Solid-state image pickup apparatus having effective and non-effective pixel portions, and driving method therefor

A solid-state image pickup device includes an effective pixel portion in which effective pixels are arranged in a matrix, the effective pixels each including a photoelectric conversion unit and outputting a first signal, a non-effective pixel portion in which non-effective pixels are arranged in at...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors Takenaka, Shintaro, Noda, Tomoyuki, Sonoda, Kazuhiro, Fujimura, Masaru
Format Patent
LanguageEnglish
Published 27.09.2011
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Summary:A solid-state image pickup device includes an effective pixel portion in which effective pixels are arranged in a matrix, the effective pixels each including a photoelectric conversion unit and outputting a first signal, a non-effective pixel portion in which non-effective pixels are arranged in at least one row, the non-effective pixels each including no photoelectric conversion unit and outputting a second signal, a vertical scanning unit for selecting each row of pixels in the effective and non-effective pixel portions, and an input section for externally receiving a third signal used to change a driving mode of the solid-state image pickup device. The vertical scanning unit begins electronic shutter scanning upon pixels in the effective pixel portion and causes each of pixels in the non-effective pixel portion to output the second signal after the input section has received the third signal and before the first signal is output.