IISW 2013 page publishes the presentation slides of Mike Tompsett, the inventor of the first CCD imager. The presentation slides talk about the early solid state imager history and more.
In 1970, the first CCD publication (in Bell Systems Technical Journal) not only cited imaging as a possible use, but even image display. Notably, Mike Tompsett not only was not an author on the paper, he was not even acknowledged as having contributed to the discussion.
Tell you something doesn't it. Yet, the very next paper, submitted within a week of Boyle and Smith's paper, is co-authored by Tompsett. And, Tompsett is listed as the inventor on the CCD image sensor patent. Don't you think his bosses would in fact be listed as inventors if they felt they had made the invention? Don't you think that by the time these papers were submitted, imaging was already underway and of course the authors Boyle and Smith would be aware of it and of course include it among a list of applications. That does not make them the inventors.
Seems like you are trying to argue that Tompsett was not the inventor, an egregious accusation. I don't think they hand out the National Medal of Technology and Innovation without significantly vetting the awardees.
Bottom line, the Nobel Prize Committee made a mistake on the citation for Boyle and Smith. They deserved the prize, but not per the citation.
ROWR! Inventor cat fight!
ReplyDeleteIn 1970, the first CCD publication (in Bell Systems Technical Journal) not only cited imaging as a possible use, but even image display. Notably, Mike Tompsett not only was not an author on the paper, he was not even acknowledged as having contributed to the discussion.
ReplyDeletehttp://www3.alcatel-lucent.com/bstj/vol49-1970/articles/bstj49-4-587.pdf
Tell you something doesn't it. Yet, the very next paper, submitted within a week of Boyle and Smith's paper, is co-authored by Tompsett. And, Tompsett is listed as the inventor on the CCD image sensor patent. Don't you think his bosses would in fact be listed as inventors if they felt they had made the invention? Don't you think that by the time these papers were submitted, imaging was already underway and of course the authors Boyle and Smith would be aware of it and of course include it among a list of applications. That does not make them the inventors.
ReplyDeleteSeems like you are trying to argue that Tompsett was not the inventor, an egregious accusation.
I don't think they hand out the National Medal of Technology and Innovation without significantly vetting the awardees.
Bottom line, the Nobel Prize Committee made a mistake on the citation for Boyle and Smith. They deserved the prize, but not per the citation.