Patent ID: 8638377

Claim:
A solid-state image pickup device comprising: a pixel array in which pixels, each having a photoelectric conversion element and a detecting unit detecting an electric signal acquired by the photoelectric conversion element, are arranged in a matrix form; a signal line that is provided for each vertical column of the pixel array and is connected to the detecting unit through a switching element; a selection line that is provided for each horizontal row of the pixel array and is supplied with a selection pulse that causes the switching element to conduct; a resetting unit that is provided in each of the pixels constituting the pixel array and applies a predetermined potential to the detecting unit of the pixel; and an output control unit that is provided in each of the pixels constituting the pixel array and causes the switching element of the pixel to conduct in accordance with the selection pulse supplied to another selection line connected to another switching element of another pixel that belongs to a row different from that of the pixel, and wherein the output control unit selectively activates an auxiliary pixel to replace a deactivated defective pixel, and further wherein the deactivated pixel is disabled such that it does not provide an output signal and the activated auxiliary pixel is a pixel that only provides a pixel output that is substituted for the output of the corresponding deactivated pixel.