Patent ID: 7839442

Claim:
A solid-state image sensing device comprising: a signal control unit and a pixel, the pixel including: a photoelectric converting element for producing a photoelectric charge according to an amount of incident light, a first transistor adapted to connect to the photoelectric converting element and adapted to generate an electric signal according to the photoelectric charge from the photoelectric converting element, an output unit for outputting the electric signal from the first transistor, a switch located between the photoelectric converting element and the first transistor, and a reset voltage supplying unit connected to a node between the photoelectric converting element and the first transistor wherein the signal control unit is programmed: to cause the switch to electrically connect the photoelectric converting element and the first transistor during an image sensing operation and a first reset step, to cause the reset voltage supplying unit to supply a voltage substantially equal to a voltage value produced at a node between the photoelectric converting element and the switch when light having a higher brightness value than a photographable brightness range is incident on the photoelectric converting element to a node between the photoelectric converting element and the first transistor to inject an electric charge into the photoelectric converting element and the first transistor during the first reset step after an image reading operation is completed, to cause the switch to electrically disconnect the photoelectric converting element and the first transistor to reset an operative condition of the first transistor during a second reset step, and to cause the switch to electrically connect the photoelectric converting element and the first transistor to reset a remaining electric charge in the photoelectric converting element during a third reset step.