Solid-state image pickup device

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;
• a row scanning unit selectively controlling each unit pixel of the pixel array unit in units of rows;
• a pair of column processing units, each including a plurality of analog-digital converting units, each analog-digital converting unit converting an analog signal output from a respective one of the unit pixels in each row selectively-controlled by the row scanning unit through the column signal lines to a respective digital signal, each analog-digital converting unit effectively adding together digital signals of plural pixels in a column during one horizontal scan period for a row;
• a pair of column scanning units controlling output of the digital signals added in the analog-digital converting unit, a first portion of the unit pixels and their analog-digital converting units associated with one of the column scanning units, a second portion of the unit pixels and their analog-digital converting units associated with the other of the column scanning units;
• respective selecting switches between the pixel array unit and the column scanning units;
• a respective pair of output lines for transmitting the digital signals output from the analog-digital converting units under control by the column scanning units;
• and
• a digital adder unit to which the output lines are connected and which adds together digital signals output from the column processing units,
• wherein,
• each analog-digital converting unit comprises (a) comparing means for comparing the analog signal output from each unit pixel with a reference voltage, and (b) measuring means for measuring comparison time in the comparing means from the start to the end of a comparing operation, the measuring means performing the effective addition of the digital signals,
• the measuring means is a counter which forms the digital signals by repeating a count operation on each analog signal of the plurality of unit pixels, and
• 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.