Patent ID: 9252184
Filing Date: 2016-02-02
CPC Classification: H01L,H04N

Claim Text:
1. A solid-state imaging apparatus comprising: a pixel array in which a plurality of unit pixels are arranged in a matrix; and an analog-to-digital converter circuit arranged in parallel with each column of the pixel array and configured to convert the analog signal obtained at each unit pixel into a digital signal, wherein each unit pixel includes the pixel array includes the plurality of effective unit pixels of the effective pixel part and the plurality of dummy pixels of the dummy pixel part are connected to an identical signal output line, in each effective pixels connected to the identical signal output line, a first potential is supplied from the reset transistor to the floating diffusion part, the plurality of dummy pixels include a plurality of clipping pixels and remaining pixels, in each of the plurality of clipping pixels among the dummy pixels connected to the identical signal output line, a second potential different from the first potential is supplied from the reset transistor to the floating diffusion part, the analog-to-digital converter circuit includes the comparator includes an initialization unit configured to initialize, before the comparison is performed, an operating point of the comparator based on predetermined values for the signal output line and the reference line, and a control unit configured to change the value for the reference line after initialization is provided.