A CCD color linear image sensor employing new transfer method

A 5184-pixel dot sequential color CCD (charge coupled device) linear image sensor has been developed for color image scanners. This device has only one row of sensors in dot sequential form and a separate register for each primary color. Therefore the output signals are unaffected by the positional deviation of sensors or color mixing caused by the inherent transfer degradation in the CCD register. To realize the configuration of only one row of sensors and three CCD registers in this device, charges are transferred from one register to the next register using a novel charge transfer method. This method does not have an extra gate between registers and requires clock pulses with an amplitude of only 5 Vp.p. Therefore, on-chip clock drivers are realized