Patent ID: 7528871

Claim:
An imaging device that outputs brightness information according to an amount of incident light, comprising: an imaging unit that (a) includes a plurality of unit cells arranged one dimensionally or two-dimensionally, each unit cell including a photoelectric conversion part that generates a first output voltage in a reset state and a second output voltage according to an amount of incident light, and each unit cell generating a reset voltage that corresponds to the first output voltage and a read voltage that corresponds to the second output voltage, and (b) outputs the reset voltage and the read voltage of each unit cell as signals in units of columns; a signal processing unit that (a) is formed by connecting same circuits corresponding in one-to-one to the columns, (b) processes the signals output in units of columns from the imaging unit, and (c) sequentially outputs the processed signals, wherein in relation to each unit cell, the signal processing unit (a) outputs first brightness information indicating a difference between the reset voltage and the read voltage when normal light is incident to the imaging device and the read voltage is in a predetermined range, and (b) replaces the first brightness information with second brightness information indicating higher brightness than the first brightness information and then outputs the second brightness information when strong light is incident to the imaging device and the read voltage is not in the predetermined range; an output unit operable to (a) subject the processed signals, which have been output by the signal processing unit, to necessary conversion, and (b) output the processed signals that have been subjected to the necessary conversion; a first output line that is connected to the imaging unit and receives the reset voltage and the read voltage output from each unit cell; a second output line that outputs the first brightness information or the second brightness information from the signal processing unit to the output unit; a clamp capacitance that is connected in series between the first output line and the second output line; and a bypass transistor that is connected in parallel with the clamp capacitance, and brings the first output line and the second output line out of conduction not to bypass the clamp capacitance in a first case where a voltage applied between terminals of the clamp capacitance is in the predetermined range, and brings the first output line and the second output line into conduction to bypass the clamp capacitance in a second case where the voltage applied between the terminals is not in the predetermined range.