Solid-state electronic imaging device with a photometry function responsive to discarded charge packets

A solid-state electronic imaging device comprising:

• a plurality of photoelectric converter elements disposed in vertical and horizontal directions for accumulating therein signal electric charge corresponding to an amount of incident light;
• vertical transfer sections arranged in a vertical direction adjacent to said photoelectric converter elements arranged in the vertical direction, said vertical transfer sections transferring signal electric charge in a direction toward output terminals in response to a transfer signal and reversely transferring signal electric charge in a direction toward discharge exit terminals disposed at a position opposite to the output terminals in response to a reverse transfer signal;
• transfer gates for transferring the signal electric charge accumulated in said photoelectric converter elements to said vertical transfer sections adjacent thereto in response to a gate signal;
• a measuring circuit connected to the discharge exit terminals of said vertical transfer sections for measuring an amount of the incident light corresponding to an amount of the signal electric charge reversely transferred;
• and
• a horizontal transfer section connected to the output terminals of said vertical transfer sections for sequentially transferring in a horizontal direction the signal electric charge forwardly transferred, thereby outputting a video signal.