Patent ID: 7911519

Claim:
A solid-state image pickup device comprising: a pixel array including pixels arranged in a matrix, wherein each pixel is configured to perform photoelectric conversion; a pixel signal readout unit for reading out a pixel signal from the pixel array in units of a plurality of pixels; and a timing control unit for controlling processing of the pixel signal readout unit by using a timing signal, wherein the pixel signal readout unit includes: a plurality of comparators, disposed in correspondence with a column array of pixels, for comparing a readout signal potential with a reference voltage to generate a determination signal and outputting the determination signal, and a plurality of counters whose operations are controlled by outputs of the comparators, wherein each of the counters counts a comparison time of each corresponding one of the comparators; and wherein the timing control unit (a) divides a predetermined processing period into at least a first-time readout period, a first comparison period in which a comparison is performed by the comparator, a second-time readout period, and a second-time comparison period in which a comparison is performed by the comparator, (b) classifies the periods into a period required as a fixed period and a period set with an arbitrary period width, and (c) generates a timing signal of processing of each divided period by counting for each divided period in the counter.