Patent ID: 8134627
Filing Date: 2012-03-13
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A method of operating an image pickup device including photoelectric converters arranged in a matrix and which generate charges from incident light, vertical transfer paths arranged on one side of each of columns of the photoelectric converters for reading charges generated in the photoelectric converters and transferring the read charges in a vertical direction, and a horizontal transfer path electrically connected to one end of each of the vertical transfer paths for transferring the charges transferred from the vertical transfer paths in a horizontal direction, the method comprising: for each frame in a mode of acquiring moving image information from charges generated in photoelectric converters belonging to a subset of rows of the photoelectric converters of the image pickup device, (a) applying during a first portion of each frame horizontal transfer signals, which instruct the charges generated in the photoelectric converters belonging to the subset of rows of the photoelectric converters and read by the vertical transfer paths to be transferred in the horizontal direction, to the horizontal transfer path when the charges are transferred to the horizontal transfer path; and (b) during a second portion of each frame not applying the horizontal transfer signals to the horizontal transfer path while charges are transferred to the horizontal transfer path, after completing transfer of the charges generated in the photoelectric converters belonging to the subset of rows of the photoelectric converters and read by the vertical transfer paths are transferred in the horizontal direction through the horizontal transfer path, wherein the first and second portions are non-overlapping and collectively represent substantially a time duration of the frame.