Solid state imaging device, imaging apparatus, and AD conversion method

A solid state imaging device comprising:

• an AD conversion section that has one comparison section, which receives a reference signal from a reference signal generator that generates the reference signal whose level gradually changes and which compares the reference signal with an analog signal to be processed, and one counting section, which receives a count clock for AD conversion and performs a count operation on the basis of a comparison result of the comparison section, for each of M signal lines to which the signal to be processed is supplied and that acquires digital data of the signal to be processed on the basis of output data of the counting section;
• and
• an operation period control section that controls an operation period of the counting section on the basis of the comparison result of the comparison section,
• wherein in order to acquire digital data regarding an addition result of Y (different from X) signals to be processed when one comparison section and one counting section are provided for signals to be processed which are supplied through X signal lines, the AD conversion section acquires an addition result with the least common multiple of X and Y as a basic processing unit using the counting section for a portion in which addition of the Y signals to be processed is possible, but separately performs AD conversion of signals to be processed using the counting section for a portion in which addition of the Y signals to be processed is difficult.

An imaging apparatus comprising:

• a pixel array section in which unit pixels that output the signals to be processed are arrayed in a matrix;
• a vertical scanning section that reads the signal to be processed from each unit pixel of the pixel array section;
• an AD conversion section that has one comparison section, which receives a reference signal from a reference signal generator that generates the reference signal whose level gradually changes and which compares the reference signal with the signal to be processed of each unit pixel, and one counting section, which receives a count clock for AD conversion and performs a count operation on the basis of a comparison result of the comparison section, for each of M signal lines to which the signal to be processed is supplied and that acquires digital data of the signal to be processed on the basis of output data of the counting section;
• an operation period control section that controls an operation period of the counting section on the basis of the comparison result of the comparison section;
• a horizontal scanning section that transfers the digital data acquired by the AD conversion section to a subsequent-stage circuit;
• and
• a control section that performs control regarding which of the signals to be processed, which are supplied through the M signal lines, is to be processed and which one of m levels of the signals to be processed is to be processed and also controls the processing order.

An imaging apparatus comprising:

• a pixel array section in which unit pixels that output the signals to be processed are arrayed in a matrix;
• a vertical scanning section that reads the signal to be processed from each unit pixel of the pixel array section;
• an AD conversion section that has one comparison section, which receives a reference signal from a reference signal generator that generates the reference signal whose level gradually changes and which compares the reference signal with the signal to be processed of each unit pixel, and one counting section, which receives a count clock for AD conversion and performs a count operation on the basis of a comparison result of the comparison section, for each of M signal lines to which the signal to be processed is supplied and that acquires digital data of the signal to be processed on the basis of output data of the counting section;
• an operation period control section that controls an operation period of the counting section on the basis of the comparison result of the comparison section;
• a horizontal scanning section that transfers the digital data acquired by the AD conversion section to a subsequent-stage circuit;
• and
• an operation section that performs digital operation processing on the basis of data horizontally transferred,
• wherein, in order to acquire digital data regarding an addition result of Y (different from X) signals to be processed when one comparison section and one counting section are provided for signals to be processed which are supplied through X signal lines, the AD conversion section acquires an addition result with the least common multiple of X and Y as a basic processing unit using the counting section for a portion in which addition of the Y signals to be processed is possible, but separately performs AD conversion of signals to be processed using the counting section for a portion in which addition of the Y signals to be processed is difficult, and
• the operation section acquires an addition result of the Y signals to be processed by adding the addition result acquired by the counting section and the AD conversion result of the signal to be processed separately acquired.