Solid-state imaging device, pixel-signal processing method, analog-signal transferring device, and analog-signal transferring method

A solid-state imaging device comprising:

• an imaging region with an plurality of imaging pixels arranged in rows and columns;
• a plurality of vertical signal lines respectively associated with the column of the imaging pixels;
• amps provided respectively for the vertical signal lines of the columns so as to receive inputs of pixel signals from imaging pixels of the respective columns;
• a plurality of horizontal signal lines;
• and
• a plurality of amplifier units respectively associated with the vertical signal lines and positioned between their respective vertical signal lines and the horizontal signal lines, the amplifier units receiving as inputs imaging signals transferred to them via the vertical signal lines, the amplifier units producing as an output pixel signals which can be transferred to the horizontal signal line;
• a plurality of switching units respectively associated with the amplifier units;
• a vertical selecting circuit operatively associated with the imaging pixels and the vertical signal lines and capable of selectively effecting transfer of imaging signals from the imaging pixels along a selected row to their respective vertical signal lines;
• and
• a horizontal selecting circuit operatively associated with the amplifier units and the horizontal signal line and capable of effecting transfer of pixel signals from the amplifier units to the horizontal signal lines,
• wherein,
• the amplifier units are charge integrating amps, and
• the solid-state imaging device further comprises a reference-potential generating unit for generating a reference potential based on a black level of the pixel signals transferred to the horizontal signal lines, and charging elements for charging feedback capacitors of the charge integrating amps to the reference potential generated by the reference-potential generating unit, before imaging signals are read by the vertical selecting circuit.