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:
Sep. 09, 2014
Filed:
Dec. 03, 2010
Toshiharu Ueda, Machida, JP;
Toshiharu Ueda, Machida, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image pickup apparatus capable of reducing the influence of dark current noise to thereby obtain excellent image quality, even when the dynamic range is expanded under a photographing condition. In an image pickup element of a CMOS image sensor of the apparatus, a photo diode (PD) generates and accumulates electric charge according to an optical input, and a floating diffusion portion (FD) accumulates the electric charges. A charge holding portion (MEM) is disposed between PD and FD. A first transfer transistor selectively separates and connect between PD and MEM, and a second transfer transistor selectively separates and connects between MEM and FD. A system control circuit sets an operation mode to either a first operation mode in which PD and MEM are separated or a second operation mode according to photographing conditions for shooting an object in which PD and MEM are connected.