Patent ID: 7986362

Claim:
A solid state image pickup apparatus comprising: a plurality of pixels arranged to form a plurality of columns, each pixel including a photoelectric conversion element that converts a light signal into signal charges, an amplification element that amplifies the signal corresponding to the signal charges converted by the photoelectric conversion element, and a reset element that resets the signal charges in the amplification element; a plurality of signal lines through which signals amplified by the amplification elements of the columns are transmitted; a load transistor arranged at each signal line, each load transistor supplying an electric current to the amplification elements of pixels in one of the columns; a first transistor arranged at each signal line, each first transistor being associated with an associated signal line and an associated load transistor and maintaining a constant potential of one main electrode of its associated load transistor; and an electrical power line electrically connected to the other main electrodes of said load transistors, wherein one main electrode of one of the first transistors is electrically connected to the one main electrode of one of the load transistors, and another main electrode of the one of the first transistors is electrically connected to one of the signal lines, and wherein the signal amplified by one of the amplification elements is read out based on a voltage change of the one of the signal lines.