The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 08, 2011
Filed:
Jul. 10, 2006
Tsuyoshi Hasuka, Osaka, JP;
Ryoichi Nagayoshi, Hyogo, JP;
Keijirou Itakura, Osaka, JP;
Izumi Shimizu, Kyoto, JP;
Yoshiaki Kato, Shiga, JP;
Tsuyoshi Hasuka, Osaka, JP;
Ryoichi Nagayoshi, Hyogo, JP;
Keijirou Itakura, Osaka, JP;
Izumi Shimizu, Kyoto, JP;
Yoshiaki Kato, Shiga, JP;
Panasonic Corporation, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A driving method is applied to a solid-state imaging apparatus having photoelectric conversion portions, transfer portion for reading out signal charges, and an excess charge draining portion for draining charges exceeding a saturation charge amount that is set by a reference voltage. One of driving modes is selected from a full pixel mode in which accumulated signal charges are detected individually for each pixel and a pixel mixing mode in which signal charges of a predetermined number of pixels are mixed to be detected. In the full pixel mode, the draining portion is supplied with the reference voltage having the same value during a charge accumulation period and a read transfer period for read transferring charges. In the pixel mixing mode, the draining portion is supplied with the reference voltage having a low level during the charge accumulation period and the reference voltage having a high level during the read transfer period. An appropriate driving for the pixel mixing mode can be performed by avoiding a limitation of a substrate voltage, without deteriorating the spectral characteristics, the sensitivity, nor the linearity.