Patent ID: 8149308
Filing Date: 2012-04-03
Classification: H01L,H04N

Abstract:
1. An amplification-type solid-state image pickup device, comprising: a plurality of unit cells including (i) a photoelectric converter operable to convert light into signal charges and to accumulate the signal charges, and (ii) a reader operable to read the signal charges from said photoelectric converter, said unit cells being arranged by rows and columns, each of said unit cells being operable to output amplified signals corresponding to the signal charges; a read controller operable to control said reader to read the signal charges accumulated during a first period and a second period, said first period and said second period being accumulation time periods different from each other; a row selector operable to select a row; a first capacitor element and a second capacitor element which are connected to each of the columns of said unit cells; and a capacitor selector operable to select one of said first capacitor element and said second capacitor element, wherein said capacitor selector is operable to perform a selecting, so that the amplified signals corresponding to the signal charges accumulated during the first period and the second period are accumulated into said first capacitor element and said second capacitor element, respectively, and said capacitor selector is operable to perform the selecting so that signal-to-noise ratios of the amplified signals accumulated in said first capacitor element and said second capacitor element become similar.