Patent ID: 9560285
Date: 2017-01-31
CPC Classifications: H04N

Claim:
1. An image pickup apparatus comprising: a plurality of pixels, each pixel including a photoelectric conversion unit configured to generate charge in response to incident light and to accumulate the charge, a holding unit configured to hold the charge, an amplification unit configured to output a signal based on the charge, a first transfer switch configured to transfer the charge from the photoelectric conversion unit to the holding unit, and a second transfer switch configured to transfer the charge from the holding unit to the amplification unit; and an output line to which the signals from the plurality of pixels are output, wherein at a first time point, the photoelectric conversion units of the plurality of pixels start accumulation of charge, the first transfer switch of at least one of the plurality of pixels is kept off from the first time point to a second time point and the photoelectric conversion unit of the at least one of the plurality of pixels accumulates charge generated in a first period from the first time point to the second time point, in the first period, the second transfer switches of the plurality of pixels are turned on and the amplification units of the plurality of pixels output the signals to the output line in turns, in a second period from the second time point to a third time point, the holding units of the plurality of pixels hold charge generated by the photoelectric conversion units in the first period and charge generated by the photoelectric conversion units in the second period, and at the third time point, the first transfer switches of the plurality of pixels are controlled from on to off.