Abstract: A solid-state image sensing apparatus having output channels CH1 and CH2 has first and second driving modes in which pixel signals of pixels in the same image sensing area are read out. The number of output channels to be used is changed between the first driving mode and the second driving mode. In at least one of the two modes, the phase of the read timing of pixel signals of pixels adjacent in the horizontal direction is shifted by a predetermined amount.

Abstract: The present invention is an image pickup apparatus provided with a pixel section in which pixels each including a photoelectric conversion section and a signal storage section that temporarily stores a signal charge of the photoelectric conversion section are two-dimensionally arrayed, that resets the signal storage sections before exposing a still image and reads reset data used to remove reset noise of a still image, configured to divide the pixel section into a plurality of pixel groups and sequentially reset the signal storage sections of the respective pixel groups by a transistor, sequentially read reset signals by a selection transistor and cause the selection transistor to read one or more times an LV signal charge generated by exposure of a predetermined pixel group within a time segment during which the signal storage sections are sequentially reset before the signal storage sections of the predetermined pixel group are reset.

Abstract: The present invention is an image pickup apparatus including a pixel section in which pixels each including a photoelectric conversion section are two-dimensionally arrayed, a transistor that collectively resets the photoelectric conversion sections, an exposure control section that performs control so as to perform exposure for a predetermined time after reset, a signal charge storage section that is light-shielded and stores signal charge generated by the photoelectric conversion sections, a transistor that collectively transfers signal charge from the photoelectric conversion sections to the signal storage section, and a selection transistor that reads still image signal charge for an LV pixel group before signal charge of other pixel groups, then reads signal charge for a live view generated by the LV pixel group one or more times within a time segment during which the still image signal charge of the other pixel groups is read.

Abstract: A pixel portion of an image pick-up device having a pixel portion of pixels arranged in matrix converting a subject image to an electric signal, and a scanning unit of sub-scanning circuits outputting a video signal, a first scanning circuit selecting a pixel position in a first matrix direction and a second scanning circuit selecting a pixel position in a second direction intersecting the first direction. One of the first and second scanning circuits shares the signal lines. The image pick-up device includes a scanning control circuit controlling the first and second scanning circuits. The pixel area structures of the pickup device are uniform, the wirings are uniform, and the vertical and horizontal driving systems and an output system are uniform. Thus, pixel signals outputted from two output systems have no property differences and image quality is improved.

Abstract: A solid state imaging device comprises a pixel unit, a first controller, and a second controller. The pixel unit has a two dimensional matrix of pixels and each of the pixels is arrayed in the matrix. The first controller independently controls the output unit row by row. The second controller independently controls the first reset unit row by row. The each of pixels comprises a photoelectric conversion element, a first reset unit, a charge retention unit, a transmitter, a second reset unit, and an output unit. The element converts incident light into a signal charge and accumulates the converted signal charge. The first reset unit resets the signal charge. The charge retention unit retains a signal charge output from the photoelectric conversion element. The transmitter transmits the signal charge to the charge retention unit. The second reset unit resets the signal charge. The output unit outputs a pixel signal in response to the signal charge to a vertical signal line.

Abstract: An image pick-up apparatus includes an image pick-up device and a filter circuit. The image pick-up device includes a pixel portion for converting a subject image into an electric signal, a scanning circuit for dividing the pixel portion into a plurality of areas, for non-linearly dividing the boundary of the areas of at least one side of the adjacent areas based on the unit of pixel, and a plurality of output circuits for individually outputting video signals. The filter circuit performs filter processing of the video signals outputted from the plurality of output circuits for the pixels near the boundary of the areas. Thus, the image quality can be improved in the multi-channel output system.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus including: a pixel section having two-dimensionally arrayed unit pixels each having a first pixel and a second pixel respectively containing photoelectric conversion devices that are located at positions regarded as the same position at which image is formed by an imaging optical system; a reset control means for simultaneously resetting respectively independently all first pixels and all second pixels of each unit pixel arrayed in the pixel section; a difference signal output means for obtaining a difference signal between signals of the first pixel and of the second pixel; a control section for rendering control such that a reset is effected of signals of all first pixels of the pixel section and, after a desired exposure time, a reset is effected of signals of all second pixels of the pixel section by the reset control means, and then signals of the first pixel and of the second pixel are read out respectively in a simultaneous or substantially simultaneous manner immediatel

Abstract: A plurality of pixels arranged into two dimensions; a differential processing means for effecting a differential processing between a reset level of the pixel and a signal level changing correspondingly to a light signal incident on the pixel so as to produce an imaging signal of the pixel; a reset level detection means for detecting and outputting a result as to whether the reset level is within a predetermined range or outside the predetermined range; an extraction means for extracting pixels to be corrected based on a result of the differential processing by the differential processing means and the result of detection by the reset level detection means; and a correction means for replacing the result of the differential processing by the differential processing means of the pixels to be corrected extracted by the extraction means with an imaging signal corresponding to a saturation level.

Abstract: A image pick-up device includes a pseudo signal generating circuit which generates a pseudo video signal, a pseudo signal reading circuit which reads and outputs the pseudo signal from the pseudo signal generating circuit, and a level control circuit which controls the level of a signal outputted by the pseudo signal generating circuit or read into a pseudo signal reader. The image pick-up device can detect the property difference in signal lines.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device including: pixel section having two-dimensionally arranged pixels, each pixel containing photoelectric conversion device, charge retaining section, amplification section, and reset section controlled by reset control signal applied on control terminal, pixel section having vertical signal line and constant current supply; CDS circuit for outputting pixel signal corresponding to light signal by computing difference between first signal outputted from the pixel immediately after applying first potential to control terminal and second signal outputted from pixel corresponding to signal charges; and reset section control section taking potential of reset control signal at the time of cutting off connection between the one end and the other end of reset section as second potential, for applying third potential being intermediate potential between first potential and second, potential to control terminal between a timing of outputting the first signal and a timing of outputting the seco

Abstract: In an XY address type solid-state imager apparatus comprising a solid-state imager having a plurality of pixels two-dimensionally arranged, and horizontal and vertical scanning circuits to read signals of the pixels, the scanning circuits each have a progressive scanning circuit to progressively read pixel signals by a first scanning control signal, and an interlace scanning circuit to read pixel signals with an interlaced manner by a second scanning control signal different from the first scanning control signal, and arbitrarily carries out combining of progressive reading and interlace reading in one frame in accordance with a combination of the respective scanning control signals, and reads pixel signals.

Abstract: In an XY address type solid-state imager apparatus comprising a solid-state imager having a plurality of pixels two-dimensionally arranged, and horizontal and vertical scanning circuits to read signals of the pixels, the scanning circuits each have a progressive scanning circuit to progressively read pixel signals by a first scanning control signal, and an interlace scanning circuit to read pixel signals with an interlaced manner by a second scanning control signal different from the first scanning control signal, and arbitrarily carries out combining of progressive reading and interlace reading in one frame in accordance with a combination of the respective scanning control signals, and reads pixel signals.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device having within a pixel region where pixels containing photoelectric conversion device are two-dimensionally arranged, a plurality of noise extracting pixels for outputting a noise signal not depending on incident light amount provided in an effective pixel region from which image signal associated with object image is outputted, disposed in a manner scattered into two dimensions so that, taking N×N (N being an integer of 2 or more) pixels within the effective pixel region as unit block, at least one is provided in each row and in each column within that unit block.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an XY-addressing solid-state imaging apparatus including a solid-state imaging device having a plurality of two-dimensionally arranged pixels and a horizontal and vertical scanning circuits for reading pixel signals of the solid-state imaging device; a shift register of at least one of the horizontal and vertical scanning circuits including shift register units serially connected in a large number of stages for transferring information related to scan location by clock and a storing section connected through a storing switch and transmitting switch to each shift register unit; the solid-state imaging apparatus also includes a drive control means for causing the storing section to store a scan start location information in a scan start location setting period before a main scanning so that the scan start location information is transmitted from the storing section in the main scanning to start scanning from a desired scan start location and for effecting the storing of the scan start locati

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus including: a pixel section having pixels arranged into a matrix, each pixel containing an electric charge retaining section with a first accumulation capacitance for retaining a signal electric charge, a photoelectric conversion device with a second accumulation capacitance greater than the first accumulation capacitance where a light signal is converted into signal electric charges and then accumulated, a transfer means for controlling a transfer of the signal electric charges from the photoelectric conversion device to the electric charge retaining section, a signal amplification means for amplifying the signal electric charges retained at the electric charge retaining section and outputting them as a pixel signal, and a reset means for controlling a connection between the photoelectric conversion device and a pixel power supply; a horizontal and vertical scanning means for outputting the pixel signal; and a control section for, after transfer of the signal electric charges b

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus including: a pixel section having unit pixels arranged into a two-dimensional matrix, each unit pixel containing a photoelectric conversion section for effecting a photoelectric conversion and an amplification section for amplifying and reading signal charges generated at the photoelectric conversion section; a current supply provided for each column for flowing a bias current to the amplification section; a column processing section provided for each column for processing a signal from the amplification section column by column; an output section for sequentially reading signals processed column by column at the column processing section and outputting them to an external signal processing circuit; and a bias current controlling section for controlling the bias current of the current supply in accordance with a gain setting at the external signal processing circuit.

Abstract: In an XY address type solid-state imager apparatus comprising a solid-state imager having a plurality of pixels two-dimensionally arranged, and horizontal and vertical scanning circuits to read signals of the pixels, the scanning circuits each have a progressive scanning circuit to progressively read pixel signals by a first scanning control signal, and an interlace scanning circuit to read pixel signals with an interlaced manner by a second scanning control signal different from the first scanning control signal, and arbitrarily carries out combining of progressive reading and interlace reading in one frame in accordance with a combination of the respective scanning control signals, and reads pixel signals.

Abstract: In an XY address type solid-state imager apparatus comprising a solid-state imager having a plurality of pixels two-dimensionally arranged, and horizontal and vertical scanning circuits to read signals of the pixels, the scanning circuits each have a progressive scanning circuit to progressively read pixel signals by a first scanning control signal, and an interlace scanning circuit to read pixel signals with an interlaced manner by a second scanning control signal different from the first scanning control signal, and arbitrarily carries out combining of progressive reading and interlace reading in one frame in accordance with a combination of the respective scanning control signals, and reads pixel signals.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus including: a solid-state imaging device having a pixel section formed of a plurality of pixels in a two-dimensional array each containing a photoelectric conversion section for generating a signal corresponding to a quantity of incident light, a read drive section for setting one or more pixels in the pixel section as a read unit group to effect read operation by the unit of the read unit group, and a global shutter function setting section for obtaining an imaging signal where an exposure start timing and an exposure period of all subject pixels in the pixel section are the same; a light quantity distribution detecting means for detecting a distribution of said quantity of incident light to the pixel section of the solid-state imaging device; and a drive control means for setting to the read drive section an order of read sequence of the read unit groups based on a light quantity distribution information of the pixel section detected at the light quantity distribution detectin

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus including: a pixel section having two-dimensionally arrayed unit pixels each having a first pixel and a second pixel respectively containing photoelectric conversion devices that are located at positions regarded as the same position at which image is formed by an imaging optical system; a reset control means for simultaneously resetting respectively independently all first pixels and all second pixels of each unit pixel arrayed in the pixel section; a difference signal output means for obtaining a difference signal between signals of the first pixel and of the second pixel; a control section for rendering control such that a reset is effected of signals of all first pixels of the pixel section and, after a desired exposure time, a reset is effected of signals of all second pixels of the pixel section by the reset control means, and then signals of the first pixel and of the second pixel are read out respectively in a simultaneous or substantially simultaneous manner immediatel