Patent ID: 8228402
Filing Date: 2012-07-24
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A solid-state imaging apparatus comprising: an imaging area including an effective pixel section, a light proof first optical black section, and a light proof second optical black section, which are arranged continuously; the effective pixel section, the light proof first optical black section, and the light proof second optical black section, each of which comprises: a plurality of photoelectric transducers which are two-dimensionally arranged; a plurality of read transistors, each of which reads signal charges converted by each of the photoelectric transducers; a plurality of detection sections, each of which generates a pixel signal by converting the signal charges supplied from the read transistors to a voltage; and a plurality of reset transistors, each of which resets each of the detection sections, wherein, the first optical black section adjacent to the effective pixel section discharges the signal charges overflowed from the effective pixel section to a power source, and the plurality of detection sections of the first optical black section are coupled to the power source; the apparatus further comprising: a plurality of vertical signal lines supplied with the pixel signals from the imaging area; an AD-conversion circuit coupled to each of the vertical signal lines, configured to convert the pixel signals to digital signals; and a signal processing circuit configured to receive the digital signals from the AD-conversion circuit and to generate digital image signal from the digital signals, wherein the signal processing circuit adds the digital signals from the AD-conversion circuit to digital signals from the effective pixel section.