Patent ID: 8520108

Claim:
A driving method of driving a photoelectric conversion device, the photoelectric conversion device including: a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels are arrayed in a matrix; a plurality of vertical signal lines each provided to a corresponding column of the matrix; a plurality of amplifiers each electrically connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of vertical signal lines; and a plurality of isolation switches each provided between a corresponding one of the plurality of vertical signal lines and a corresponding one of the plurality of amplifiers, wherein each pixel includes a photodiode, a floating diffusion, a transfer switch which transfers a charge of the photodiode to the floating diffusion, and an amplification transistor, and each pixel outputs a signal to the vertical signal line in accordance with a potential of the floating diffusion, and wherein each amplifier includes a differential amplifier, a clamp capacitor arranged between the isolation switch and an input terminal of the differential amplifier, and a reset switch interposed between the input terminal and an output terminal of the differential amplifier, the method comprising, in a period for reading out signals from pixels of a row: turning off the reset switches before turning on the transfer switches; turning on the transfer switches while the reset switches are kept in a turned-off state; and keeping the isolation switches in a turned-off state at least in a period when a transfer pulse for controlling the transfer switches transits.