Patent ID: 8411183
Filing Date: 2013-04-02
Classification: H01L,H04N

Abstract:
1. A solid-state imaging device, comprising: a CMOS image sensor including a plurality of pixels disposed in an array and each including a light reception element adapted to receive light to generate charge as a reception light signal, a discharging unit adapted to discharge the charge as the reception light signal of said light reception element, a charge accumulation section adapted to accumulate the charge as the reception light signal of said light reception element transferred thereto, a transfer unit adapted to transfer the charge as the reception light signal to said charge accumulation section through a different route different from a route along which the charge as the reception light signal is discharged by said discharging unit, a reset unit adapted to release the charge accumulated in said charge accumulation section to reset said charge accumulation section, an amplification unit adapted to amplify and output the reception light signal accumulated in said charge accumulation section, and a selection unit adapted to select an output of said amplification unit; and a control unit adapted to generate a selection pulse for rendering said selection unit operative to control operation of said CMOS image sensor; charge as reception light signals accumulated in the light reception elements in a frame or frames preceding to a current frame being transferred simultaneously to the charge accumulation sections, whereafter the charge as the reception light signals is retained into the charge accumulation sections and then, in a state in which the charge accumulated in the light reception elements continues to be discharged simultaneously in a unit of a row by operation of the discharge units, the reception light signals accumulated in the charge accumulation sections are amplified successively in a unit of a row by the amplification units and then read out; the discharging of the charge as the reception light signals of the light reception elements by the discharging units being stopped, whereafter accumulation of charge as reception light signals by the light reception elements is started; the charge accumulated in the charge accumulation sections being discharged, at a top of a current frame which is next to a frame with regard to which the reading out by said selection units comes to end, simultaneously by the resetting units to reset the charge accumulation sections, whereafter the charge as the reception light signals accumulated in the light reception elements is transferred to and accumulated into the charge accumulation sections simultaneously in a unit of a row by said transfer unit; the reception light signals accumulated in the charge accumulation sections being amplified and read out, in a state in which the charge accumulated in the light reception elements continues to be discharged simultaneously in a unit of a row by the discharging units again, successively in a unit of a row by the amplification units; said control unit controlling, in a case where the series of operations is repeated, so as to generate, when the reception light signals accumulated in the charge accumulation sections are successively amplified by the amplification units and read out by the selection units in a unit of a row, a selection pulse for causing the selection units of those pixels in a predetermined number of rows which do not contribute to image display from among the pixels to operate at a timing at which the discharging of the charge accumulated in the light reception elements by the discharging units is stopped.