Spatial information detecting device and photodetector suitable therefor
US7876422B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 14, 2006 |
| Grant date | Jan 25, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 21, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N25/622
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A spatial information detecting device is provided, which is capable of reducing the possibility that a saturation phenomenon is caused by the influence of an environmental light. This device includes a photoelectric converting portion for receiving a signal light from a target space to generate electric charges, a charge separating portion for separating electric charges corresponding to a constant amount of a bias component as undesired electric charges from the electric charges generated by the photoelectric converting portion, a charge accumulating portion for accumulating the remaining electric charges as effective electric charges reflecting a fluctuation component of the signal light, a barrier control electrode for forming a potential barrier between the charge separating portion and the charge accumulating portion, and a charge take-out portion for outputting the effective electric charges as an received-light output. By controlling a voltage applied to the barrier control electrode to change a height of the potential barrier, it is possible to adjust an amount of electric charges flowing from the charge separating portion into the charge accumulating portion over the pote…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.