Patent ID: 8759740
Filing Date: 2014-06-24
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A solid-state-imaging device signal processing system that is connected to a pixel-array portion in which, among a plurality of two-dimensionally arranged pixel units that include photoelectric conversion elements that photoelectrically convert incident light and charge-voltage conversion elements that convert photoelectrically converted signal charges to voltages and that can separately output noise signals generated when resetting the charge-voltage conversion elements and signal-plus-noise signals in which signals generated due to the photoelectric conversion are added to the noise signals, a plurality of pixel groups are formed of one or more of the pixel units and respectively have shared connections to a plurality of first transfer lines that individually are connected in parallel to a second transfer line via first switches, and from which the noise signals and the signal-plus-noise signals are output in an alternating manner, each in a unit read-out number, via the a second transfer line, the solid-state-imaging device signal processing system comprising: capacitors that are connected in parallel to the second transfer line and that are provided in a greater number than the unit read-out number; second switches that are provided between the respective capacitors and the second transfer line; third switches that selectively and simultaneously output signals retained in two capacitors among the capacitors; and a control portion that controls the second and third switches, wherein, in a specified read-out group formed of pixel groups in a number corresponding to the unit read-out number, the control portion performs a first step of repeating, for as many times as the unit read-out number, by switching the pixel groups and the capacitors, an operation in which the second switches are controlled so that noise signals output to the second transfer line from one of the pixel units in the pixel groups are transferred to and retained in one of the capacitors; and a second step of repeating, for as many times as the unit read-out number, by switching the pixel groups and the capacitors, an operation in which the second switches are controlled so that signal-plus-noise signals output to the second transfer line from one of the pixel units in the pixel groups are transferred to and retained in another one of the capacitors and in which the third switches are subsequently controlled so that one noise signal and one signal-plus-noise signal that have been output from the same pixel unit and retained in separate capacitors are output at the same time.