Patent ID: 8134629

Claim:
An image sensor driving unit, the image sensor driving unit driving an image sensor, the image sensor having a plurality of pixels and a charge-transfer channel, the pixels generating signal charges according to amounts of received light, the charge-transfer channel reading out the signal charges from the pixels, the charge-transfer channel transferring the signal charges at a speed according to the frequency of a transfer signal, the image sensor driving unit comprising: a signal generator that generates a normal transfer signal, a first discharge signal and a second discharge signal, the signal generator transmitting the normal transfer signal, the first discharge signal, and the second discharge signal to the image sensor, the normal transfer signal being the transfer signal for transferring the signal charges, the first and second discharge signals being the transfer signals for the charge-transfer channel to carry out rapid discharge, the frequency of the first discharge signal being greater than that of the normal transfer signal, the frequency of the second discharge signal being greater than that of the first discharge signal, electrical charges remaining in the charge-transfer channel being rapidly discharged by the rapid discharge; and a controller that orders the signal generator to generate the first discharge signal during an overlap period when a driving period is at least partially overlapped with a discharge period, a first object being driven during the driving period, the rapid discharge being carried out during the discharge period, power supplied by a common power source being used for driving the first object and carrying out the rapid discharge, the overlap period being overlapping portions of the driving period and the discharge period, the controller ordering the signal generator to generate the second discharge signal when the driving period is not overlapping with the discharge period.