Patent ID: 7663683
Filing Date: 2010-02-16
Classification: H01L,H04N

Abstract:
1. A solid state image sensing device comprising: a plurality of pixels comprising: a photoelectric conversion element that generates a photo-charge in accordance with an amount of an incident light and stores a generated photo-charge therein; a charge-holding portion that has the generated photo-charge transferred from the photoelectric conversion element so as to hold the generated photo-charge temporarily; a transfer gate that is formed between the photoelectric conversion element and the charge-holding portion; a first transistor that has a first electrode thereof connected to the charge-holding portion, has a second electrode thereof applied with a direct current voltage, and has a control electrode thereof provided with a first control signal that can change over among three voltage levels; a second transistor that is provided with a first electrode, a second electrode and a control electrode and has a control electrode thereof connected to the charge-holding portion; a third transistor that has a second electrode thereof connected to the first electrode of the second transistor, has a first electrode thereof applied with a second direct current voltage, and has a control electrode thereof provided with a second control signal that can change over among three voltage levels; a capacitive element that has one end thereof connected to the first electrode of the second transistor; wherein, a first state is a state in which by setting the second control signal to be at a second intermediate voltage level, thereby employing the third transistor as a constant current load, a first electric signal which changes in a linear manner in accordance with an integration value of the amount of the incident light in an entire range of luminance is outputted from a pixel; and a second state is a state in which by setting the first control signal to be at an intermediate voltage level, thereby operating the first and the second transistors in a sub-threshold region, a second electric signal which changes in a natural logarithmic manner in accordance with a second integration value of the amount of the incident light at least in a part of a range of luminance is outputted from the pixel.