Patent ID: 8913166

Claim:
A solid-state imaging apparatus comprising: a first photoelectric conversion element in one set and a second photoelectric conversion element in another set, each for generating an electric charge by photoelectric conversion; a first floating diffusion region for receiving the electric charge from the first photoelectric conversion element in the one set and a second floating diffusion region for receiving the electric charge from the second photoelectric conversion element in the another set; a first transfer transistor for transferring the electric charge generated by the first photoelectric conversion element to the first floating diffusion region; a second transfer transistor for transferring the electric charge generated by the second photoelectric conversion element to the second floating diffusion region; a first amplifying unit for amplifying a signal based on the electric charge transferred to the first floating diffusion region; a second amplifying unit for amplifying a signal based on the electric charge transferred to the second floating diffusion region; a reset transistor including a first node supplied with a reset voltage and a second node connected to the first floating diffusion region; and a connecting transistor, not included in the one set and the another set, for switching between a connecting state and a disconnecting state between the first floating diffusion region in the one set and the second floating diffusion region in the another set, wherein the connecting state is performed under a condition of electrically separating the first node from the first floating diffusion region by the reset transistor, the second floating diffusion region is reset through the reset transistor and the connecting transistor, and no reset element other than the reset transistor and the connecting transistor is connected directly to the second floating diffusion region.