Patent ID: 9288415
Filing Date: 2016-03-15
CPC Classification: H04N

Claim Text:
1. A solid-state imaging apparatus comprising: a pixel section in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a matrix; a column signal line configured to output a pixel signal from the pixel section; a column amplifier circuit configured to output an amplified signal by inverting and amplifying the pixel signal; a bypass circuit configured to bypass the column amplifier circuit; an analogue to digital (AD) converter; and a control unit configured to change an operation mode of the AD converter, wherein the AD converter includes a ramp signal generation circuit configured to generate a reference signal, a comparator configured to compare the reference signal and one of the pixel signal and the amplified signal, and a counter configured to count a time and output a count value corresponding to the time, and the control unit is configured: in a first operation mode, to control the AD converter to AD-convert the pixel signal output from the column signal line via the bypass circuit, in a second operation mode, to control the AD converter to AD-convert the amplified signal, and to change one of a slope of a reference signal and a counting procedure of the counter between the first operation mode and the second operation mode.