Patent ID: 8884864

Claim:
An imaging device comprising: a pixel section which generates a signal by photoelectric conversion; and an amplification unit which amplifies the signal generated by the pixel section, the amplification unit including: an input capacitor having a first node and a second node, wherein the first node of the input capacitor is connected to an output terminal of the pixel section, an amplification circuit having an inverting input portion and a non-inverting input portion, wherein one of the inverting input portion and the non-inverting input portion is connected to the second node of the input capacitor, and the other one of the inverting input portion and the non-inverting input portion is connected to a node of a reference voltage, a first series-connected circuit connected between the second node of the input capacitor and an output portion of the amplification circuit, the first series-connected circuit including a first feedback capacitor, a first MOS transistor switch connected in series with the first feedback capacitor, and a second MOS transistor switch which is connected in series with the first feedback capacitor, and which has a drain and a source connected to each other, and a second series-connected circuit connected between the second node of the input capacitor and the output portion of the amplification circuit, the second series-connected circuit including a second feedback capacitor, a third MOS transistor switch connected in series with the second feedback capacitor, and a fourth MOS transistor switch which is connected in series with the second feedback capacitor, and which has a drain and a source connected to each other, wherein the first series-connected circuit is connected in parallel with the second series-connected circuit, wherein pulses supplied to gates of the first MOS transistor switch and the second MOS transistor switch have reversed phases, wherein pulses supplied to gates of the third MOS transistor switch and the fourth MOS transistor switch have reversed phases, and wherein a gain of the amplification unit is changed from a first gain to a second gain, during a period when one signal is output from the pixel section, the first gain being provided when the first series-connected circuit including the first feedback capacitor, the first MOS transistor switch, and the second MOS transistor switch is activated by turning on the first MOS transistor switch, the second gain being provided when the second series-connected circuit including the second feedback capacitor, the third MOS transistor switch, and the fourth MOS transistor switch is activated by turning on the third MOS transistor switch.