Patent ID: 7990436

Claim:
A solid state image pickup device comprising: a pixel unit having a plurality of pixels arranged in a two-dimensional matrix shape and having a mechanism for converting an optical signal into an electrical signal and outputting the resultant signal; a column processing circuit for performing column processing of the signal from the pixel unit; a calculating circuit for calculating a processing result of the column processing circuit; a frame memory unit; an internal interface for connecting the calculating circuit and the frame memory unit; an external interface for connecting an external device and the frame memory unit; and a connection switching circuit for switching a connection of the frame memory unit relative to the internal interface and the external interface, wherein, the column processing circuit includes an analog/digital (AD) conversion circuit for converting an analog signal into a digital signal, the frame memory unit is divided into a plurality of areas, and the solid state image pickup device further comprises a control unit for controlling in such a way that while the pixel unit is scanned a plurality of times, image data having a reduced data size is recorded in a first area of the frame memory unit via the internal interface, and during the same time period, data is outputted from another area of the frame memory unit via the external interface, and after a plurality of scans are completed, similar operations are repeated by connecting a second area different from the first area of the frame memory unit to the internal interface and connecting an area other than the second area to the external interface.