Author: claimsbot

1. An output system having an output device that performs output based on output data so that the output device performs the output after having acquired authentication comprising:
an output data acquiring unit for acquiring the output data; an output data storing unit for storing the output data acquired by the output data acquiring unit in an output data memory unit; an authentication information acquiring unit for acquiring authentication information; a usage-qualification determining unit for determining a usage qualification of the output data based on the authentication information acquired by the authentication information acquiring unit; an operating state controlling unit for controlling a state of the output device; an output process completion detecting unit for detecting completion of an output process in the output device; and a power-save switching unit for switching a state of the output device into either one of an active state in which the output process to be performed by an output processing unit is enabled and a power-saving state in which a drive power during a stand-by time for the output process based on either one of a command from the operating state controlling unit and an elapsed time from a switching time which corresponds to a stand-by time for the active state until the state of the output device is switched from the active state to the power-saving state,
wherein the operating state controlling unit outputs a power-save-cancel command for causing the power-saving state to be changed into the active state to the power-save switching unit after the device having the output data storing unit acquires the output data, and a transition-to-power-save command for causing the state to be changed from the active state to the power-saving state is outputted to the power-save switching unit when the output process of the output data is completed by the output process completion detecting unit.
2. A printing system having a printing device that executes a printing process based on a printing job so that the printing device performs the printing process after having acquired authentication comprising;
a printing job acquiring unit for acquiring the printing job; a printing job storing unit for storing the printing job acquired by the printing job acquiring unit in a printing job memory unit; an authentication information acquiring unit for acquiring authentication information; a usage-qualification determining unit for determining a usage qualification of the printing job based on the authentication information acquired by the authentication information acquiring unit; an operating state controlling unit for controlling a state of the printing device; a printing process completion detecting unit for detecting completion of the printing process in the printing device; and a power-save switching unit for switching a state of the printing device into either one of an active state in which the output process to be performed by a print processing unit is enabled and a power-saving state in which a drive power during a stand-by time for the printing process based on either one of a command from the operating state controlling unit and an elapsed time from a switching time which corresponds to a stand-by time for the active state until the state of the printing device is switched from the active state to the power-saving state,
wherein the operating state controlling unit outputs a power-save-cancel command for causing the power-saving state to be changed into the active state to the power-save switching unit after the device having the printing job storing unit acquires the printing job, and a transition-to-power-save command for causing the state to be changed from the active state to the power-saving state is outputted to the power-save switching unit when the printing process of the printing job is completed is detected by the printing process completion detecting unit.
3. A printing system having a printing device that executes a printing process based on a printing job so that the printing device executes the printing process after having acquired authentication comprising: a printing job acquiring unit for acquiring the printing job; a printing job storing unit for storing the printing job acquired by the printing job acquiring unit in a printing job memory unit; an authentication information acquiring unit for acquiring authentication information; a usage-qualification determining unit for determining a usage qualification of the printing job based on the authentication information acquired by the authentication information acquiring unit; an operating state controlling unit for controlling a state of the printing device; and a printing process completion detecting unit for detecting completion of the printing process in the printing device;
wherein the printing device includes: a print processing unit for executing the printing process based on the printing job which is determined to have the usage qualification by the usage-qualification determining unit out of the printing jobs stored in the printing job memory unit; and a power-save switching unit for switching a state of the printing device into either one of an active state in which the printing process to be performed by the print processing unit is enabled and a power-saving state in which a drive power during a stand-by time for the printing process based on either one of a command from the operating state controlling unit and an elapsed time from a switching time which corresponds to a stand-by time for the active state until the state of the printing device is switched from the active state to the power-saving state, and
the operating state controlling unit outputs a power-save-cancel command for causing the power-saving state to be changed into the active state to the power-save switching unit after the device having the printing job storing unit acquires the printing job, and a transition-to-power-save command for causing the state to be changed from the active state to the power-saving state is outputted to the power-save switching unit when the printing process of the printing job is completed is detected by the printing process completion detecting unit.
4. The printing system according to claim 2, wherein a print instruction issuing device that issues a print instruction for the printing job is connected to the device having the printing job storing unit so as to be capable of communicating data,
the print instruction issuing device includes a print instruction issuing unit for transmitting the printing job to the printing job storing unit corresponding to the destination printing device of the printing job; and a switching-time-change instruction issuing unit for issuing instruction to change the switching time which is preset in the printing device;
the printing device includes a switching time changing unit for changing the switching time which is preset in the printing device based on a switching-time-change command from the operating state controlling unit,
the operating state controlling unit is adapted to output the switching-time-change command to the switching time changing unit according to the instruction from the switching-time-change instruction issuing unit, and to output the switching-time-change command for restoring the switching time which is currently set in the destination printing device into the switching time before being changed to the switching time changing unit when the printing process completion detecting unit detects that the printing process of the printing job corresponding to the printing device whose switching time is changed is completed, or when the switching time after the change is elapsed.
5. The printing system according to claim 2, wherein a printing device management device that manages the printing device is connected to the printing device so as to be capable of data communication,
the printing device management device includes the printing job acquiring unit; the printing job storing unit; the authentication information acquiring unit; the usage-qualification determining unit; the operating state controlling unit; the printing process completion detecting unit; and printing job transmitting unit for transmitting the printing job that is determined to have the usage qualification by the usage-qualification determining unit out of the printing jobs stored in the printing job memory unit to the printing device,
the printing device includes a printing job receiving unit for receiving the printing job and the print processing unit for executing the printing process based on the printing job received by the printing job receiving unit.
6. The printing system according to claim 2, wherein the printing device includes the printing data acquiring unit; the printing job storing unit; the authentication information acquiring unit; the usage-qualification determining unit; the operating state controlling unit; and the printing process completion detecting unit.
7. The printing system according to claim 4, further comprising:
a set time information acquiring unit for acquiring the set time information as the information on the switching time preset in the destination printing device of the printing job after the device having the printing job storing unit acquires the printing job; a term-of-validity calculating unit for acquiring the time information after the device having the printing job storing unit acquires the printing job and calculating the term of validity of the active state for the printing job based on the acquired time information and the set time information acquired by the set time information acquiring unit: and an elapse observing unit for obtaining the current time information and observing whether or not the current time passes over the term of validity based on the time information and the term of validity calculated by the term-of-validity calculating unit,
wherein the operating state controlling unit is adapted to issue the transition-to-power-save command for causing the state to be changed from the active state to a power-saving state to the power-save switching unit when the printing process of the printing job is completed or when the term of validity of the printing job is expired based on the detection result of the printing process completion detecting unit and the observed result of the elapse observing unit, and to issue the switching-time-change command for causing the switching time which is currently set in the destination printing device of the printing job to be changed into the switching time indicated by the set time information corresponding to the printing job to the switching time changing unit.
8. The printing system according to claim 7, further comprising a term-of-validity updating unit for updating the term of validity based on the switching-time-changed by the switching time changing unit,
wherein the operating state controlling unit is adapted in such a manner that in a case in which the printing job memory unit has a plurality of printing jobs within the term of validity for the identical printing device stored therein, when the printing process of any one of the plurality of stored printing jobs is completed or when the term of validity of any one of the printing job is expired based on the detected result of the printing process completion detecting unit and the observed result of the elapse observing unit, the set time information corresponding to the printing job whose term of validity will expire next is changed into the set time information corresponding to the printing job whose printing process is completed or whose term of validity is expired, and that the transition-to-power-save command for causing the state to be changed from the active state to the power-saving state is issued to the power-save switching unit and the switching-time-change command for causing the switching time which is currently set in the printing device to be changed into the set time information corresponding to the printing job whose printing process is completed last or the printing job whose term of validity is expired last is issued to the switching time changing unit when there is no more printing job within the term of validity left among the plurality of stored printing job.
9. The printing system according to claim 4, wherein the upper limit of the switching time to be set is within a range of 15 to 30 minutes.
10. A print instruction issuing device for issuing a print instruction for a printing job comprising: a print instruction issuing unit for transmitting the printing job which corresponds to the destination printing device of the printing job to the device having a printing job storing unit for storing the printing job in a printing job memory unit; and a switching-time-change instruction issuing unit for issuing the instruction to change the switching time which corresponds to a stand-by time for an active state until the state of the printing device set in the printing device is changed from the active state in which the printing process is enabled to a power-saving state for reducing a drive power during the stand-by time for the printing process.
11. A printing device management device that manages a printing device for executing a printing process based on a printing job, comprising: a printing job acquiring unit for acquiring the printing job; a printing job storing unit for storing the printing job acquired by the printing job acquiring unit in a printing job memory unit; an authentication information acquiring unit for acquiring authentication information; a usage-qualification determining unit for determining a usage qualification of the printing job based on the authentication information acquired by the authentication information acquiring unit; an operating state controlling unit for controlling the state of the printing device; a printing process completion detecting unit for detecting completion of the printing process in the printing device; and a printing job transmitting unit for transmitting the printing job which is determined to have the usage qualification by the usage-qualification determining unit out of the printing jobs stored in the printing job memory unit to the printing device,
wherein the operating state controlling unit transmits a power-save-cancel command for causing a power-saving state to be changed to an active state to the printing device after having acquired the printing job, and transmits a transition-to-power-save command for changing the state from the active state to the power-saving state to the printing device when the printing process completion detecting unit detects that the printing process of the printing job is completed.
12. A printing device for executing a printing process based on a printing job comprising: a print processing unit for executing the printing process based on the printing job having a usage qualification out of the printing jobs stored in a printing job memory unit; and a power-save switching unit for switching a state of the printing device into any one of an active state that enables the printing process by the print processing unit and a power-saving state that reduces a drive power during a stand-by time for the printing process based on any one of a command from an operating state controlling unit and an elapsed time from a switching time which corresponds to a stand-by time for the active state until the state of the printing device is switched from the active state to the power-saving state.
13. A printing device for executing a printing process based on a printing job, comprising: a printing job receiving unit for receiving the printing job; a print processing unit for executing the printing process based on the printing job received by the printing job receiving unit; and a power-save switching unit for switching a state of the printing device into any one of an active state that enables the printing process by the print processing unit and a power-saving state that reduces a drive power during a stand-by time for the printing process based on any one of a command from an operating state controlling unit for controlling the state of the printing device and an elapsed time from a switching time which corresponds to a stand-by time for the active state until the state of the printing device is switched from the active state to the power-saving state.
14. The printing device according to claim 12, further comprising: a printing job acquiring unit for acquiring the printing job; a printing job storing unit for storing the printing job acquired by the printing job acquiring unit into the printing job memory unit; an authentication information acquiring unit for acquiring authentication information; a usage-qualification determining unit for determining the usage qualification of the printing job based on the authentication information acquired by the authentication information acquiring unit; and the operating state controlling unit for controlling the state of the printing device;
wherein the operating state controlling unit issues a power-save-cancel command for causing the power-saving state to be changed into the active state after having acquired the printing job to the power-save switching unit, and when a printing process completion detecting unit detects that the printing process of the printing job is completed, issues a transition-to-power save command for causing the state to be changed from the active state to the power-saving state to the power-save switching unit.
15. A print instruction issuing program used for causing a computer that is operated as a print instruction issuing device for issuing a print instruction for a printing job to execute comprising: a program used for causing the computer to execute a process including a print instruction issuing step of transmitting the printing job corresponding to the destination printing device of the printing job to a device having a printing job storing unit for storing the printing job in a printing job memory unit and a switching-time-change instruction issuing step of issuing an instruction for changing a switching time which corresponds to a stand-by time for an active state until a state of the printing device set in the printing device from the active state in which the printing process is enabled to a power-saving state in which a drive power at the stand-by time for the printing process is reduced.
16. A printing device management program used for causing a computer that is operated as a printing device management device for managing a printing device for executing a printing process based on a printing job, comprising a program used for causing the computer to executes a process including: a printing job acquiring step of acquiring the printing job; a printing job storing step of storing the printing job acquired in the printing job acquiring step in a printing job memory unit; an authentication information acquiring step of acquiring authentication information; a usage-qualification determining step of determining a usage qualification of the printing job based on the authentication information acquired in the authentication information acquiring step; an operating state controlling step of controlling a state of the printing device; a printing process completion detecting step of detecting completion of the printing process in the printing device; and a printing job transmitting step of transmitting the printing job determined to have a usage qualification in the usage-qualification determining step out of the printing jobs stored in the printing job memory unit to the printing device,
wherein the operating state controlling step is adapted to issue a power-save-cancel command for causing the power-saving state to be changed into an active state to the printing device after having acquired the printing job, and issue a transition-to-power-save command for causing the state to be changed from the active state to the power-saving state to the printing device when the printing process of the printing job is completed is detected in the printing process completion detecting step.
17. A printing device control program to be used for controlling a printing device for executing a printing process based on a printing job, comprising: a program to be used for causing a computer to execute a process including a print processing step of executing the printing process based on the printing job which has a usage qualification out of the printing jobs stored in a printing job memory unit and a power-save switching step of switching a state of the printing device into either one of an active state in which the printing process to be performed in the print processing step is enabled and a power-saving state in which a drive power during a stand-by time for the printing process based on either one of a command from an operating state controlling step of controlling the state of the printing device and an elapsed time from a switching time which corresponds to a stand-by time for the active state until the state of the printing device is switched from the active state to the power-saving state.
18. A printing device control program to be used for controlling a printing device for performing a printing process based on a printing job, comprising a program to be used for causing a computer to execute a process including a printing job receiving step of receiving the printing job, a print processing step of executing the printing process based on the printing job received in the printing job receiving step; and a power-save switching step of switching a state of the printing device into either one of an active state in which the printing process to be performed by the print processing step is enabled and a power-saving state in which a drive power during a stand-by time for the printing process based on either one of a command from an operating state controlling step of controlling the state of the printing device and an elapsed time from a switching time which corresponds to a stand-by time for the active state until the state of the printing device is switched from the active state to the power-saving state.
19. A printing method in which a print instruction issuing device for executing a print instruction issuing process of a printing job is connected to a printing device for executing a printing process based on the printing job so as to be capable of mutual data communication, and the printing device executes the printing process after having acquired the authentication, comprising:
a printing job acquiring step of acquiring the printing job; a printing job storing step of storing the printing job acquired in the printing job acquiring step in a printing job memory unit; an authentication information acquiring step of acquiring authentication information; an usage-qualification determining step of determining a usage qualification of the printing job based on the authentication information acquired in the authentication information acquiring step; an operating state controlling step of controlling a state of the printing device; and a printing process completion detecting step of detecting completion of the printing process in the printing device,
the printing device including a print processing step of executing the printing process based on the printing job which is determined to have the usage qualification out of the printing jobs stored in the printing job memory unit in the usage-qualification determining step; and a power-save switching step of switching a state of the printing device into either one of an active state in which the printing process to be performed in the print processing step is enabled and a power-saving state in which a drive power during a stand-by time for the printing process is reduced based on either one of a command from the operating state controlling step and an elapsed time from a switching time which corresponds to a stand-by time for the active state until the state of the printing device is switched from the active state to the power-saving state,
wherein the operating state controlling step is adapted to issue a power-save-cancel command for causing the power-saving state to be changed into the active state to the power-save switching step after the device for executing the printing job storing step has acquired the printing job, and a transition-to-power-save command for causing the state to be changed from the active state to the power-saving state to the power-save switching step when the printing process of the printing job is completed is detected in the printing process completion detecting step.

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. A method for managing connections across a plurality of cross connects of a communication network, the cross connects having an east port and a west port, the connections carrying time division multiplexed signals having a number of time slots, the method comprising:
obtaining cross connect configuration data including the relative position of cross connects in the communication network and connections between cross connects;
displaying west port time slots for a first cross connect adjacent to east port time slots of a second cross connect;
graphically distinguishing the west port time slots assigned to a line connection; and
graphically distinguishing the east port time slots assigned to the line connection.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein:
said obtaining cross connect configuration data includes at least one cross connect executing a neighbor discovery process.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
displaying a pass through connection between east port time slots of the first cross connect and west port time slots of the first cross connect.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
displaying a working connection designator coupled to at least one time slot.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
displaying a protection connection designator coupled to at least one time slot.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
displaying a scroll button associated with the west port time slots, wherein selection of the scroll button alters the west port time slots being displayed.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
displaying a consolidated scroll button associated with the west port time slots and the east port time slots, wherein selection of the consolidated scroll button alters the west port time slots and the east port time slots being displayed for a plurality of cross connects including the first and second cross connects.
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
displaying a rotation button wherein selection of the rotation button shifts the display of the first and second cross connects.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving search criteria from a user;
retrieving from the cross connect configuration data connections matching the search criteria to define retrieved connections;
receiving a request from the user to display at least one retrieved connection; and
displaying the at least one retrieved connection.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein:
the west port time slots are divided into a plurality of first subgroups of time slots and the east port time slots are divided into a plurality of second subgroups of time slots;
said displaying the at least one received connection includes displaying one of the first subgroups of time slots containing the retrieved connection and displaying one of the second subgroups of time slots containing the retrieved connection.
11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
dividing the west port time slots of the first cross connect into a plurality of first subgroups of time slots;
dividing the east port time slots of the second cross connect into a plurality of second subgroups of time slots;
displaying a navigation grid having a first navigation indicator representing which of the first subgroups of time slots is displayed and a second navigation indicator representing which of the second subgroups of time slots is displayed.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein:
the navigation grid includes a column corresponding to the west port time slots of the first cross connect, the column divided into rows, each row corresponding to one of the plurality of first subgroups of time slots;
wherein selecting a row in the column brings the corresponding first subgroup of time slots into view.
13. A system for managing connections across a plurality of cross connects of a communication network, the connections carrying time division multiplexed signals having a number of time slots, the system comprising:
a first cross connect having an east port and a west port;
a second cross connect having an east port and a west port;
a user system in communication with at least one of said first cross connect and said second cross connect, said user system:
obtaining cross connect configuration data including the relative position of said first cross connect and said second cross connect in the communication network and connections between said first cross connect and said second cross connect;
displaying west port time slots of said first cross connect adjacent to east port time slots of said second cross connect;
graphically distinguishing the west port time slots assigned to a line connection; and
graphically distinguishing the east port time slots assigned to the line connection.
14. The system of claim 13 wherein:
said user system obtaining cross connect configuration data includes one of said first cross connect and said second cross connect executing a neighbor discovery process.
15. The system of claim 13 wherein:
said user system displays a pass through connection between east port time slots of said first cross connect and west port time slots of said first cross connect.
16. The system of claim 13 wherein:
said user system displays a working connection designator coupled to at least one time slot.
17. The system of claim 13 wherein:
said user system displays a protection connection designator coupled to at least one time slot.
18. The system of claim 13 wherein:
said user system displays a scroll button associated with the west port time slots, wherein selection of the scroll button alters the west port time slots being displayed.
19. The system of claim 13 wherein:
said user system displays a consolidated scroll button associated with the west port time slots and the east port time slots, wherein selection of the consolidated scroll button alters the west port time slots and the east port time slots being displayed for a plurality of cross connects including said first and second cross connects.
20. The system of claim 13 wherein:
said user system displays a rotation button wherein selection of the rotation button shifts the display of the first and second cross connects.
21. The system of claim 13 wherein:
said user system receives search criteria;
said user system retrieves from the cross connect configuration data connections matching the search criteria to define retrieved connections;
said user system receives a request to display at least one retrieved connection; and
said user system displays the at least one retrieved connection.
22. The system of claim 21 wherein:
said user system divides the west port time slots into a plurality of first subgroups of time slots and the east port time slots into a plurality of second subgroups of time slots;
said user system displaying the at least one received connection includes displaying one of the first subgroups of time slots containing the retrieved connection and displaying one of the second subgroups of time slots containing the retrieved connection.
23. The system of claim 13 wherein:
said user system divides the west port time slots of said first cross connect into a plurality of first subgroups of time slots;
said user system divides the east port time slots of said second cross connect into a plurality of second subgroups of time slots;
said user system displaying a navigation grid having a first navigation indicator representing which of the first subgroups of time slots is displayed and a second navigation indicator representing which of the second subgroups of time slots is displayed.
24. The system of claim 23 wherein:
the navigation grid includes a column corresponding to the west port time slots of the first cross connect, the column divided into rows, each row corresponding to one of the plurality of first subgroups of time slots;
wherein said user system brings the corresponding first subgroup of time slots into view upon selection of one of the rows.

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image bearing member configured to bear a latent electrostatic image on a surface thereof;
a charging device configured to uniformly charge the surface of the image bearing member;
an irradiation device configured to irradiate the surface of the image bearing member to form the latent electrostatic image thereon;
a development device configured to develop the latent electrostatic image on the surface of the image bearing member with toner to form a toner image thereon;
a transfer device configured to transfer the toner image to a transfer body;
a cleaning device comprising a cleaning blade which is configured to remove residual toner remaining on the surface of the image bearing member with the cleaning blade;
a protective agent application device configured to apply a protective agent comprising zinc stearate and zinc palmitate to the surface of the image bearing member,
wherein a ratio of the zinc stearate and the zinc palmitate is from 66:34 to 40:60 by weight.
2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein with regard to C1s spectrum detected when the image bearing member is analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) before the protective agent is applied to the surface of the image bearing member and peaks obtained by separating waveforms generated from different bonding statuses of carbon atoms according to binding energy, the image bearing member has a ratio A0 of a sum of peak areas having a top of the peaks in a range of from 290.3 to 294 eV to a total area of the C1s spectrum of at least 3%, and with regard to C1s spectrum detected when the image bearing member is analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) after 500 images are output while the protective agent is applied to the image bearing member and the peaks obtained by separating waveforms generated from different bonding statuses of carbon atoms according to binding energy, a ratio A of a sum of peak areas having a top of the peaks in a range of from 290.3 to 294 eV to the total area of the C1s spectrum satisfies the following relationship:
(A\u2212A)A0\xd7100\u226790(%)
3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the protective agent is manufactured by compacting molding.
4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the protective agent comprises boron nitride.
5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a content of the boron nitride of from 1 to 25% by weight based on a total content of the protective agent.
6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image bearing member has a linear velocity of 180 mms or higher.
7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the charging device uniformly charges the surface of the image bearing member by applying a voltage in which an AC voltage is overlapped with a DC voltage to the image bearing member.
8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the protective agent application device is provided on a downstream side from the cleaning device relative to a rotation direction of the image bearing member.
9. A process cartridge comprising:
an image bearing member configured to bear a latent electrostatic image on a surface thereof;
a protective agent application device configured to apply a protective agent comprising zinc stearate and zinc palmitate to the surface of the image bearing member;
at least one device selected from the group consisting of a charging device, an irradiation device, a development device, and a cleaning device,
wherein the process cartridge is detachably attachable to the image forming apparatus of claim 1.
10. A protective agent block comprising:
zinc stearate; and
zinc palmitate,
wherein the protective agent block is attached to the image forming apparatus of claim 1.
11. A protective agent block comprising:
zinc stearate; and
zinc palmitate,
wherein the protective agent block is attached to the process cartridge of claim 9.

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 image sensor having an array of image sensor pixels and a silicon substrate, the image sensor comprising:
a plurality of photodiodes formed in a surface of the silicon substrate, wherein the silicon substrate includes a bulk portion under the plurality of photodiodes;
a p+ type doped layer that extends under the plurality of photodiodes parallel to the surface, wherein the p+ type doped layer comprises a plurality of openings through which charge carriers pass from the bulk portion of the silicon substrate to the photodiodes; and
a plurality of pixel separation implants that separate the bulk portion of the silicon substrate into a plurality of charge-generating regions in which charge carriers are generated, wherein each photodiode collects charge carriers that are generated in a respective one of the charge-generating regions, and wherein at least two of the charge-generating regions have different sizes.
2. The image sensor defined in claim 1 wherein the size of each charge-generating region is defined by the locations of the pixel separation implants.
3. The image sensor defined in claim 2 wherein the plurality of photodiodes all have the same charge storage area.
4. The image sensor defined in claim 2 wherein the at least two charge-generating regions comprise first and second charge-generating regions that correspond respectively to first and second image sensor pixels in the array of image sensor pixels, wherein the first image sensor pixel includes a color filter, and wherein the second image sensor pixel includes a broadband color filter.
5. The image sensor defined in claim 4 wherein the first charge-generating region associated with the first image sensor is larger than the second charge-generating region associated with the second image sensor pixel.
6. The image sensor defined in claim 4 wherein the first charge-generating region associated with the first image sensor pixel is smaller than the second charge-generating region associated with the second image sensor pixel.
7. The image sensor defined in claim 2 wherein the at least two charge-generating regions comprise first and second charge-generating regions that correspond respectively to first and second image sensor pixels in the array of image sensor pixels, wherein the first image sensor pixel has a color filter corresponding to a primary color, and wherein the second image sensor pixel has a color filter corresponding to a complementary color.
8. The image sensor defined in claim 7 wherein the first-charge generating region is larger than the second charge-generating region.
9. The image sensor defined in claim 2 wherein the at least two charge-generating regions comprise first and second charge-generating regions that correspond respectively to first and second image sensor pixels in the array of image sensor pixels, wherein the first image sensor pixel has a rectangular shape, and wherein the second image sensor pixel has an octagonal shape.
10. An image sensor having an array of image sensor pixels and a silicon substrate, the image sensor comprising:
a plurality of photodiodes formed in a surface of the silicon substrate, wherein the silicon substrate includes a bulk portion under the plurality of photodiodes and wherein at least two of the photodiodes have charge storage areas of different sizes;
a p+ type doped layer that extends under the plurality of photodiodes parallel to the surface, wherein the p+ type doped layer comprises a plurality of openings through which charge carriers pass from the bulk portion of the silicon substrate to the photodiodes; and
a plurality of pixel separation implants that separate the bulk portion of the silicon substrate into a plurality of charge-generating regions in which charge carriers are generated.
11. The image sensor defined in claim 10 wherein each photodiode collects charge carriers that are generated in a respective one of the charge-generating regions.
12. The image sensor defined in claim 11 wherein the charge-generating regions all have the same size.
13. The image sensor defined in claim 10 wherein the at least two photodiodes comprise first and second photodiodes corresponding respectively to first and second image sensor pixels in the image sensor pixel array, wherein the first image sensor pixel includes a color filter, and wherein the second image sensor pixel includes a broadband color filter.
14. The image sensor defined in claim 13 wherein the charge storage area of the first photodiode associated with the first image sensor pixel is smaller than the charge storage area of the second photodiode associated with the second image sensor pixel.
15. A system, comprising:
a central processing unit;
memory;
input-output circuitry; and
an image sensor, wherein the image sensor includes an array of image sensor pixels and a silicon substrate, the image sensor comprising:
a plurality of photodiodes formed in a surface of the silicon substrate, wherein the silicon substrate includes a bulk portion under the plurality of photodiodes;
a p+ type doped layer that extends under the plurality of photodiodes parallel to the surface, wherein the p+ type doped layer comprises a plurality of openings through which charge carriers pass from the bulk portion of the silicon substrate to the photodiodes; and
a plurality of pixel separation implants that separate the bulk portion of the silicon substrate into a plurality of charge-generating regions in which charge carriers are generated, wherein each photodiode collects charge carriers that are generated in a respective one of the charge-generating regions, and wherein at least two of the charge-generating regions have different sizes.
16. The system defined in claim 15 wherein the size of each charge-generating region is defined by the locations of the pixel separation implants.
17. The system defined in claim 16 wherein the plurality of photodiodes all have the same charge storage area.
18. The system defined in claim 16 wherein the at least two charge-generating regions comprise first and second charge-generating regions that correspond respectively to first and second image sensor pixels in the array of image sensor pixels, wherein the first image sensor pixel includes a color filter, and wherein the second image sensor pixel includes a broadband color filter.
19. The system defined in claim 18 wherein the first charge-generating region associated with the first image sensor pixel is larger than the second charge-generating region associated with the second image sensor pixel.
20. The system defined in claim 18 wherein the first charge-generating region associated with the first image sensor pixel is smaller than the second charge-generating region associated with the second image sensor pixel.