Patent ID: 7688371
Filing Date: 2010-03-30
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An image pickup device comprising: a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric conversion unit, a floating diffusion region to which a signal from said photoelectric conversion unit is transferred, a transfer switch to transfer the signal from said photoelectric conversion unit to said floating diffusion region, and an amplifying transistor whose gate is connected to said floating diffusion region to read out the signal from said floating diffusion region; and a drive circuit controlling said transfer switch, wherein the drive circuit supplies said transfer switch with a signal of a first level to set said transfer switch to be in an OFF period by maintaining the signal at the first level for the OFF period, and supplies said transfer switch with a signal of a second level to set said transfer switch to be in an ON period by maintaining the signal at the second level for the ON period. such that a fall speed of changing from the second level to the first level is slower than a rise speed of changing from the first level to the second level, wherein, during the ON state, charge is transferred from said photoelectric conversion unit to said floating diffusion region.