Patent ID: 6707498
Filing Date: 2004-03-16
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A solid-state image pickup device comprising:a plurality of first transfer paths each having a plurality of transfer stages each capable of storing electric charges and transferring the electric charges in a first direction; a second transfer path having a plurality of transfer stages each capable of storing electric charges, receiving electric charges in the plurality of first transfer paths, and transferring the electric charges in a second direction; charge transfer means for transferring electric charges of two packets or more stored in different transfer stages of at least one first transfer path among the plurality of first transfer paths, to different transfer stages of the second transfer path, and transferring the electric charges of the two packets or more in the second transfer path in the second direction by separating the electric charges of the two packets or more; and a plurality of drains for controlling whether the electric charges in the plurality of first transfer paths are to be transferred to the second transfer path by selectively draining the electric charges; wherein the first transfer paths are assigned to first and second fields, and the solid-state image pickup device further comprises interlace-scanning charge transfer means for, in the first field, supplying the electric charges in the first transfer paths of the first field to the second transfer path and draining the electric charges in the first transfer paths of the second field from the drains and for, in the second field, supplying the electric charges in the first transfer paths of the second field to the second transfer path and draining the electric charges in the first transfer paths of the first field from the drains.