Patent ID: 8395688
Filing Date: 2013-03-12
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A solid-state imaging device, comprising: pixel units arranged two-dimensionally in rows and columns; signal holding units which are respectively provided for the columns of said pixel units and each of which is configured to hold an analog signal outputted from one of said pixel units in a corresponding one of the columns; and AD conversion units each configured to convert, into a digital signal, the analog signal held by a corresponding one of said signal holding units, said AD conversion units being respectively provided for the columns of said pixel units, wherein each of said signal holding units includes: a switching element connected to a column signal line through which the analog signal is transmitted, the analog signal being outputted from the one of said pixel units in the corresponding one of the columns; and a capacitor element that holds the analog signal, said capacitor element being connected to the column signal line through said switching element, and said solid-state imaging device further comprises: a driving control unit configured to maintain an off-state of said switching elements during conversion operations by said AD conversion units, and drive the conversion operations and read operations from said pixel units in parallel, the read operations being respectively performed for reading analog signals including the analog signal to the column signal lines, each of said pixel units includes: a photo-electric conversion unit configured to convert light into a signal charge; a charge holding unit configured to hold the signal charge transferred from said photo-electric conversion unit; an amplifying unit configured to amplify the signal charge held by said charge holding unit; and a reset unit configured to reset the signal charge held by said charge holding unit, said solid-state imaging device further comprises a driving control unit configured to drive said pixel units, said signal holding units, and said AD conversion units, said driving control unit is configured to drive each of operations from a first period to a fourth period, during the first period, the analog signal (i) outputted by said amplifying unit and (ii) indicating a reset component is read from the one of said pixel units while said charge holding unit is reset, during the second period, the analog signal (i) held by said signal holding unit and (ii) indicating the reset component is converted into the digital signal, during the third period, the analog signal (i) outputted by said amplifying unit and (ii) indicating a signal component is read from the one of said pixel units while said charge holding unit holds the signal charge transferred from said photo-electric conversion unit, during the fourth period, the analog signal (i) held by said signal holding unit and (ii) indicating the signal component is converted into the digital signal, and said driving control unit is configured to perform the driving so that at least one of (i) the second period and the third period overlap each other and (ii) the fourth period and the first period corresponding to a row other than a current row overlap each other.