Patent ID: 7978243
Filing Date: 2011-07-12
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An imaging apparatus comprising: a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a row direction and in a column direction, each of the pixels including a photoelectric conversion unit, an amplification unit which amplifies a signal based on electric charge generated in the photoelectric conversion unit, an input unit of the amplification unit, a transfer unit which transfers the electric charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion unit to the input unit, and a setting unit which sets the input unit to a first electric potential for the pixel to be selected or sets the input unit to a second electric potential for the pixel to be deselected; and a driving unit which drives the plurality of pixels in the pixel array, wherein, in a first mode, the pixel array includes a readout region in which signals are read out from the pixels and a non-readout region in which no signal is read out from the pixels, the driving unit drives each of the pixels in the non-readout region in the first mode such that the setting unit sets the input unit to a third electric potential with the transfer unit being ready to transfer the electric charge to reset the photoelectric conversion unit in a first period and that the setting unit sets the input unit to a fourth electric potential for the pixel to be deselected in a second period later than the first period, the transfer unit in each of the plurality of pixels includes a transistor, and the driving unit drives each of the pixels in the non-readout region in the first mode such that the transfer unit is maintained in an ON state.