Author: claimsbot

1. A control method for an image forming apparatus including fusing means, incorporating a heating element which generates heat by using power supplied from a commercial power supply, for fusing a toner image formed on a transfer material onto the transfer material by applying the heat generated by the heating element to the transfer material, and rechargeable battery means capable of supplying power to a load other than the heating element, comprising:
a remaining amount detection step of detecting a remaining amount of the rechargeable battery means; and
a control step of controlling supply of power from the commercial power supply to the fusing means in accordance with a detection result in said remaining amount detection step.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein in said control step,
said remaining amount detection step is executed at turn-on or upon returning from an energy saving mode, and when the remaining amount of the rechargeable battery means which is detected in said remaining amount detection step is not less than a predetermined amount, power is supplied from the rechargeable battery means to the load, thereby increasing power supplied from the commercial power supply to the fusing means, and
while power is supplied from the rechargeable battery means to the load, the remaining amount of the rechargeable battery means is monitored by repeating said remaining amount detection step, and when the remaining amount of the rechargeable battery means becomes less than the predetermined amount, supply of power from the rechargeable battery means to the load is interrupted, thereby reducing the power supplied from the commercial power supply to the fusing means.
3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature detection step of detecting a temperature of the fusing means,
wherein in said control step,
said temperature detection step and said remaining amount detection step are executed at turn-on or upon returning from the energy saving mode, and when the temperature of the fusing device which is detected in said temperature detection step is less than a predetermined temperature and the remaining amount of the rechargeable battery means which is detected in said remaining amount detection step is not less than a predetermined amount, power is supplied from the rechargeable battery means to the load, thereby increasing power supplied from the commercial power supply to the fusing means, and
while power is supplied from the rechargeable battery means to the load, the remaining amount of the rechargeable battery means and the temperature of the fusing means are monitored by repeating said remaining amount detection step and said temperature detection step, and when the remaining amount of the rechargeable battery means becomes less than the predetermined amount and the temperature of the fusing device becomes not less than the predetermined temperature, supply of power from the rechargeable battery means to the load is interrupted, thereby reducing the power supplied from the commercial power supply to the fusing means.
4. An image forming apparatus:
fusing means, incorporating a heating element which generates heat by using power supplied from a commercial power supply, for fusing a toner image formed on a transfer material onto the transfer material by applying the heat generated by the heating element to the transfer material;
rechargeable battery means capable of supplying power to a load other than the heating element;
remaining amount detection means for detecting a remaining amount of said rechargeable battery means; and
control means for controlling power supplied from the commercial power supply to the fusing means in accordance with a detection result obtained by said remaining amount detecting means.
5. A control method for an image forming apparatus including a fusing device which incorporates a heating element which generates heat by using power supplied from a commercial power supply and fuses a toner image formed on a transfer material onto the transfer material by applying the heat generated by the heating element to the transfer material, a power supply circuit which outputs an AC voltage from a commercial power supply upon stepping-down the voltage to a predetermined DC voltage, a rechargeable battery device capable of charging and discharging, a voltage regulator circuit which outputs an output voltage from the rechargeable battery device upon stepping-up the voltage to a predetermined level, a control circuit which controls power supplied from the commercial power supply and the rechargeable battery device to a load other than the heating element, and a fusing control circuit which limits power from the commercial power supply to a limit level corresponding to a control state by the control circuit, comprising:
a remaining amount detection step of detecting a remaining amount of the rechargeable battery device at turn-on or upon returning from an energy saving mode;
a first adjustment step of causing the control circuit to supply power from the rechargeable battery device to the load through the voltage regulator circuit and causing the fusing control circuit to increase the limit level accordingly when the remaining amount of the rechargeable battery device which is detected in said remaining amount detection step is at least not less than a remaining amount from which the voltage regulator circuit can step-up the voltage to the predetermined level; and
a second adjustment step of monitoring the remaining amount of the rechargeable battery device by repeating said remaining amount detection step while power from the rechargeable battery device is supplied to the load through the voltage regulator circuit, and when the remaining amount of the rechargeable battery device is at least less than a remaining amount from which the voltage regulator circuit can step-up the voltage to the predetermined level, causing the control circuit to supply power from the commercial power supply to the load through the power supply circuit, and causing the fusing control circuit to decrease the limit level accordingly.
6. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a fusing device which incorporates a heating element which generates heat by using power supplied from a commercial power supply and fuses a toner image formed on a transfer material onto the transfer material by applying the heat generated by the heating element to the transfer material;
a power supply circuit which outputs an AC voltage from a commercial power supply upon stepping-down the voltage to a predetermined DC voltage;
a rechargeable battery device capable of charging and discharging;
a voltage regulator circuit which outputs an output voltage from said rechargeable battery device upon stepping-up the voltage to a predetermined level;
a control circuit which controls power supplied from the commercial power supply and said rechargeable battery device to a load other than the heating element;
a fusing control circuit which limits power from the commercial power supply to a limit level corresponding to a control state by said control circuit;
a remaining amount detection circuit which detects a remaining amount of said rechargeable battery device;
a first adjusting circuit which causes said control circuit to supply power from said rechargeable battery device to the load through said voltage regulator circuit and causes said fusing control circuit to increase the limit level accordingly when the remaining amount of said rechargeable battery device which is detected by said remaining amount detection circuit at turn-on or upon returning from an energy saving mode is at least not less than a remaining amount from which said voltage regulator circuit can step-up the voltage to the predetermined level; and
a second adjustment circuit which monitors the remaining amount of said rechargeable battery device which is detected by said remaining amount detection circuit while power from said rechargeable battery device is supplied to the load through said voltage regulator circuit, and when the remaining amount of said rechargeable battery device is at least less than a remaining amount from which said voltage regulator circuit can step-up the voltage to the predetermined level, causes said control circuit to supply power from the commercial power supply to the load through said power supply circuit, and causes said fusing control circuit to decrease the limit level accordingly.
7. A control method for an image forming apparatus including fusing means, incorporating a heating element which generates heat by using power supplied from a commercial power supply, for fusing a toner image formed on a transfer material onto the transfer material by applying the heat generated by the heating element to the transfer material, and rechargeable battery means capable of charging and discharging, comprising:
a remaining amount detection step of detecting a remaining amount of the rechargeable battery means;
a control step of controlling supply of power from the commercial power supply and the rechargeable battery means to a load other than the heating element in accordance with a detection result obtained in said remaining amount detection step; and
a fusing control step of limiting power from the commercial power supply to a limit level corresponding to a control state in said control step, and supplying the power to the fusing means.
8. An image forming apparatus comprising:
fusing means, incorporating a heating element which generates heat by using power supplied from a commercial power supply, for fusing a toner image formed on a transfer material onto the transfer material by applying the heat generated by the heating element to the transfer material;
rechargeable battery means capable of charging and discharging;
remaining amount detection means for detecting a remaining amount of said rechargeable battery means;
control means for controlling supply of power from the commercial power supply and said rechargeable battery means to a load other than the heating element in accordance with a detection result obtained by said remaining amount detection means; and
fusing control means for limiting power from the commercial power supply to a limit level corresponding to a control state by said control means, and supplying the power to said fusing means.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a housing;
a solenoid coil disposed within the housing;
a pole member; and
an armature configured to move from a first position to a second position when the solenoid coil is energized, a contact surface of the armature spaced apart from a contact surface of the pole member by a first distance when the armature is in the first position, the contact surface of the armature spaced apart from the contact surface of the pole member by a second distance when the armature is in the second position,
the housing, the pole member and the armature collectively defining a flux path characterized by a first reluctance when the armature is in the first position and a second reluctance when the armature is in the second position, the difference between the first reluctance and the second reluctance is less than about thirty percent of the value of the first reluctance.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the contact surface of the armature is tapered.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the contact surface of the armature and an axis along which the armature moves define an acute angle.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a portion of the contact surface of the armature and a portion of the contact surface of the pole member define an air gap area within the flux path, the pole member and the armature configured such that the air gap area decreases as the armature moves from the first position to the second position.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an outer diameter defining the contact surface of the pole member is between an outer diameter defining the contact surface of the armature and an inner diameter defining the contact surface of the armature.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a retainer configured to retain the solenoid within the housing, a portion of the armature configured to move within the retainer, the portion of the armature and the retainer being included in the flux path.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein:
the portion of the armature includes a sliding surface; and
the retainer includes a surface, the sliding surface of the armature and the surface of the retainer define an air gap area within the flux path, the retainer and the armature configured such that the air gap area decreases as the armature moves from the first position to the second position.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a retainer configured to retain the solenoid within the housing,
a portion of the contact surface of the armature and a portion of the contact surface of the pole member define a first air gap area within the flux path, the pole member and the armature configured such that the first air gap area decreases as the armature moves from the first position to the second position,
a sliding surface of the armature configured to move within the retainer, the sliding surface and a surface of the retainer define a second air gap area within the flux path, the retainer and the armature configured such that the second air gap area decreases as the armature moves from the first position to the second position.
9. An apparatus, comprising:
a housing;
a solenoid coil disposed within the housing;
a pole member;
a retainer configured to retain the solenoid within the housing; and
an armature configured to move from a first position to a second position when the solenoid coil is energized, a first surface of the armature spaced apart from a contact surface of the pole member by a first air gap when the armature is in the first position, the first surface of the armature in contact with the contact surface of the pole member when the armature is in the second position, a second surface of the armature spaced apart from a surface of the retainer portion by a second air gap,
the housing, the pole member, the armature and the retainer collectively defining a flux path including the first air gap and the second air gap, a portion of the first surface of the armature and a portion of the contact surface of the pole member defining a first air gap area within the flux path, the pole member and the armature configured such that the first air gap area decreases as the armature moves from the first position to the second position.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the flux path is characterized by a first reluctance when the armature is in the first position and a second reluctance when the armature is in the second position, the difference between the first reluctance and the second reluctance is less than about thirty percent of the value of the first reluctance.
11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second reluctance is within a range of about seventy percent, fifty percent, about forty percent, about thirty percent, about twenty percent or about ten percent of the first reluctance.
12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second surface of the armature is configured to move within the retainer.
13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein an outer diameter defining the contact surface of the pole member is between an outer diameter defining the first surface of the armature and an inner diameter defining the first surface of the armature.
14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second surface of the armature and the surface of the retainer define a second air gap area, the retainer and the armature are configured such that the second air gap area decreases as the armature moves from the first position to the second position.
15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:
a reluctance of the first air gap is reduced when the armature moves from the first position to the second position; and
a reluctance of the second air gap is increased when the armature moves from the first position to the second position.
16. A method, comprising:
coupling a retainer to a housing to retain a solenoid coil within the housing;
disposing a pole member within the housing, the pole member including a contact surface;
disposing an armature within the housing, the armature configured to move from a first position to a second position when the solenoid coil is energized, the housing, the pole member, the retainer, and the armature collectively defining a flux path characterized by a first reluctance when the armature is in the first position and a second reluctance when the armature is in the second position, the difference between the first reluctance and the second reluctance is less than about thirty percent of the value of the first reluctance.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the contact surface of the pole member and an axis along which the armature moves define an acute angle.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein a portion of a contact surface of the armature and a portion of the contact surface of the pole member define an air gap area within the flux path, the pole member and the armature configured such that the air gap area decreases as the armature moves from the first position to the second position.
19. The method of claim 16, wherein an outer diameter defining the contact surface of the pole member is between an outer diameter defining a contact surface of the armature and an inner diameter defining the contact surface of the armature.
20. The method of claim 16, wherein a portion of the armature is configured to move within the retainer, the portion of the armature and the retainer being included in the flux path.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein:
the portion of the armature includes a sliding surface; and
the retainer includes a surface, the sliding surface of the armature and the surface of the retainer define an air gap area within the flux path, the retainer and the armature configured such that the air gap area decreases as the armature moves from the first position to the second position.
22. The method of claim 16, wherein:
a portion of the contact surface of the armature and a portion of the contact surface of the pole member define a first air gap area within the flux path, the pole member and the armature configured such that the first air gap area decreases as the armature moves from the first position to the second position,
a sliding surface of the armature configured to move within the retainer, the sliding surface and a surface of the retainer define a second air gap area within the flux path, the retainer and the armature configured such that the second air gap area decreases as the armature moves from the first position to the second position.
23. A method, comprising:
energizing a solenoid coil of a pump assembly to move an armature from a first position to a second position within a solenoid housing, the armature coupled to a pump element, the housing, a pole member, the armature and a retainer collectively defining a flux path, a first surface of the armature spaced apart from a contact surface of a pole member by a first air gap when the armature is in the first position, the first surface of the armature in contact with the contact surface of the pole member when the armature is in the second position, a second surface of the armature spaced apart from a surface of the retainer portion by a second air gap, a portion of the first surface of the armature and a portion of the contact surface of the pole member defining a first air gap area within the flux path, the pole member and the armature configured such that the first air gap area decreases as the armature moves from the first position to the second position; and
deenergizing the solenoid to move the armature from the second position to the first position within the solenoid housing.

What is claimed is:

1. A developing apparatus developing an image on a photoreceptive drum in a printer, the developing apparatus comprising:
a disc rotating independently of the photoreceptive drum, disposed on one of sides of the photoreceptive drum and having a cam groove formed on an outer circumferential surface thereof;
a developing unit including a housing containing a developer and a developing roller supported by both sidewalls of the housing and having a shaft contacting the cam groove and the outer circumferential surface of the disc; and
an elastic member provided at a surface of the housing to bias the developing apparatus toward the photoreceptive drum.
2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the disc has a diameter greater than that of the photoreceptive drum.
3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the developing roller contacts the photoreceptive drum when the shaft is disposed in the cam groove.
4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the disc is rotatably and coaxially installed on the photoreceptive drum.
5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, further comprising:
a bearing provided around the shaft where the shaft and the outer circumferential surface of the disc contact.
6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:
a power transfer unit driving the disc.
7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the disc comprises:
another cam groove, and the cam groove and another cam groove are provided at an interval along the outer circumferential surface of the disc.
8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:
a bearing provided around the shaft where the shaft and the outer circumferential surface of the disc contact.
9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:
a power transfer unit driving the disc.
10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the disc comprises:
another cam groove, and the cam groove and another cam groove are provided at an identical interval along the outer circumferential surface of the disc.
11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
a supply roller installed adjacent to the developing roller to supply the developer to the developing roller.
12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the disc comprises:
another cam groove, and the cam groove and another cam groove are provided at an identical interval along the outer circumferential surface of the disc.
13. A developing apparatus developing an image on a photoreceptive drum in a printer, comprising:
a disc which is rotatable and disposed on a side of the photoreceptive drum, and having a surface and a cam groove formed on the surface; and
a developing unit including a housing containing a developer and a developing roller supported by the housing, having a shaft disposed to contact one of the cam groove and the surface of the disc, and selectively moving toward and away from the photoreceptive drum during a development process in response to a contact between the shaft and the one of the cam groove and the surface of the disc.
14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the disc rotates at a first speed, and the photoreceptive drum rotates at a second speed.
15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first speed of the disc varies, and the second speed of the photoreceptive drum does not vary during a development process.
16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the disc rotates intermittently during a continuous rotation of the photoreceptive drum.
17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the disc comprises another cam groove, and the first speed decreases in accordance with an increase of the number of the cam grooves formed on the outer circumferential surface.
18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the shaft of the developing unit selectively contacts one of the cam groove, the outer circumferential surface, and the another cam groove.
19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the disc comprises:
a curved portion formed between the cam groove and the surface of the disc to allow the developing unit to smoothly contact the photoreceptive drum when the shaft of the developing unit moves from the surface to the cam groove.
20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the cam groove has a depth with respect to the surface, and the depth corresponds to a moving distance of the developing unit with respect to the photoreceptive drum.
21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the surface of the disc comprises:
an outmost circumferential surface facing the shaft of the developing unit.
22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:
another disc disposed on another side of the photoreceptive drum opposite to the side, having another surface and another cam groove, wherein the shaft of the developing unit is disposed in one of the cam groove and another cam groove during the development process, and the shaft contacts one of the surface and another surface of the disc when the developing unit does not contact the cam groove and another cam groove.
23. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:
a first power transfer unit rotating the disc; and
a second power transfer unit rotating the photoreceptive drum.
24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the disc rotates independently of the photoreceptive drum.
25. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the disc and the photoreceptive drum rotates in one of a clockwise direction and a counterclockwise direction.
26. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the developing unit is attached to the photoreceptive drum to develop the image with the developer when the shaft is disposed in the cam groove of the disc, and detached from the photoreceptive drum when the shaft contacts the surface of the disc.
27. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the developing unit is biased toward the photoreceptive drum.
28. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:
an elastic member provided at a surface of the housing to push the developing unit toward the photoreceptive drum and to allow the developing unit to contact the photoreceptive drum when the shaft is disposed in the cam groove.
29. A developing apparatus developing an image on a photoreceptive drum in a printer, comprising:
a disc which is rotatable and disposed on a side of the photoreceptive drum, having a surface and a cam groove formed on the surface; and
a plurality of developing units disposed around the photoreceptive drum, each including a housing containing a developer and a developing roller supported by the housing, each having a shaft disposed to contact one of the cam groove and the surface of the disc, and each selectively moving toward and away from the photoreceptive drum in response to a contact between the shaft and the one of the cam groove and the surface.
30. The apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein one of shafts of the developing units is disposed in the cam groove to allow one of the developing units to contact the photoreceptive drum to develop the image with the developer.
31. The apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein respective shafts of the developing units are disposed around the disc to selectively contact one of the cam groove and the surface.
32. The apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein the disc rotates in a first speed in a forward direction or a reversed direction, and the photoreceptive drum rotates at a second speed.
33. The apparatus as claimed in claim 32, wherein the photoreceptive drum rotates in the forward direction.
34. A developing apparatus developing an image on a photoreceptive drum in a printer, comprising:
a disc rotating disposed on a side of the photoreceptive drum, having an outer circumferential surface, and having a plurality of cam grooves formed on the outer circumferential surface; and
a plurality of developing units disposed around the photoreceptive drum, each including a housing containing a developer and a developing roller supported by the housing, each having a shaft disposed to contact one of the cam grooves and the outer circumferential surface of the disc, and each selectively moving toward and away from the photoreceptive drum in response to a contact between the shaft and one of the cam grooves and the outer circumferential surface of the disc.
35. The apparatus as claimed in claim 34, wherein all of the developing units are disposed between the adjacent cam grooves.
36. The apparatus as claimed in claim 34, wherein the cam grooves comprises a first adjacent cam grooves and a second adjacent cam grooves, and a first number of the developing units are disposed between the first adjacent cam grooves while a second number of the developing unit are disposed between the second adjacent cam grooves.
37. The apparatus as claimed in claim 34, wherein one of the developing units contacts the photoreceptive drum to develop the image with the respective developer in response to the contact between the shaft and one of the cam grooves and the outer circumferential surface of the disc.
38. The apparatus as claimed in claim 34, wherein one of the shafts of the developing units is disposed in one of the cam grooves, and other shafts of the developing units are disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the disc.
39. The apparatus as claimed in claim 34, wherein the shafts of the developing units sequentially move from the outer circumferential surface of the disc to one of the cam grooves and from one of the cam grooves to the outer circumferential surface during a rotation of the disc and sequentially disposed in another one of the cam grooves disposed adjacent to the one of the cam grooves during the rotation of the disc after all of the shafts of the developing units sequentially move from the one of the cam grooves to the outer circumferential surface of the disc during a rotation of the disc.
40. The apparatus as claimed in claim 34, wherein the disc comprises another outer circumferential surface disposed opposite to the outer circumferential surface with respect to one of the cam grooves, and the shafts of the developing units comprise a first shaft disposed on the outer circumferential surface, a second shaft disposed in the one of the cam grooves, and a third shaft disposed on the another outer circumferential surface.
41. A developing apparatus developing an image on a photoreceptive drum in a printer, comprising:
a disc which is rotatable independently of the photoreceptive drum and disposed on a side of the photoreceptive drum, and having a cam groove formed on an outer circumferential surface thereof; and
a developing unit having a housing containing developer and a developing roller supported by both sidewalls of the housing, and having a shaft contacting the outer circumferential surface of the disc.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. An image sensor comprising:
a pixel array, comprising at least one row of pixels, each pixel having a light receiving element and a reset switch connected to a reset node of said light receiving element, divided into an effective pixel region and an optical black pixel region; and
a read-out circuit, scanning on said pixel array to read out signals from said pixels, including a black clamp circuit for holding an signal from said optical black pixel region as an integrated dark current signal and for correcting an signal from said effective pixel region with said integrated dark current signal,
wherein said optical black pixel region comprises a potential averaging line commonly connected to said reset nodes of a plurality of pixels in a pixel row.
2. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein pixels including said potential averaging line are located outside of said effective pixel region in a horizontal scanning direction, and line clamp is performed by said black clamp circuit.
3. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein said pixel array comprises a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns, pixels including said potential averaging line are located outside of said effective pixel region in a vertical scanning direction, and frame clamp is performed by said black clamp circuit.
4. The image sensor of claim 3, wherein said potential averaging lines in a plurality of pixel rows are connected to each other, and said reset switch is commonly connected to said potential averaging lines.
5. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein said pixel array comprises a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns, and each column comprises a vertical bus line coupled to pixels of this column in order to read out an signal from a pixel of selected row,
wherein said read-out circuit further comprises a correlation double sampling circuit for each column, said correlation double sampling circuit is coupled between said vertical bus line of this column and said black clamp circuit.
6. An image sensor comprising:
a pixel array, comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel having a light receiving element;
a read-out circuit, scanning on said pixel array to read out signals from pixels; and
a control circuit, repeating sequential operation of a light integration period, a read-out period and a power-off period,
wherein said control circuit:
in said light integration period, causes said pixel array to perform light integration without supplying power to said read-out circuit;
in said read-out period, causes said read-out circuit to read out said signals; and
in said power-off period, ceases to supply power to said pixel array and said read-out circuit.
7. An image sensor comprising:
a pixel array, comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel having a light receiving element;
a vertical scanning circuit, serially activating rows of said pixel array to read out signals from pixels of an activated row;
sample and hold circuits, sampling signals from the pixels of activated row and holding them;
a horizontal scanning circuit, serially activating said sample and hold circuits to read out a held signal from an activated sample and hold circuit on to a horizontal bus;
an amplifier circuit, amplifying a signal on said horizontal bus or said signals read out from said pixels of said activated row; and
a control circuit, repeating sequential operation of a light integration period, a read-out period and a power-off period,
wherein said control circuit:
in said light integration period, causes said pixel array to performs light integration for at least one frame period without supplying power to said sample and hold circuits and said horizontal scanning circuit;
in said read-out period, causes said vertical scanning circuit, said sample and hold circuits, and said horizontal scanning circuit to operate for one frame period; and
in said power-off period, ceases to supply power to said pixel array, said vertical scanning circuit, said sample and hold circuits, said horizontal scanning circuit and said amplifier circuit for at least one frame period.
8. An image sensor comprising:
a pixel array, comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel having a light receiving element;
a read-out circuit, scanning on said pixel array to read out signals from pixels; and
a control circuit, repeating sequential operation of a light integration period and a read-out period,
wherein said control circuit:
in said light integration period, causes said pixel array to perform light integration without supplying power to said read-out circuit; and
in said read-out period, causes said read-out circuit to read out said signals.
9. An image sensor comprising:
a pixel array, comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel having a light receiving element;
a vertical scanning circuit, serially activating rows of said pixel array to read out signals from pixels of an activated row;
sample and hold circuits, sampling signals from the pixels of activated row and holding them;
a horizontal scanning circuit, serially activating said sample and hold circuits to read out a held signal from an activated sample and hold circuit on to a horizontal bus;
an amplifier circuit, amplifying a signal on said horizontal bus or said signals read out from said pixels of said activated row; and
a control circuit, repeating sequential operation of a light integration period and a read-out period,
wherein said control circuit:
in said light integration period, causes said pixel array to performs light integration for at least one frame period without supplying power to said sample and hold circuits and said horizontal scanning circuit; and
in said read-out period, causes said vertical scanning circuit, said sample and hold circuits, and said horizontal scanning circuit to operate for one frame period.
10. An image sensor comprising:
a pixel array, comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel having a light receiving element;
a vertical scanning circuit, serially activating rows of said pixel array to read out signals from pixels of an activated row;
sample and hold circuits, sampling signals from the pixels of activated row and holding them;
a horizontal scanning circuit, serially activating said sample and hold circuits to read out a held signal from an activated sample and hold circuit on to a horizontal bus;
an amplifier circuit, amplifying a signal on said horizontal bus or said signals read out from said pixels of said activated row; and
a control circuit, repeating sequential operation of a light integration period and a read-out period,
wherein said control circuit:
in said light integration period, causes said pixel array to performs light integration for one frame period without supplying power to said sample and hold circuits and said horizontal scanning circuit; and
in said read-out period, causes said vertical scanning circuit, said sample and hold circuits, and said horizontal scanning circuit to operate for at least one frame period.