Patent ID: 7532243

Claim:
A method for driving an amplifying solid-state imaging device which includes a number m of pixel rows provided within an effective pixel area, where m is equal to or larger than two, at least one dummy pixel row provided in an area other than the effective pixel area, and an electronic shuttering operation for discharging signal charge of a signal charge storage section by a reset element within the effective pixel area, the method comprising the steps of: sending a pulse for selecting a jth row from the number m of pixel rows, while a reset signal for the electronic shuttering operation is being supplied to an ith row that has been selected from the number m of pixel rows, where 1≦i<m, 1≦j<m and i<j, and sending a pulse for selecting a row from the at least one dummy pixel row while a reset signal for the electronic shuttering operation is being supplied to an nth row that has been selected from the number m of pixel rows, where 1≦n≦m, wherein the dummy pixel row is selected to perform the readout operation thereon between a point in time the last mth row within the effective pixel area is selected and a point in time the reset signal for the electronic shuttering operation is supplied to the last mth row within the effective pixel area.