Processing apparatus
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorTakamasa Sakuragi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In order to suppress variations in the set currents of a plurality of constant current circuits, there is provided a processing apparatus having a constant current supply unit including a plurality of constant current circuits, a plurality of sample/hold circuits for sampling/holding current values for maintaining currents supplied from the constant current circuits constant, and a constant current source for supplying a reference current for setting a current value to the plurality of sample/hold circuits.
Claims6
A solid state image pickup apparatus comprising a plurality of amplifying type photoelectric conversion elements each comprising photoelectric conversion means and amplifying means for converting a signal charge formed by the photoelectric conversion means into a signal voltage and amplifying the signal voltage, the photoelectric conversion elements being arranged two dimensionally, and being connected commonly by a plurality of signal output lines for outputting signals through the signal output lines, wherein
- each of the signal output lines has a constant current supply means for supplying a current, and
- the current supply means comprises
- a constant current circuit having a transistor;
- a sample hold means having switching means and capacitor means, wherein the switching means is disposed between one of main electrodes of the transistor and a control electrode of the transistor, the capacitor means is connected to the control electrode, thereby maintaining the current supplied from the constant current circuit;
- and
- a reference current source for supplying the voltage corresponding to the reference current to the capacitor of the sample hold means through the switching means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.