Patent ID: 8767189

Claim:
A solid state imaging device comprising: photo-detection means for detecting a background light; and an imaging region comprising a plurality of pixels, the pixels receiving pulse light reflected by a surface of a target, the pulse light being emitted from a light source; each of the pixels comprising: a light-sensitive area provided in a semiconductor substrate; a pair of first accumulation regions provided in the semiconductor substrate; a pair of first gate electrodes provided on the semiconductor substrate so that potentials between the light-sensitive area and a pair of the first accumulation regions alternately ramp; a pair of second accumulation regions provided in the semiconductor substrate, the second accumulation regions being floating diffusion regions; and a pair of second gate electrodes that are provided on the semiconductor substrate so as to control the height of first potential barriers each interposed between the first accumulation region and the second accumulation region, and the second gate electrode increases the height of the first potential barrier to carriers as a higher output of a background light is detected by the photo-detection means after the second accumulation region becomes a floating level by connecting the second accumulation region to a power supply potential, the carriers flowing into the second accumulation region from the first accumulation region decreases when the height of the first potential barrier increases.