(1) (Consumer Computing Device) A low-cost consumer-oriented product that contains a computer, such as a PDA, Internet appliance or specialized mobile device.
(2) (Charge-Coupled Device) An electronic memory that records the intensity of light as a variable charge. Widely used in still cameras, camcorders and scanners to capture images, CCDs are analog devices. Their charges equate to shades of light for monochrome images or shades of red, green and blue when used with color filters. Devices may use three CCDs, one for each of the red, green and blue colors.
Why It's Coupled
The "coupled" in the name is because the CCD is comprised of an array of imaging pixels and a matching array of storage pixels that are coupled together. After the imaging array is exposed to light, its charges are quickly transferred to the storage array. While the imaging CCDs are being exposed to the next picture, the storage CCDs from the last picture are being read out a row at a time to the analog-to-digital converters (A/D converters) that transform the charges into binary data to be processed. Contrast with CMOS image sensor. See Bayer pattern, X3, Super CCD, blooming and digital camera.
Charge-Coupling Methods
The storage CCDs are either a separate array (frame transfer) or individual photosites (interline transfer) coupled to each imaging photosite. The charges can be transferred faster with the interline method because each storage component is closer to its imaging counterpart.
CCDs Record Light
In a camera, CCDs take the place of film. They are exposed to light, recording the intensities, or shades, of light as variable charges. In the digital camera above, the variable, analog charges in the CCD are converted to binary data by analog-to-digital converter chips.
CCDs Are Very Sensitive
This CCD from Jet Propulsion Labs is used in astronomy. Sensing the output of telescopes, it detects ultraviolet light from distant planets. (Image courtesy of JPL's Microdevices Laboratory; Robert M. Brown, photographer)
(2) (Charge-Coupled Device) An electronic memory that records the intensity of light as a variable charge. Widely used in still cameras, camcorders and scanners to capture images, CCDs are analog devices. Their charges equate to shades of light for monochrome images or shades of red, green and blue when used with color filters. Devices may use three CCDs, one for each of the red, green and blue colors.
Why It's Coupled
The "coupled" in the name is because the CCD is comprised of an array of imaging pixels and a matching array of storage pixels that are coupled together. After the imaging array is exposed to light, its charges are quickly transferred to the storage array. While the imaging CCDs are being exposed to the next picture, the storage CCDs from the last picture are being read out a row at a time to the analog-to-digital converters (A/D converters) that transform the charges into binary data to be processed. Contrast with CMOS image sensor. See Bayer pattern, X3, Super CCD, blooming and digital camera.
Charge-Coupling Methods
The storage CCDs are either a separate array (frame transfer) or individual photosites (interline transfer) coupled to each imaging photosite. The charges can be transferred faster with the interline method because each storage component is closer to its imaging counterpart.
CCDs Record Light
In a camera, CCDs take the place of film. They are exposed to light, recording the intensities, or shades, of light as variable charges. In the digital camera above, the variable, analog charges in the CCD are converted to binary data by analog-to-digital converter chips.
CCDs Are Very Sensitive
This CCD from Jet Propulsion Labs is used in astronomy. Sensing the output of telescopes, it detects ultraviolet light from distant planets. (Image courtesy of JPL's Microdevices Laboratory; Robert M. Brown, photographer)
 | Reproduced with permission from Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. Copyright (c) 1981-2009 The Computer Language Company Inc. All rights reserved. |
Additional Resources
- Astro IIDC 4.05.04 (Mac)
- Astro IIDC works with a wide variety of low and high end, color or monochrome, 8 or 16 bit FireWire 400 or FireWire 800 cameras. It has a simple intuitive interface, can record movies, grab frames, grab averaged frames, grab sums of frames, has extensive Altivec / SSE3 optimization for...
- Software downloads 2009-11-23
- WinMount (64-bit) 3.2.1117 (Windows)
- WinMount is a useful windows utility. It is an archive tool and also an image tool. It can compress, decompress and browse archieves, mount archives and DVD CD HDD images to a virtual disk. The most powerful function is that mount ZIP RAR to virtual disk or local folder directly...
- Software downloads 2009-11-21
- Canon PowerShot S90
- The Canon PowerShot S90 is designed for photography enthusiasts and it carries a hefty price tag to prove it. It also has some of the best controls you'll find on a compact camera for manual and semimanual shooting modes. Its lens and photo quality are top notch, too. Actually, about...
- Product reviews 2009-11-12
- Samsung HZ15W
- The Samsung HZ15W is a camera that looks good on paper but doesn't live up to the specs. The main attraction is the 24mm-equivalent wide-angle lens with 10x zoom, which is certainly a plus in a camera this size, giving you a lot of shooting flexibility for less than $280....
- Product reviews 2009-11-05
- Finding pocket cameras with the best anti-shake feature
- All of us are susceptible to some camera shake now and again, either from unsteady hands, dim lighting or just a large gust of wind blowing past. Sometimes you need a camera that will account for this problem more than others. Here are three cameras that are reputed to have...
- Blog posts 2009-11-03
- Voyager 4.5.5 (Mac)
- Voyager 4 gives you a photorealistic textured horizon display - create a digital panorama of your own horizon, and show a realistic sky as it appears from your back yard!Stars are drawn with photo quality using a model based on real CCD star images. You can adjust the size and...
- Software downloads 2009-10-28
- Equinox Image 1.10.1 (Mac)
- Equinox Image controls Santa Barbara Instrument Group SBIG CCD cameras grey scale and color and Optec, RoboFocus, JMI and Motor Focus focusers. This program also controls SBIG filter wheels, AO devices and remote guide heads. Auto focus, FWHM, Photometry, Astrometry, RMS error, color enhancement and format conversion functions are available....
- Software downloads 2009-10-20
- Sony DCR-DVD650
- DVDs were never a perfect solution for directly recording video to with a camcorder. The medium makes even less sense now with hard-disk-drive and flash-memory models reasonably priced and able to store much more video in far smaller packages. About the only advantage camcorders like the Sony Handycam DCR-DVD650 have...
- Product reviews 2009-10-13
- Naked chips could make digital cameras cheaper
- if you mean good shots in low lightthen yes very much.Phone shots are notoriously bad in low light. So yes very interested if that's the feature. It's not clear from your article though...More is not necessarily betterThere are just so many photons that fall on a sensor surface...
- Discussion threads 2009-10-09
- Naked chips could make digital cameras cheaper
- The digital camera market could be seriously revolutionized if an adjustment is made to the most expensive part of the camera: the image sensor. A team of scientists at the Technical University of Delft have presented a paper stating that taking the lid off of a memory chip and using that instead...
- Blog posts 2009-10-09
- Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35
- Photos:Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35With the Lumix DMC-FZ35, Panasonic overhauls the insides of its popular FZ28 megazoom, offering higher resolution, an improved optical image stabilizer, faster AF, and support for the AVCHD Lite movie codec. But while the camera does deliver better performance and photo quality than its predecessor, they're still not...
- Product reviews 2009-10-08
- Digital camera sensor inventors win the Nobel Prize in physics
- good article Janicewith my love for digital cameras, the inventors of the CCD deserve the prize!Richly deservedThere's a life changing technology that's earned out in the neighborhood of a trillion dollars with all its derivative innovations.JJBRE: Digital camera sensor inventors win the Nobel Prize in physicsJanice, admittedly yours is a...
- Discussion threads 2009-10-08
- Digital camera sensor inventors win the Nobel Prize in physics
- Forty years after they first sketched out the idea for a digital image sensor, two former Bell Labs research scientists have been jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics 2009 "for the invention of an imaging semiconductor circuit â€" the CCD sensor." by Janice Chen
- Blog posts 2009-10-07
- Canon PowerShot SX120 IS
- Canon seems to have an "if it ain't broke" attitude when it comes to its PowerShot SX series. The SX120 IS is the latest version of the company's 10x pocket megazoom and is nearly identical to its predecessors, the SX110 IS and SX100 IS. The SX120 IS gets a resolution...
- Product reviews 2009-09-11
- Leica announces new M9 and X1 digital cameras
- Leica has announced the upcoming release of two new digital camera models: the M9 and X1. According to the German manufacturer, the Leica M9 is "the world's smallest full-frame system camera," with its 24 x 36mm, 18-megapixel sensor.  Kodak has developed the CCD sensor features, which include improved offset...
- Blog posts 2009-09-09
- iStorage Server 1.40 (Windows)
- KernSafe iStorage Server is an advanced and powerful, full-featured software-only iSCSI Target Server for Microsoft Windows both commercial and free versions. iStorage Server is IP SAN solution and allows you quickly export an existing storage such physical disk, partition, CD/DVD-ROM, generaic SCSI device and even a variety of popular CD/DVD...
- Software downloads 2009-09-09
- Is the new Canon EOS 7D a Nikon D300s killer?
- Missed a couple of thingsThe 7D also uses SDHC CF cards. Those appear to be required for the maximum burst rate. And according to the posted spec, HD video works not only at 30FPS, but also at 24 and 29.97. I want one.RE: Is the new Canon...
- Discussion threads 2009-09-02
- UltraISO Premium 9.3.5.2716 (Windows)
- UltraISO can extract, create, edit, and convert CD/DVD image files. It can directly edit an ISO file, make ISO images from CD/DVD-ROMs, create a new ISO from files and folders on your computer, and make bootable CDs and DVDs. In addition, UltraISO can convert nearly all known CD and DVD...
- Software downloads 2009-09-02
- Fujifilm FinePix S1500
- Occasionally, a camera that is good becomes better when a low price is part of the overall package. That is sadly not the case with the 10-megapixel Fujifilm FinePix S1500, which is merely a good megazoom, but stays that way despite a street price of less than $200. It does...
- Product reviews 2009-08-19
- Pentax X70
- As first efforts go, the Pentax X70 megazoom camera is strong, though it succumbs to problems seen throughout the category--namely slow performance and a noticeable decline in photo quality above ISO 200. The camera's 26mm-equivalent wide-angle lens with 24x optical zoom is certainly very flexible and fun, and the X70...
- Product reviews 2009-08-14
Neighboring Terms
Premier Vendor Content Whitepapers, webcasts & resources from our Power Center Sponsors
- Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online - Free Six-Month Trial for Eligible Organizations
-
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online provides fast online access, simple contact management and better sales performance for a low monthly cost - the best value on the market today.
- Learn more about the free, six-month trial offer>>
- Learn more about tools to grow your business
-
The Business Essentials Guide provides you useful tools and templates to help grow your business and save you time with automated shipping solutions.
- Save time with the UPS Business Essentials Guide
- The best support in the Linux business
-
If Linux is going to power your mission-critical applications, you'd better have the best support known to business. Novell was rated the top provider of Linux technical support.
- Learn more >>
Enterprise Applications
- Check out some of the easiest and most powerful ways to boost productivity while saving money on your application infrastructure. See ZDNet's comprehensive Enterprise Application resource center, now!
- New Online Dashboard
-
- Read about top issues IT decision-makers face every day, plus get cost effective solutions to real life IT problems. Oracle Topline
-
