Patent ID: 7990448
Filing Date: 2011-08-02
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A solid-state image pickup apparatus comprising: a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix of individual rows and individual columns, each of the plurality of pixels converting incident light into an analog electrical signal and outputting the analog electrical signal; AD converters provided in correspondence with the individual columns of the plurality of pixels, each of the AD converters converting the analog electrical signal from a corresponding one of the plurality of pixels into a digital signal and outputting the digital signal; register circuits provided in correspondence with the individual columns of the plurality of pixels, each of the register circuits receiving a digital signal from a selected one of the AD converters and storing the digital signal, wherein each of the individual columns is respectively provided with one of the AD converters and one of the register circuits; and a horizontal scanning circuit that controls selective inputting of digital signals to the register circuits, and controls selective inputting of digital signals to an arithmetic circuit, wherein the horizontal scanning circuit causes a digital signal outputted from an AD converter corresponding to a column of the matrix to be selectively inputted to a register circuit corresponding to the column of the matrix or a register circuit corresponding to another column of the matrix, and wherein the horizontal scanning circuit causes a digital signal outputted from a register circuit corresponding to a column of the matrix to be selectively inputted to the arithmetic circuit or to a register circuit corresponding to another column of the matrix.