Color linear image sensor and driving method therefor

A color linear image sensor formed on a semiconductor substrate and including three rows of light receiving elements, signal charge transfer elements disposed on the opposite sides of each of said light receiving elements, and signal charge read-out elements for reading out signal charges from said light receiving elements into said signal charge transfer elements, wherein

• one signal charge transfer element is disposed between each two adjacent light receiving elements of said three rows, and
• one signal charge read-out element is disposed between each of the signal charge transfer elements and each of those of said light receiving elements on the opposite sides of the signal charge transfer element, and wherein
• a first plurality of signal charges are read out during a cycle operation, from only one of a first, second, and third row of light receiving elements, to at least one of a first, second, third, and fourth signal charge transfer elements, by at least one of said signal charge read-out elements, and then
• a second plurality of signal charges are read out during said cycle operation, from only one of a remaining said first, second and third row of light receiving elements, to at least one first, second, third, and fourth signal charge transfer elements, by at least one of said signal charge read-out elements.

A color linear image sensor formed on a semiconductor substrate comprising

• a first row of light receiving elements, having
• a first signal charge transfer element disposed on one side of said first row of light receiving elements,
• a second signal charge transfer element disposed on an opposite side of said first row of light receiving elements,
• a second row of light receiving elements, having
• said second signal charge transfer element disposed on one side of said second row of light receiving elements,
• a third signal charge transfer element disposed on an opposite side of said second row of light receiving elements,
• a third row of light receiving elements, having
• said third signal charge transfer element disposed on one side of said third row of light receiving elements,
• a fourth signal charge transfer element disposed on an opposite side of said third row of light receiving elements,
• a first signal charge read-out element, disposed between said first row of light receiving elements and said first signal charge transfer element,
• a second signal charge read-out element, disposed between said first row of light receiving elements and said second signal charge transfer element,
• a third signal charge read-out element, disposed between said second row of light receiving elements and said second signal charge transfer element,
• a fourth signal charge read-out element, disposed between said second row of light receiving elements and said third signal charge transfer element,
• a fifth signal charge read-out element, disposed between said third row of light receiving elements and said third signal charge transfer element,
• a sixth signal charge read-out element, disposed between said third row of light receiving elements and said fourth signal charge transfer element, and wherein
• only one of said signal charge transfer elements is provided between any two adjacent said row of light receiving elements, and wherein
• during a first phase of a cycle operation, a first plurality of signal charges are read-out, from only one of said first, second, and third row of light receiving elements, to at least one of said first, second, third, and fourth signal charge transfer elements, by at least one of said signal charge read-out elements, and then
• during a second phase of said cycle operation, a second plurality of signal charges are read-out, from only one of a remaining said first, second and third row of light receiving elements, to at least one of said first, second, third, and fourth signal charge transfer elements, by at least one of said signal charge read-out elements.