Patent ID: 8471805

Claim:
An imaging device comprising: imaging elements arranged in a matrix or in lines; and a driver circuit disposed along a vertical direction of the matrix or along the direction in which the lines extend to control the driving of the imaging elements, the driver circuit being configured to serve a double function of a reset driver adapted to reset the imaging elements and a read driver adapted to read out the signals from the imaging elements, the driver circuit being configured to receive a start signal serving as a trigger to initiate an operation and a select signal that is separate from the start signal, the select signal being configured to select the operation to be initiated, wherein the operation includes one of a reset operation and a signal read out operation, and the driver circuit being configured to cause the imaging elements to perform one of the reset operation and the signal read out operation according to the select signal, upon receipt of the start signal, wherein the start signal comprises a logical sum of a reset signal and a read signal.