Patent ID: 7023481

Claim:
A solid state imaging apparatus comprising: means for receiving an incident light to thereby generate charges, the receiving means having one or more photoelectric conversion elements; first accumulation means, in response to a first control signal, for accumulating the charges generated at each of the photoelectric conversion elements, the first accumulation means having one or more charge accumulation devices; second accumulation means, in response to a second control signal, for accumulating the received charges generated from each of the photoelectric conversion elements, the second accumulation means having one or more charge accumulation devices; first transfer means for transferring the charges accumulated in the first charge accumulation means in a serial sequence as a first charge signal; second transfer means for transferring charges accumulated in the second charge accumulation means in a serial sequence as a second charge signal, means for emitting light onto a target subject, wherein the intensity of the emitting light is controllable; control means, based on a variation of the intensity of the emitted light, for outputting the first control signal or the second control signal to select the first or second charge accumulation means, thereby allowing the charges to be accumulated in the first or the second charge accumulation means, respectively; and means for calculating a difference between the first charge signal and the second charge signal to thereby output a differential signal in sequence.