A color linear CCD for a pickup apparatus comprises a photodiode array including a blue-sensing photodiode array formed between a red-sensing photodiode array and a green-sensing photodiode array. A storage area is located beside of the red-sensing photodiode array for storing the signal charges produced by the red-sensing and blue-sensing photodiode arrays. A first HCCD shift register area is located beside of the green-sensing photodiode array for moving the signal charges produced by the green-sensing photodiode array. A second HCCD shift register area is formed beside of the storage area for alternately receiving the signal charges produced by the red-sensing and blue-sensing photodiode arrays. In another embodiment the red-sensing photodiode array is placed between the blue and green sensing photodiode arrays.

The invention provides a signal charge-coupled device (CCD) sensing apparatus, including at least one first CCD shift register, one first photo sensor set, and one second photo sensor set. The first CCD shift register includes a plurality of first CCD components and a plurality of second CCD components. The first photo sensor set includes multiple first photo sensors for receiving a first light signal and generating multiple first corresponding charge signals. The first charge signals can be received by the first CCD components. On the other hand, the second photo sensor set includes multiple second photo sensors for receiving a second light signal and generating multiple second corresponding charge signals. The second charge signals can be received by the second CCD components. The CCD sensing apparatus can acquire higher scanned image quality under high resolution.

A stagger sensor and a method for improving modulation transfer function. The method of using the stagger sensor for improving modulation transfer function can be applied to scan an object. The stagger sensor includes a plurality of sensing modules. The method of increasing scanning resolution includes retrieving reference digital data and processing digital data of a computed pixel obtained from an object scanning operation.

The object of the present invention is to reduce the line distance between light receiving elements for three colors of RGB of a color linear image sensor to reduce the required storage capacity for an external memory. The color linear image sensor is constructed such that a charge transfer element is disposed between each two adjacent light receiving elements of three rows and a charge read-out element is disposed between each charge transfer element and each of the light receiving elements on the opposite sides of the charge transfer element such that, when signal charges from the light receiving elements for different colors are to be transferred, each of the character transfer elements is used commonly and time divisionally by the centrally located light receiving elements and the light receiving elements on each of the opposite sides of the centrally located light receiving elements.

A color linear charge coupled device for an image pickup apparatus includes red, green, and blue photo diode arrays. First, second, third and fourth transfer gates formed in the device move signal charges generated at the photo diode arrays toward first, second and third horizontal charge coupled device (HCCD) shift registers. By controlling the transfer gates, the red and green signal charges are first transferred to their HCCD shift registers. The blue signal charge is then transferred to its HCCD shift register. Only three HCCD shift registers are required, thus, the device dimension and configuration is considerably simplified compared to prior art configurations. Also, the color resolution of the device is greatly improved because the distance between the respective photo diode arrays is substantially decreased.