Patent ID: 8350941

Claim:
A solid-state image sensing device comprising: a pixel array having a plurality of pixels, which performs photoelectric conversion, arrayed in the form of a matrix; and pixel signal reading circuits that read pixel signals from the pixel array in units of a plurality of pixels, wherein the pixel signal reading circuits each include, correspondingly to columns of pixels, a first comparator that compares an input signal with a first reference, signal, which is a ramp wave having a predetermined polarity, and, when the input signal matches the first reference signal, reverses an output signal thereof, a second comparator that compares the input signal with a second reference signal, which is a ramp wave having a different polarity from the first reference signal, and, when the input signal matches the second reference signal, reverses an output signal thereof, and a counter configured to measure comparison times taken by the first comparator and second comparator, and when either the output signal of the first comparator or the output signal of the second comparator is reversed, the counter ceases a counting action, wherein the solid-state image sensing device further comprises a reference voltage production unit configured to produce, together with the first reference signal, the second reference signal whose slope is vertically opposite to the slope of a standard voltage of the first reference signal, wherein during P-phase level processing, during which a reset level attained in a pixel is read, the reference voltage production unit produces the first reference signal but not the second reference signal; and during D-phase level processing, during which a photoelectrically converted signal level is read, the reference voltage production unit produces the first reference signal and the second reference signal.