Patent ID: 7643079
Filing Date: 2010-01-05
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A solid-state image pickup apparatus for reading out a signal charge stored in each of photosensitive cells of a solid-state image pickup device which comprises pixels each of which includes a photosensitive cell for photo-electrically transducing incident light from an imaging field to be captured, said photosensitive cells being arranged in a two-dimensional array so that adjacent ones of said photosensitive cells are shifted from each other in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction, each of said photosensitive cells having an aperture on which light is incident and which has an area formed uniform throughout the entire photosensitive cells, each of said photosensitive cells having a first photosensitive cell acting as a main pixel to output more signal charges and a second photosensitive cell acting as a sub-pixel to output less signal charges than said first photosensitive cells, said apparatus comprising: a controller for controlling readout of said first and second photosensitive cells in either one of interlace scanning and all-pixel scanning, and generating a control signal setting substrate potential different between said first and second photosensitive cells; a timing signal generator for generating timing signals in response to the control signal; and a driving signal generator responsive to the timing signals for providing said solid-state image pickup device with a driving signal to cause said solid-state image pickup device to read out the signal charge stored in said first and second photosensitive cells, said driving signal generator being responsive to the control signal to apply the different substrate potential generated to each of said first and second photosensitive cells.