A method driving for a solid-state image pickup device in which it is possible to achieve a high dynamic range readout without causing unnaturalness in the reproduced picture particularly even when filming a subject moving at high speed. Primary signal charges are generated by adjacent first and second pixels and are subsequently mixed in the vertical transfer register. Auxiliary signal charges are also generated in adjacent first and second pixels, and, generation of the primary signal charge for the second pixel occurs prior to generation of the auxiliary signal charge of the first pixel.
An interline transfer type solid imaging device includes a first photosensitive section, a second photosensitive section, and a vertical transfer section. The interline transfer type solid imaging device reads an image signal corresponding to a first field from the first photosensitive section, and reads an image signal corresponding to a second field from the second photosensitive section. First signal charges stored in the first photosensitive section are read into the vertical transfer section. A portion of second signal charges stored in the second photosensitive section are shifted into the first photosensitive section.
A digital imaging device having a CCD sensor array with one or more fields captures both short and long exposures of a particular field during the capture of a single image frame. The short-exposure image data and the long-exposure image data from the particular field may be correlated to estimate motion within the image frame.
A high-performance solid-state imaging device is provided. The solid-state imaging device includes: a plurality of pixel cells; and a driving unit. Each of the plurality of pixel cells includes: a photodiode that converts incident light into a signal charge and stores the signal charge; a MOS transistor that is provided for reading out the signal charge stored in the photodiode; an element isolation portion that is formed of a STI that is a grooved portion of the semiconductor substrate so that the photodiode and the MOS transistor are isolated from each other; and a deep-portion isolation implantation layer that is formed under the element isolation portion for preventing a flow of a charge from the photodiode to the MOS transistor.
A signal transfer gain is prevented from being lowered by parasitic capacitance. A signal processing apparatus is provided which includes switches provided for a plurality of signal sources, a common line to which signals from the plurality of signal sources are sequentially transferred, and a parasitic capacitance control circuit for controlling parasitic capacitance of the common line in accordance with the level of the signal on the common line.
A solid state image pickup device of an interline system. The device includes a plurality of photosensors, which are arranged in a matrix form, which receive light transmitted through a plurality of color filters, and which are repeated in the vertical direction at a period of "N" pixels. A vertical transfer unit is provided for transferring charges read out from the plurality of photosensors. A horizontal transfer unit is coupled to the vertical transfer unit, and is used to horizontally transfer the charges transferred by the vertical transfer unit. Charges are passed to the vertical transfer unit by a first signal supplying unit and a second signal supplying unit. At least one of the signal supplying units is made up of "m" first photosensor groups arranged in the vertical direction and second photosensor groups numbering "a" times as large as the pixel period "N" and which are also arranged in the vertical direction. The first photosensor groups and second photosensor groups are alternately arranged in the vertical direction.
