Apparatus and method for reducing saturation artifacts in digital images captured using frame-transfer CCD sensor with reduced-height storage area

An apparatus for digitally capturing a scene of interest comprising:

• an electronic image sensor having a substrate;
• a substrate drive circuit operatively coupled to said electronic image sensor to supply a first voltage and a second voltage to said substrate of said electronic image sensor, said substrate drive circuit being configured to supply said first voltage to said substrate of said electronic image sensor during an exposure period when said electronic image sensor is exposed to incident light from said scene of interest to accumulate charges in said electronic image sensor, said substrate drive circuit further being configured to supply said second voltage to said substrate of said electronic image sensor after said exposure period, said second voltage being a lower voltage than said first voltage;
• and
• an output register coupled to said electronic image sensor to output said charges from said electronic image sensor.

A method of capturing a scene of interest using a charge coupled device (CCD) image sensor comprising:

• supplying a first voltage to a substrate of said CCD image sensor, said first voltage to said substrate at least partly defining an energy profile of said CCD image sensor;
• exposing said CCD image sensor to incident light from said scene of interest for a predefined exposure period to accumulate charges in said CCD image sensor;
• and
• supplying a second voltage to said substrate of said CCD image sensor after said predefined exposure period, said second voltage being a lower voltage than said first voltage to modify said energy profile of said CCD image sensor such that a greater potential barrier to said substrate is created;
• and
• outputting said charges from said CCD image sensor.