画像読取出力を
補正していた。また、シェージング補正には、基準白原
稿を参照して光電変換出力自身を補正する方法と、同様
にして、しきい値を補正する方法がある。
As a countermeasure to this problem, a method has been proposed in which the light amount distortion is electronically corrected to obtain a desired gradation, and the image reading output is corrected using a bit sensitivity correction circuit through shading correction or the like. Further, shading correction includes a method of correcting the photoelectric conversion output itself with reference to a reference white original, and a method of correcting a threshold value in the same way.

なお、シェージング補正については、例えば″読取信号
の前処理、多々内充春、「画電学誌」(昭和59年Lp
p、83〜88.′において論じられている。
Regarding shading correction, see, for example, "Preprocessing of read signals," by Mitsuharu Tatauchi, "Gadengaku Shi" (Lp. 1982).
p, 83-88. ’ is discussed in .

〔発明が解決しようとする課題〕[Problem to be solved by the invention]

上記従来技術では、構成を簡略化し、各受光素子の感度
のバラツキを均一化する点については配慮がなされてい
なかった。
In the above-mentioned conventional technology, no consideration was given to simplifying the configuration and equalizing the variations in sensitivity of each light receiving element.

このため、低コストで受光素子間の感度のバラツキを均
一化することは難しかった。
For this reason, it has been difficult to equalize variations in sensitivity between light receiving elements at low cost.

本発明の目的は、このような問題点を改善し、簡易な構
成で受光素子間の感度のバラツキを均一化することが可
能な低コストのイメージセンサを提供することにある。
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a low-cost image sensor that can solve these problems and equalize variations in sensitivity between light-receiving elements with a simple configuration.

〔課題を解決するための手段〕[Means to solve the problem]

上記目的を達成するため1本発明のイメージセンサは、
画像読取装置を構成する固体イメージセンサにおいて、
固体イメージセンサの受光部を形成する個々の受光素子
に対する照射光量を設定する手段(遮光層)を備え、そ
の遮光層の面積を受光素子の感度に対応して設定するこ
とにより、簡易に各受光素子の感度を均一化することに
特徴がある。
In order to achieve the above object, an image sensor of the present invention has the following features:
In the solid-state image sensor that constitutes the image reading device,
Equipped with means (light-shielding layer) for setting the amount of light irradiated to each light-receiving element that forms the light-receiving part of the solid-state image sensor, and by setting the area of the light-shielding layer in accordance with the sensitivity of the light-receiving element, each light receiving element can be easily adjusted. The feature is that the sensitivity of the element is made uniform.

〔作用〕[Effect]

本発明においては、イメージセンサの受光素子毎に開口
部の面積を遮光層によって変化させるか、あるいは、開
口部自体の面積を変化させることにより、受光素子間の
感度のバラツキを補正する。
In the present invention, variations in sensitivity between light receiving elements are corrected by changing the area of the opening for each light receiving element of the image sensor using a light shielding layer, or by changing the area of the opening itself.

これにより、ビット感度補正回路を用いることなく、簡
易な構成で受光素子間の感度のバラツキを補正すること
ができる。
Thereby, variations in sensitivity between light receiving elements can be corrected with a simple configuration without using a bit sensitivity correction circuit.

〔実施例〕〔Example〕

以下、本発明の一実施例を図面により説明する。 An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

第1図は本発明の第1の実施例におけるイメージセンサ
の構成図である。
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an image sensor in a first embodiment of the present invention.

本実施例のイメージセンサは1等間隔で並んだホトトラ
ンジスタ、ホトトランジスタのベース部11、ホトトラ
ンジスタのコレクタ配線用アルミ層12、および遮光層
13を備える。
The image sensor of this embodiment includes phototransistors arranged at equal intervals, a base portion 11 of the phototransistor, an aluminum layer 12 for collector wiring of the phototransistor, and a light shielding layer 13.

また、各ホトトランジスタは、その位置によって光に対
する感度にバラツキがあり、所望の階調を得るためには
感度を補正する必要がある。
Further, each phototransistor has variations in sensitivity to light depending on its position, and it is necessary to correct the sensitivity in order to obtain a desired gradation.

また、アルミ層12は、その開口部14により受光部(
ベース部21)を特定する機能を有する。
Further, the aluminum layer 12 has a light receiving section (
It has a function of specifying the base portion 21).

また、遮光層13は、受光部に対する照射光を遮断して
、ホトトランジスタ間の感度のバラツキを補正する。
Furthermore, the light shielding layer 13 blocks irradiation light to the light receiving section, thereby correcting variations in sensitivity between phototransistors.

このような構成により、イメージセンサにおけるホトト
ランジスタの開口部14の面積を、遮光層13を追加す
ることにより変化させて、ホトトランジスタ毎の感度の
バラツキを補正する。
With such a configuration, the area of the opening 14 of the phototransistor in the image sensor is changed by adding the light shielding layer 13, thereby correcting variations in sensitivity among the phototransistors.

第3図は1本発明の第2の実施例におけるイメージセン
サの構成図である。
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an image sensor according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

本実施例のイメージセンサは、等間隔で並んだホトトラ
ンジスタ、ホトトランジスタの受光部31、およびホト
トランジスタのコレクタ配線用アルミ層32を備え、そ
のアルミ層32の開口部33の形状はホトトランジスタ
の感度によって異なる。
The image sensor of this embodiment includes phototransistors, light receiving parts 31 of the phototransistors, and an aluminum layer 32 for collector wiring of the phototransistors arranged at equal intervals, and the shape of the opening 33 of the aluminum layer 32 is that of the phototransistors. Depends on sensitivity.

すなわち、イメージセンサにおけるホトトランジスタの
感度に応じて開口部33自体の形状を変えることにより
、開口部33の面積を変化させて照射光量を調整し、ホ
トトランジスタ毎の感度のバラツキを補正している。
That is, by changing the shape of the aperture 33 itself according to the sensitivity of the phototransistor in the image sensor, the area of the aperture 33 is changed to adjust the amount of irradiation light, thereby correcting variations in the sensitivity of each phototransistor. .

〔発明の効果〕〔Effect of the invention〕

本発明によれば、簡易な構成で受光素子間のバラツキを
補正し、各受光素子の感度を均一化することができる。
According to the present invention, variations among light receiving elements can be corrected with a simple configuration, and the sensitivity of each light receiving element can be made uniform.

これにより、低コストで必要な階調を得ることが可能な
イメージセンサを提供できる。
Thereby, it is possible to provide an image sensor that can obtain necessary gradations at low cost.

【図面の簡単な説明】[Brief explanation of the drawing]

第1図は本発明の第1の実施例におけるイメ−ジセンサ
の構成図、第2図は従来のイメージセンサの構成図、第
3図は本発明の第2の実施例におけるイメージセンサの
構成図である。 11.21,31:ホトトランジスタのベース部、12
,22,32:ホトトランジスタのコレクタ配線用アル
ミ層、13:遮光層、14,33:開口部。 特許出願人 株式会社 リ  コ
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an image sensor according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a conventional image sensor, and FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of an image sensor according to a second embodiment of the present invention. It is. 11.21, 31: Base part of phototransistor, 12
, 22, 32: aluminum layer for phototransistor collector wiring, 13: light shielding layer, 14, 33: opening. Patent applicant Rico Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

【特許請求の範囲】[Claims] 1、画像読取装置を構成する固体イメージセンサにおい
て、上記固体イメージセンサの受光部を形成する個々の
受光素子に対し、該受光素子への照射光量を任意に設定
する手段を備え、該光量設定手段により、各該受光素子
の感度に応じて受光素子毎に照射光量を設定することを
特徴とする画像読取装置。
1. A solid-state image sensor constituting an image reading device includes means for arbitrarily setting the amount of light irradiated to each light-receiving element forming the light-receiving section of the solid-state image sensor, the light amount setting means An image reading device characterized in that the amount of irradiation light is set for each light receiving element according to the sensitivity of each light receiving element.
JP63149193A 1988-06-16 1988-06-16 Image sensor Pending JPH022687A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP63149193A JPH022687A (en) 1988-06-16 1988-06-16 Image sensor

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP63149193A JPH022687A (en) 1988-06-16 1988-06-16 Image sensor

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
JPH022687A true JPH022687A (en) 1990-01-08

Family

ID=15469844

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
JP63149193A Pending JPH022687A (en) 1988-06-16 1988-06-16 Image sensor

Country Status (1)

Country Link
JP (1) JPH022687A (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2012510203A (en) * 2008-11-25 2012-04-26 オムニヴィジョン テクノロジーズ インコーポレイテッド Image sensor with non-uniform shade

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2012510203A (en) * 2008-11-25 2012-04-26 オムニヴィジョン テクノロジーズ インコーポレイテッド Image sensor with non-uniform shade

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