Solid-state imaging device, driving method thereof, and camera that separate image component signal and non-image component signal

Abstract

Provided is a solid-state imaging device including a plurality of vertical transfer units (VCCDs), a horizontal transfer unit (HCCD) and a driving unit. In a vertical final stage of the VCCDs, there are same transfer electrode structures in every m columns, where m is equal to or more than 2, the vertical final stage being a vertical transfer stage located the closest to the HCCD, in each vertical final stage of columns except one column among the m columns or of all columns among the m columns, there are transfer electrodes independent from electrodes in the other columns in the m columns, and the independent transfer electrodes are driven independently to perform transfer processing from the corresponding vertical final stage to the HCCD, the driving being independent from driving for the electrodes in the other columns in the m columns, and the driving unit performs sequential vertical transfer driving, by which first packets and second packets are sequentially and vertically transferred within one horizontal transfer period, the first packet including a signal component to be used as an image signal and the second packet not including any signal component to be used as an image signal, and to apply, in the sequential vertical transfer driving, respective transfer pulses to the transfer electrodes in the vertical transfer stage and transfer electrodes of the HCCD, so that the first packets and the second packets are separated to be allocated into respective different horizontal transfer stages of the HCCD.