Solid-state image pickup device, method for driving solid-state image pickup device, and image pickup apparatus

A method for driving a solid-state image pickup device, the solid-state image pickup device including a pixel array section, the pixel array section having an effective pixel region with pixels for providing signals that are to be used as image signals, an optical black pixel region with pixels, which are shielded from light, for providing signals that are to be used as black reference signals, and a pixel region that is provided between the effective pixel region and the optical black pixel region and that has a light-shielding structure which is the same as a light-shielding structure of the effective pixel region, the method comprising the steps of:

• performing driving so that signals of pixels of the pixel region which are disposed at a side of the effective pixel region in a vertical direction are skipped and signals of the pixels of the effective pixel region and the optical black pixel region are read;
• and
• performing driving so that, from among the pixels which are selected in the performing of driving so that the signals of the pixels are read, the signals of the pixels of the pixel region which are disposed at a side of the effective pixel region in a horizontal direction are skipped and the signals of the pixels of the effective pixel region and the optical black pixel region are read.

An image pickup apparatus using a solid-state image pickup device, the solid-state image pickup device including

• a pixel array section including an effective pixel region having pixels for providing signals that are to be used as image signals, an optical black pixel region having pixels, which are shielded from light, for providing signals that are to be used as black reference signals, and a pixel region that is provided between the effective pixel region and the optical black pixel region and that has a light-shielding structure which is the same as a light-shielding structure of the effective pixel region,
• a vertical drive section configured to perform driving so that signals of pixels of the pixel region which are disposed at a side of the effective pixel region in a vertical direction are skipped and signals of the pixels of the effective pixel region and the optical black pixel region are read, and
• a horizontal drive section configured to perform driving so that, from among the pixels which are selected by driving performed by the vertical drive section so that the signals of the pixels are read, the signals of the pixels of the pixel region which are disposed at a side of the effective pixel region in a horizontal direction are skipped and the signals of the pixels of the effective pixel region and the optical black pixel region are read.