Patent ID: 8427565
Filing Date: 2013-04-23
Classification: H03M

Abstract:
1. A driving method of a solid-state imaging apparatus including a pixel region that includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix of columns; and a plurality of A/D conversion circuits for A/D conversion, with one of the A/D conversion circuits arranged to corresponding to each column of pixels, and each of the A/D conversion circuits including an integrator circuit having an input capacitor, the driving method comprising steps of: outputting an analog signal from a pixel to the input capacitor to integrate a signal based on the analog signal, according to a first operation, which is one of a charging operation and a discharging operation of the integrator circuit; conducting a second operation, which is the other of the charging operation and the discharging operation of the integrator circuit in the first operation, according to a first signal supplied to the input capacitor; comparing an output signal from the integrator circuit with a comparing level signal, after conducting the second operation; conducting the first operation according to a second signal, which is supplied to the input capacitor and which has a signal level that changes in a direction opposite to a direction of change of a signal level of the first signal; and comparing the output signal from the integrator circuit with the comparing level signal, after conducting the first operation according to the second signal.