Patent ID: 7336301
Filing Date: 2008-02-26
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A solid-state image pickup apparatus comprising: a solid-state image sensor comprising a plurality of photosensitive cells arranged in a two-dimensional array for converting incident light to electric signals, each of said plurality of photosensitive cells including a main region and a subregion smaller in area than said main region; a shutter for adjusting an end of an exposure time over which light incident to said solid-state image sensor is subject to photoelectric transduction; a sensitivity control circuit for comparing actual sensitivity of each of said subregions for a predetermined quantity of light with predetermined sensitivity of the subregion for the predetermined quantity of incident light to determine a sensitivity error and compensating for the sensitivity error, a system controller for controlling, in response to an image pickup operation meant for said solid-state image sensor, said sensitivity control circuit in accordance with a direction of the sensitivity error.