# US 9,883,131 B2 · Imaging device including photoelectric converter and charge transfer channel > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,883,131 B2 - Document ID: US9883131B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/190,198 - Filed: 2016-06-23 - Published: 2017-01-05 - Granted: 2018-01-30 - Earliest claimed: 2015-07-02 - Assignees: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Sanshiro Shishido; Ryota Sakaida; Yoshiyuki Matsunaga - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9883131B2 ## CPC - H04N 25/709: Circuitry for control of the power supply - H04N 25/76: Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors - H04N 25/78: Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters - Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract An imaging device includes a photoelectric converter that generates charge; a first charge transfer channel having a first end electrically connected to the photoelectric converter and a second end, and transferring the charge in a direction from the first end to the second end; a second charge transfer channel diverging from the first charge transfer channel at a first position and transferring a first part of the charge; a third charge transfer channel diverging from the first charge transfer channel at a second position different from the first position in the direction and transferring a part of the second part of the charge; and first and second charge accumulators that accumulate at least a part of the first and second part of the charge respectively. The imaging device does not include a gate that switches between cutoff and transfer of charge, in the first charge transfer channel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An imaging device comprising: a photoelectric converter that generates charge; a first charge transfer channel having a first end electrically connected to the photoelectric converter and a second end, the first charge transfer channel transferring the charge in a direction from the first end to the second end; a second charge transfer channel diverging from the first charge transfer channel at a first position of the first charge transfer channel, the second charge transfer channel transferring a first part of the charge; a third charge transfer channel diverging from the first charge transfer channel at a second position of the first charge transfer channel, the second position being different from the first position in the direction, the third charge transfer channel transferring a second part of the charge; a first charge accumulator that accumulates at least a part of the first part of the charge; and a second charge accumulator that accumulates at least a part of the second part of the charge, wherein the imaging device does not comprise a gate that switches between cutoff and transfer of charge, in the first charge transfer channel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising: a first gate, in the second charge transfer channel, switching between cutoff and transfer of the first part of the charge; and a second gate, in the third charge transfer channel, switching between cutoff and transfer of the second part of the charge. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The imaging device according to claim 2, wherein the first gate and the second gate are a single gate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising a drain electrically connected to the second end, releasing charge transferred from the first charge transfer channel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising a third charge accumulator electrically connected to the second end, accumulating charge transferred from the first charge transfer channel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the first charge transfer channel has an electric potential gradient in at least a part of a distance between the first end and the second end, for transferring the charge. ### Claim 7 An imaging device comprising: a photoelectric converter that generates charge; a first charge transfer channel having a first end electrically connected to the photoelectric converter and a second end, the first charge transfer channel transferring the charge in a direction from the first end to the second end; a second charge transfer channel diverging from the first charge transfer channel at a first position of the first charge transfer channel, the second charge transfer channel transferring a first part of the charge; a third charge transfer channel diverging from the first charge transfer channel at a second position of the first charge transfer channel, the second position being different from the first position in the direction, the third charge transfer channel transferring a second part of the charge; a first charge accumulator that accumulates at least a part of the first part of the charge; and a second charge accumulator that accumulates at least a part of the second part of the charge, wherein the first charge transfer channel is a single channel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The imaging device according to claim 7, further comprising: a first gate, in the second charge transfer channel, switching between cutoff and transfer of the first part of the charge; and a second gate, in the third charge transfer channel, switching between cutoff and transfer of the second part of the charge. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The imaging device according to claim 8, wherein the first gate and the second gate are a single gate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The imaging device according to claim 7, further comprising a drain electrically connected to the second end, releasing charge transferred from the first charge transfer channel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The imaging device according to claim 7, further comprising a third charge accumulator electrically connected to the second end, accumulating charge transferred from the first charge transfer channel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The imaging device according to claim 7, wherein the first charge transfer channel has an electric potential gradient in at least a part of a distance between the first end and the second end, for transferring the charge. ### Claim 13 An imaging device comprising: a photoelectric converter that generates charge; a first charge transfer channel having a first end electrically connected to the photoelectric converter and a second end, first charge transfer channel transferring the charge in a direction from the first end to the second end without cutoff; a second charge transfer channel diverging from the first charge transfer channel at a first position of the first charge transfer channel, the second charge transfer channel transferring a first part of the charge; a third charge transfer channel diverging from the first charge transfer channel at a second position of the first charge transfer channel, the second position being different from the first position in the direction, the third charge transfer channel transferring a second part of the charge; a first charge accumulator that accumulates at least a part of the first part of the charge; and a second charge accumulator that accumulates at least a part of the second part of the charge. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The imaging device according to claim 13, further comprising: a first gate, in the second charge transfer channel, switching between cutoff and transfer of the first part of the charge; and a second gate, in the third charge transfer channel, switching between cutoff and transfer of the second part of the charge. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The imaging device according to claim 14, wherein the first gate and the second gate are a single gate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The imaging device according to claim 13, further comprising a drain electrically connected to the second end, releasing charge transferred from the first charge transfer channel. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The imaging device according to claim 13, further comprising a third charge accumulator electrically connected to the second end, accumulating charge transferred from the first charge transfer channel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The imaging device according to claim 13, wherein the first charge transfer channel has an electric potential gradient in at least a part of a distance between the first end and the second end, for transferring the charge.