Patent ID: 6967684
Filing Date: 2005-11-22
Classification: H01L,H04N

Abstract:
1. A method for driving a solid state image pickup device having a plurality of unit pixel means where each one of the plurality of unit pixel means corresponds to a pixel means having at least one input converting section, and CCD electric charge transfer means, the method comprising the steps of: setting only a single first signal charging period and only a single second signal charging period for each one of the plurality of unit pixel means, where the single second signal charging period occurs after the single first signal charging period and is shorter than the single first signal charging period; setting the single first signal charging period of a first unit pixel means and the single first charging period of a second unit pixel means so that the single first signal charging periods for the first and second unit pixel means have coinciding start times, the first and second unit pixel means are adjacent to each other in a vertical direction; setting the single second signal charging period of the first unit pixel means and the single second signal charging period of the second unit pixel means so that the single second signal charging periods for the first and second unit pixel means have different start times and simliar time duration during which a second signal charge is produced within each unit pixel means; and adding the second signal charge of the first unit pixel means to the second signal charge of the second unit pixel means for output by the CCD electric charge transfer means.