Patent ID: 6614472
Filing Date: 2003-09-02
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A method of driving a solid state image pickup device comprising:a light receiving element for carrying out photoelectrical conversion, a signal electric charge transferring unit for transferring total signal electric charge comprising signal electric charge generated by said light receiving element and a dark current generated by said signal electric charge transferring unit itself; and a read/transfer operation control unit for controlling operations to read out said signal electric charge generated by said light receiving element from said light receiving element to said signal electric charge transferring unit and transfer said signal electric charge in said signal electric charge transferring unit, whereby, signal electric charge generated by said light receiving element for an odd field is read out from said light receiving element to said signal electric charge transferring unit and transferred in said signal electric charge transferring unit in an operating condition different from an operation condition in which signal electric charge generated by said light receiving element for an even field is read out from said light receiving element to said signal electric charge transferring unit and transferred in said signal electric charge transferring unit in order to produce outputs for forming an image of 1 frame; and whereby, said operating condition for reading out signal electric charge generated by said light receiving element for an odd field from said light receiving element to said signal electric charge transferring unit and transferring said signal electric charge in said signal electric charge transferring unit is made different from said operating condition for reading out signal electric charge generated by said light receiving element for an even field from said light receiving element to said signal electric charge transferring unit by halting the supply of read pulses for either said odd field or said even field.