Patent ID: 8981987
Filing Date: 2015-03-17
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An imaging device comprising: an analog-signal output unit including a pixel configured to output a photoelectric conversion signal based on incident light; and an analog-to-digital converter including a comparator, wherein the comparator executes a first comparison, a second comparison, and a third comparison, wherein the first comparison is a comparison between a noise signal output from the analog-signal output unit and a first reference signal having a potential that is changed by a first changing quantity per unit time, wherein the second comparison is a comparison between the noise signal and a second reference signal having a potential that is changed by a second changing quantity per unit time, the second changing quantity being larger than the first changing quantity, wherein the third comparison is a comparison between one of the first reference signal and the second reference signal, and a signal output from the analog-signal output unit based on the photoelectric conversion signal, and wherein the analog-to-digital converter generates a digital signal based on a result of the first comparison, a digital signal based on a result of the second comparison, and a digital signal based on a result of the third comparison.