Patent ID: 6750437
Filing Date: 2004-06-15
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
An image pickup apparatus comprising:first and second photoelectric conversion units each including a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements; a first microlens provided for said first photoelectric conversion unit, for focusing light onto the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements included in said first photoelectric conversion unit; a second microlens provided for said second photoelectric conversion unit, for focusing light onto the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements included in said second photoelectric conversion unit; a first holding unit adapted to hold signals from said first photoelectric conversion unit, said first holding unit including at least the same number of first capacitors as the number of the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements included in said first photoelectric conversion unit, wherein said first capacitors hold the signals from said plurality of elements included in said first photoelectric conversion unit, respectively; a second holding unit adapted to hold signals from said second photoelectric conversion unit, said second holding unit including at least the same number of second capacitors as the number of the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements included in said second photoelectric conversion unit, wherein said second capacitors hold the signals from said plurality of elements included in said second photoelectric conversion unit, respectively; and a first common output line to which signals from the plurality of first and second capacitors included in said first and second holding units, respectively, are read out sequentially, wherein the signals from said first photoelectric conversion unit are transferred to said first holding unit through a first switch and the signals from said second photoelectric conversion unit are transferred to said second holding unit through a second switch.