A first region includes first transfer column regions distributed in a first direction. A second region includes second transfer column regions distributed in the first direction. The second region is positioned downstream of the first region in a charge transfer direction. Lengths in a second direction of the first transfer column regions are equal. Lengths in the second direction of the second transfer column regions are longer than the length of the first transfer column region, and increase as the second transfer column region is positioned downstream in the charge transfer direction. A third region is disposed to correspond to the first region and extends along the first direction. A fourth region is disposed to correspond to the second region and extends such that an interval between the fourth region and a pixel region increases in response to a change in the lengths of the second transfer column regions.

The invention relates to charge-coupled TDI image sensors for the observation of one and the same image strip by multiple rows of pixels in succession with summation of the electric charge generated by an image point, for a row duration (T.sub.L ), in the pixels of the same rank of the various rows. According to the invention, the pixels are subdivided, in the direction of movement, into at least two adjacent portions (SUBa.sub.i,j, SUBb.sub.i,j), each portion comprising at least one charge storage area that is independent of the storage areas of the other portion while allowing a transfer of charge from the first portion to the second, one of the portions (SUBa.sub.i,j) being masked against light and the other portion (SUBb.sub.i,j) not being masked. The unmasked portion comprises a charge removal structure which is activated at a variable moment in time defining a start of actual integration that is independent of the start of a period of observing the image strip. It is thus possible to define a time of exposure to light T.sub.INT that does not depend on the relative speed of movement of the sensor and of the image, unlike the typical charge-coupled TDI sensors in which the duration of exposure is equal to the row period T.sub.L (linked to the speed of movement).

An imaging system may include an array of image sensor pixels, each image sensor pixel including a photosensitive element coupled to time trace generation circuitry having a first CCD register. The time trace generation circuitry may be coupled to integration circuitry having a second integration CCD register via corresponding charge transfer structures. The second integration CCD register may integrate multiples sets of sampled charge from the first CCD register to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the collected time trace information. The time trace generations circuitry or integration circuitry may also include background light subtract capabilities to remove background light level from the collected time trace information.

A TDI scanner including a dynamically programmable focal plane array including a two-dimensional array of detectors arranged in a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows, the array being divided into a plurality of banks separated from one another by gap regions, each bank including a plurality of sub-banks, and each sub-bank including at least one row of detectors, a ROIC coupled to the focal plane array and configured to combine in a TDI process outputs from detectors in each column of detectors in each sub-bank, and a controller configured to program the focal plane array to selectively and dynamically set characteristics of the focal plane array, the characteristics including a size and a location within the two-dimensional array of each of the plurality of sub-banks and the gap regions, the size corresponding to a number of rows of detectors included in the respective sub-bank or gap region.

Real-time autofocus. In an embodiment, a scanning apparatus includes an imaging sensor, a focusing sensor, an objective lens, and processor(s) configured to analyze image data captured by the imaging and focusing sensors, and move the objective lens. Real-time autofocus during scanning of a sample is achieved by determining a true-Z value for the objective lens for a point on a sample and for each of a plurality of regions on the sample. The true-Z values and/or surfaces calculated therefrom are used to determine a predicted-Z value for an unscanned region of the sample. The objective lens is adjusted to the predicted-Z value at the beginning of the unscanned region. After scanning the region, a true-Z value is determined for the region and compared to the predicted-Z value. A rescan of the region is initiated if the comparison exceeds a predetermined threshold.

A device for time delay and integration imaging comprises: an array of pixels being arranged in rows and columns extending in a first and second direction, respectively. Pixels may accumulate generated charges in response to received electro-magnetic radiation along each column. The rows comprise at least one lateral charge shifting row to selectively shift accumulated charges in a column to an adjacent column and a controller configured to receive at least two angle correction input values. Each angle correction input value is based on a received intensity of electro-magnetic radiation on a measurement line, wherein the at least two angle correction input values are acquired by measurement lines extending in directions defining different angles in relation to the second direction, wherein the controller is configured to, based on the received at least two angle correction input values, control activation of the at least one lateral charge shifting row.

To provide a solid-state imaging device and an electronic apparatus capable of achieving both of a high dynamic range operation and an auto focus operation in a pixel configuration in which a plurality of unit pixels includes two or more subpixels. There is provided a solid-state imaging device including: a first pixel separation region that separates a plurality of unit pixels including two or more subpixels; a second pixel separation region that separates each of the plurality of unit pixels separated by the first pixel separation region; and an overflow region that causes signal charges accumulated in the subpixels to overflow to at least one of adjacent subpixels, in which the overflow region is formed between a first subpixel and a second subpixel.

Provided are an X-ray inspection apparatus and an X-ray inspection method. The X-ray inspection apparatus includes: an X-ray source; a sample moving mechanism; the TDI sensor; and a TDI computing unit. The TDI computing unit includes a data transfer unit configured to transfer, to an outside, data of accumulated charges obtained by accumulating and transferring the charges, and has a function of setting in advance, as a determination region, a plurality of columns of line sensors with which the sample is detectable, and of detecting the sample in the determination region. The data transfer unit is configured to set, as detecting rows, rows of the pixels with which the sample has been detected in the determination region and rows around the rows, and transfer, to the outside, the data of accumulated charges only for pixels in the detecting rows.

A method of image sensor apparatus includes: providing pixel array having pixel units arranged in M rows and N columns; providing N parallel column readout circuits each being arranged for reading out pixel data of one corresponding column; disposing a horizontal shift register in row direction coupled to the N parallel column readout circuits, to receive a pulse signal and a clock signal, sequentially shift a phase of the pulse signal according to the clock signal, and scan a corresponding column according to the shifted phase of the pulse signal; and using a column select circuit having N latches to receive a power down digital control signal transmitted from a microcontroller wherein the power down digital control signal is used to disable at least one column readout circuit to enable and select a portion of the set of N parallel column readout circuits.

A method of image sensor apparatus includes: providing pixel array having pixel units arranged in M rows and N columns; providing N parallel column readout circuits each being arranged for reading out pixel data of one corresponding column; disposing a horizontal shift register in row direction coupled to the N parallel column readout circuits, to receive a pulse signal and a clock signal, sequentially shift a phase of the pulse signal according to the clock signal, and scan a corresponding column according to the shifted phase of the pulse signal; and using a column select circuit having N latches to receive a power down digital control signal transmitted from a microcontroller wherein the power down digital control signal is used to disable at least one column readout circuit to enable and select a portion of the set of N parallel column readout circuits.