Patent ID: 8717452

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a plurality of pixels, each pixel including a photoelectric conversion part, a charge storage part configured to store a signal charge transferred by a first transfer part from the photoelectric conversion part, an amplifier configured to amplify a signal based on the signal charge transferred by a second transfer part, and a reset part; and a control unit configured to supply driving pulses, wherein when a signal charge generated during one period is transferred to the amplifier, the control unit supplies pulses such that a turning-on pulse is supplied to the second transfer part while supplying a turning-off pulse to the first transfer part and a turning-off pulse to the reset part thereby transferring the stored signal charge at the charge storage part to the amplifier, a turning-on pulse is then supplied to the reset part to reset the signal charge transferred to the amplifier, and subsequently a turning-on pulse is supplied to the first transfer part and the second transfer part while supplying a turning-off pulse to the reset part to transfer the signal charge held in the photoelectric conversion part to the amplifier via the charge storage part.