Patent ID: 6798451
Filing Date: 2004-09-28
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A solid-state image pickup device comprising:a pixel assembly comprising a matrix of unit pixels, each unit pixel comprising a photoelectric converter, a read out transistor for reading out a signal charge, acquired by the photoelectric converter, into a storage unit, a read out selection transistor for selecting the reading out of the signal charge by the read out transistor, an amplifying transistor for converting the signal charge stored in the storage unit into an electrical signal and for outputting the electrical signal as a pixel signal, a reset transistor for resetting the storage unit, and an output selection transistor for selecting the output of the pixel signal provided by the amplifying transistor; a plurality of horizontal rows of signal lines wired in the pixel assembly; a single vertical signal line disposed on a side of an area of the pixel assembly and wired commonly to the plurality of the horizontal rows of the signal lines; vertical drive means for selecting pixels on a row-by-row basis in the pixel assembly, and for successively outputting, to the vertical signal line, the pixel signals, which are output from the pixels in the pixel assembly to the plurality of horizontal rows of the signal lines; and horizontal drive means which feeds a horizontal selection pulse to the read out selection transistor and the output selection transistor while feeding a reset pulse to the reset transistor.