US 4,853,785 AGranted

Electronic camera including electronic signal storage cartridge

AssigneeEnergy Conversion Devices, Inc.

InventorsStanford R. Ovshinsky, Lawrence G. Norris

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Abstract

An electronic camera system, which system comprises the combination of an image digitizer media and a digital signal storage media. The camera includes an x-y matrix formed of a thin film photosensor array of small area photosensitive elements capable of providing high resolution digitized electrical signal corresponding to an image projected thereon. The storage media is preferably formed as a layer of phase change optical memory material deposited upon an elongated tape or disc-like number and disposed in a cartridge-like housing which is removably positioned in the camera adjacent a writing mechanism such as a multi-headed laser. By utilizing multiple lasers, it is possible to simultaneously write on the entire width of the tape or disc for increasing processing speed.

Claims30

Dependent claims

An electronic imaging system, said system including a camera for (1) sensing and digitizing images and (2) writing said digitized images onto a storage media;

said camera including:
a two dimensional thin film photosensor array for reading a pattern of information corresponding to an image incident thereupon and generating detectable electrical signals corresponding thereto;
said array including a plurality of small area photoresponsive elements, each of said elements capable of photogenerating an electrical signal in response to illumination incident thereupon and including at least one layer of a semiconductor alloy material chosen from the group consisting essentially of:
amorphous silicon alloy materials, amorphous germaium alloy materials, amorphous silicon carbon alloy materials and amorphous silicon germanium alloy materials;
lens means for optically projecting a pattern of information corresponding to an image onto said photosensor array;
means for triggering the reading of the pattern of information projected onto said photosensor array;
means for storing said detectable electrical signals generated by said photosensor array, said storing means including optical storage media;
and
means for writing said detectable electrical signals onto said storing means.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.