SOLID STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE, IMAGING APPARATUS

• Main Authors: MIYAKE YASUO, IKUMA MAKOTO
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: 26.02.2015
• Subjects: ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a solid state image pickup device capable of achieving a low power consumption and a high SN in a low resolution mode in which real-time property is required.SOLUTION: The solid state image pickup device includes: a pixel array 100 having pixel cells 110-1-110-8 disposed in matrix each of which outputs a pixel signal according to the amount of incident light; AD converters 590-1-590-4 provided corresponding to the columns of the pixel cells 110-1-110-8 each of which compares a pixel signal from the corresponding column of the pixel cells 110-1-110-8 to lamp signals Vr1 and Vr2 output from a reference circuit to convert the same into a digital signal; a power save control signal 720 capable of power saving on the AD converters 590-1-590-4; and a column connection control signal 710 capable of controlling column connection switches 351 and 352 for switching between the connection and non-connection among the columns of different pixel cells 110-1-110-8. 【課題】リアルタイム性を要求される低解像度モードでの低消費電力化と高ＳＮ化を実現することが可能な固体撮像装置を提供する。【解決手段】固体撮像装置は、入射光の量に応じた画素信号を出力する画素セル１１０−１〜１１０−８が行列状に配置されてなる画素アレイ１００と、画素セル１１０−１〜１１０−８の列に対応して設けられ、対応する画素セル１１０−１〜１１０−８の列の画素信号を基準回路から出力されるランプ信号Ｖｒ１、Ｖｒ２とで比較してデジタル信号に変換するためのＡＤ変換器５９０−１〜５９０−４と、該ＡＤ変換器５９０−１〜５９０−４のパワーセーブを実施することができるパワーセーブ制御信号７２０と、異なる画素セル１１０−１〜１１０−８の列の接続と非接続とを切り替える列接続スイッチ３５１、３５２を制御することができる列接続制御信号７１０とを備える。【選択図】図２