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Abstract

A camera is described which is capable of meeting the United States standards for high definition television (HDTV). The camera produces a display of 1280 pixels by 720 pixels at a rate of 60 frames per second. In the preferred embodiment, there is provided, as an image sensor, a frame transfer three phase buried channel CCD capable of shifting the charge from an imaging region to a storage region within a brief blanking period provided by a shuttered lens. The image sensor has an arrangement of spaced electrodes which are electrically connected to shunts in the image sensor to transport charge, but are also arranged in the imaging region such that the geometry of the electrodes within each of the plurality of pixels is similar and thereby reduce the resistance present during shifting the charge from the imaging region to the storage region. The image sensor further minimizes the effect of dark current from the storage section on a reproduced image, and provides for amplification of the image prior to the introduction of substantial noise. Additional embodiments are described wherein: i) an anti-reflective coating minimizes distortion of the reproduced image without contamination of the camera; ii) the camera is capable of reproducing images at a variable frame rate; and, iii) the image sensor is capable of operating either in a progressive-scan mode or an interlace-scan mode.

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First Claim