# US 2018/0324376 A1 · Solid-state image pickup device and method for driving the same in solid-state imaging pickup device and method for driving the same in a number of modes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0324376 A1 - Document ID: US20180324376A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/031,390 - Filed: 2018-07-10 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2004-02-23 - Assignees: Sony Corporation - Applicants: Sony Corporation - Inventors: Yoshikazu Nitta; Noriyuki Fukushima; Yoshinori Muramatsu; Yukihiko Yasui - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180324376A1 ## CPC - H03M 1/1023: {Offset correction (H03M1/1019 takes precedence; removal of offset already present on the analogue input signal H03M1/1295)} - H04N 23/54: Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils - H04N 25/46: by combining or binning pixels - H04N 25/616: involving a correlated sampling function, e.g. correlated double sampling [CDS] or triple sampling - H04N 25/767: Horizontal readout lines, multiplexers or registers - H04N 25/78: Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters - H03M 1/56: Input signal compared with linear ramp - H03M: CODING; DECODING; CODE CONVERSION IN GENERAL (using fluidic means F15C4/00; optical analogue/digital converters G02F7/00; coding, decoding or code conversion, specially adapted for particular applications, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. G01D, G01R, G06F, G06T, G09G, G10L, G11B, G11C, H04B, H04L, H04M, H04N; ciphering or deciphering for cryptography or other purposes involving the need for secrecy G09C) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A system and method for driving a solid-state image pickup device including a pixel array unit including unit pixels. Each unit pixel includes a photoelectric converter, column signal lines and a number of analog-digital converting units. The unit pixels are selectively controlled in units of rows. Analog signals output from the unit pixels in a row selected by the selective control though the column signal lines are converted to digital signals via the analog-digital converting units. The digital signals are added among a number of unit pixels via the analog-digital converting units. The added digital signals from the analog-digital converting units are read. Each unit pixel in the pixel array unit is selectively controlled in units of arbitrary rows, the analog-distal converting units being operable to performing the converting in a (a) normal-frame-rate mode and a (b) high-frame-rate mode in response to control signals. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-5. (canceled) ### Claim 6 A solid-state image pickup device comprising: a pixel array unit including unit pixels which are two-dimensionally arranged in a matrix pattern, each unit pixel including a photoelectric converter, and column signal lines corresponding to respective columns of the matrix pattern; row scanning means for selectively controlling each unit pixel of the pixel array unit in units of rows; analog-digital converting means for converting analog signals output from the unit pixels in a row selectively-controlled by the row scanning means through the column signal lines to digital signals, adding the obtained digital signals among a plurality of unit pixels, and outputting the added digital signals; column scanning means for controlling output of the digital signals added in the analog-digital converting means; and an output line for transmitting the digital signals output from the analog-digital converting means under control by the column scanning means. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A solid-state image pickup device according to claim 6, wherein the analog-digital converting means comprises operating means for performing digital operation processing, the operating means performing addition of the digital signals. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) A solid-state image pickup device according to claim 6, wherein the analog-digital converting means comprises: comparing means for comparing the analog signal output from each unit pixel with a reference voltage; and measuring means for measuring comparison time in the comparing means from the start to the end of a comparing operation, the measuring means performing addition of the digital signals. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A solid-state image pickup device according to claim 8, wherein the measuring means is a counter which adds the digital signals by repeating a count operation on each analog signal of the plurality of unit pixels. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A solid-state image pickup device according to claim 9, wherein the counter is an up/down counter, which performs subtraction by performing a down count and an up count on first and second analog signals output from one of the unit pixels and which performs addition by repeating an up count on each analog signal of the plurality of unit pixels. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) A solid-state image pickup device according to claim 6, wherein the row scanning means comprises an address decoder which selectively controls each unit pixel of the pixel array unit in units of arbitrary rows. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A solid-state image pickup device according to claim 11, wherein the analog-digital converting means converts analog signals output from the unit pixels in a plurality of rows selectively-controlled by the row scanning means to digital signals and adds the digital signals of the unit pixels in the same column among the plurality of rows. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A solid-state image pickup device according to claim 12, wherein the analog-digital converting means adds the digital signals of the unit pixels in the same column among odd-numbered rows and among even-numbered rows independently from each other. ### Claim 14 (depends on 6) A solid-state image pickup device according to claim 6, wherein the analog-digital converting means comprises a plurality of analog-digital converting means, the solid-state image pickup device further comprising: selecting means for distributing analog signals output from the unit pixels in a row selectively-controlled by the row scanning means through the column signal lines to the plurality of analog-digital converting means corresponding to the columns; and adding means for adding the digital signals output from the plurality of analog-digital converting means. ### Claim 15 (depends on 6) A solid-state image pickup device according to claim 6, wherein the analog-digital converting means comprises a plurality of analog-digital converting means corresponding to the column signal lines and the output line comprises a plurality of output lines so that the digital signals output from the plurality of analog-digital converting means are transmitted through the plurality of output lines, the solid-state image pickup device further comprising: selecting means for distributing analog signals output from the unit pixels in a row selectively-controlled by the row scanning means through the column signal lines to the plurality of analog-digital converting means corresponding to the respective column signal lines; and adding means for adding the digital signals transmitted from the plurality of analog-digital converting means through the plurality of output lines. ### Claim 16 A method for driving a solid-state image pickup device comprising a pixel array unit including unit pixels which are two-dimensionally arranged in a matrix pattern, each unit pixel including a photoelectric converter, and column signal lines corresponding to respective columns of the matrix pattern, the unit pixels being selectively controlled in units of rows, and the method comprising: converting analog signals output from the unit pixels in a row selected by the selective control through the column signal lines to digital signals, adding the digital signals among a plurality of unit pixels, and reading the added digital signals. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A method according to claim 16, wherein the addition is performed among the unit pixels of a plurality of rows. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A method according to claim 17, wherein the bit accuracy of analog-digital conversion is decreased according to the number of rows to be added and analog-digital conversion time is reduced. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A method according to claim 18, wherein, when said number of rows is M, the bit accuracy of analog-digital conversion of N bits is decreased to N-M bits and the analog-digital conversion time is reduced to 1/M. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) A method according to claim 16, wherein each unit pixel in the pixel array unit is selectively controlled in units of arbitrary rows. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) A method according to claim 20, wherein analog signals output from the unit pixels in a plurality of rows selected by the selective control are converted to digital signals and the digital signals of the unit pixels in the same column are added among the plurality of rows. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) A method according to claim 21, wherein the digital signals of the unit pixels in the same column are added among odd-numbered rows and among even-numbered rows independently from each other. ### Claim 23 (depends on 16) A method according to claim 16, wherein the addition is performed among the unit pixels of a plurality of columns. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) A method according to claim 23, wherein analog signals output from the unit pixels in a row selected by the selective control through the column signal lines are distributed to a plurality of devices corresponding to the columns and are converted to digital signals, and the digital signals are added among the plurality of columns. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) A method according to claim 23, wherein analog signals output from the unit pixels in a row selected by the selective control through the column signal lines are converted to digital signals in the respective columns, and the digital signals are added among arbitrary pairs of plurality of columns.