Patent ID: 8004601

Claim:
An imaging apparatus for performing a signal process on a first image signal and for generating a second image signal that (i) is forwarded to an external device and (ii) has format, the imaging apparatus comprising: a solid-state imaging device comprising a matrix of light receiving pixels to generate information charges that correspond to an imaging subject and to accumulate the information charges to generate the first image signal; a booster configured to receive a power supply voltage and to boost the power supply voltage to generate a boosted voltage; a first regulator configured to receive the power supply voltage and to generate a first regulated voltage that corresponds to an output level of the solid-state imaging device, wherein the first regulated voltage is lower than the power supply voltage; a second regulator configured to receive the power supply voltage and to generate a second regulated voltage that corresponds to an input level of the external device, wherein the second regulated voltage is lower than the power supply voltage and higher than the first regulated voltage; a drive circuit configured to receive the boosted voltage, wherein the drive circuit is configured to drive the solid-state imaging device to transfer information charges accumulated in the light receiving pixels to generate the first image signal; a signal processing circuit configured to operate with the first regulated voltage, wherein the signal processing circuit is configured to perform the signal process on the first image signal to generate the second image signal; and an output circuit configured to operate with the second regulated voltage, wherein the output circuit is configured to receive the second image signal from the signal processing circuit and to output the second image signal to the external device.