SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS AND IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A solid-state image pickup apparatus, comprising:
- a pixel unit including a plurality of pixels arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, each of the plurality of pixels being configured to output a pixel signal;
a plurality of groups, each including an output line to which the pixel signals are output from the pixels in a corresponding one of the plurality of columns and an AD conversion unit configured to perform AD conversion on the pixel signals output to the output line for some of the plurality of rows at each time to generate a digital signal; and
a control unit configured to set, as horizontal periods in which the digital signals are sequentially read from the AD conversion units of the plurality of groups, a first horizontal period corresponding to a first group of rows of the plurality of rows and a second horizontal period corresponding to a second group of rows of the plurality of rows, the second horizontal period being longer than the first horizontal period,the control unit being configured to set an adjustment period for ensuring a difference in length between the first horizontal period and the second horizontal period and executing an operation of the AD conversion unit, in a period corresponding to a part of the second horizontal period excluding a period from first timing at which output of the pixel signal to the output line starts, to second timing at which the AD conversion unit starts the AD conversion.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Provided is a solid-state image pickup apparatus which includes a plurality of groups, each including an output line to which the pixel signals are output from pixels in a corresponding column and an AD conversion unit configured to perform AD conversion on the pixel signals output to the output line for some of the plurality of rows to generate a digital signal. An adjustment period for ensuring a difference in length between a first horizontal period and a second horizontal period and executing an operation of the AD conversion unit is set in a period excluding a period from first timing at which the output of the pixel signals to the output line starts, to second timing at which the AD conversion unit starts the AD conversion.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A solid-state image pickup apparatus, comprising:
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a pixel unit including a plurality of pixels arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, each of the plurality of pixels being configured to output a pixel signal; a plurality of groups, each including an output line to which the pixel signals are output from the pixels in a corresponding one of the plurality of columns and an AD conversion unit configured to perform AD conversion on the pixel signals output to the output line for some of the plurality of rows at each time to generate a digital signal; and a control unit configured to set, as horizontal periods in which the digital signals are sequentially read from the AD conversion units of the plurality of groups, a first horizontal period corresponding to a first group of rows of the plurality of rows and a second horizontal period corresponding to a second group of rows of the plurality of rows, the second horizontal period being longer than the first horizontal period, the control unit being configured to set an adjustment period for ensuring a difference in length between the first horizontal period and the second horizontal period and executing an operation of the AD conversion unit, in a period corresponding to a part of the second horizontal period excluding a period from first timing at which output of the pixel signal to the output line starts, to second timing at which the AD conversion unit starts the AD conversion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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6. A solid-state image pickup apparatus, comprising:
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a pixel unit including a plurality of pixels arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, each of the plurality of pixels being configured to output a pixel signal; a plurality of groups, each including an output line to which the pixel signals are output from the pixels in a corresponding one of the plurality of columns and a sampling and holding unit configured to sample and hold the pixel signals output to the output line for some of the plurality of rows at each time; and a control unit configured to set, as horizontal periods in which the sampling and holding units of the plurality of groups sequentially sample and hold the pixel signals, a first horizontal period corresponding to a first group of rows of the plurality of rows and a second horizontal period corresponding to a second group of rows of the plurality of rows, the second horizontal period being longer than the first horizontal period, the control unit being configured to set an adjustment period for ensuring a difference in length between the first horizontal period and the second horizontal period and executing an operation of the sampling and holding unit, in a period corresponding to a part of the second horizontal period excluding a period from first timing at which output of the pixel signal to the output line starts, to second timing at which the sampling and holding unit holds the pixel signal. - View Dependent Claims (11, 17)
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18. A solid-state image pickup apparatus, comprising:
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a pixel unit including a plurality of pixels arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, each of the plurality of pixels being configured to output a pixel signal; a plurality of groups, each including an output line to which the pixel signals are output from the pixels in a corresponding one of the plurality of columns and an AD conversion unit configured to perform AD conversion on the pixel signals output to the output line for some of the plurality of rows at each time to generate a digital signal; and a control unit configured to set, as horizontal periods in which the digital signals are sequentially read from the AD conversion units of the plurality of groups, a first horizontal period corresponding to a first group of rows of the plurality of rows and a second horizontal period corresponding to a second group of rows of the plurality of rows, the second horizontal period being longer than the first horizontal period, the control unit being configured to set a difference between a length of a period from a time at which the pixel signals of the first group of rows are output from the pixels to the output line until the AD conversion unit starts the AD conversion and a length of a period from a time at which the pixel signals of the second group of rows are output from the pixels to the output line until the AD conversion unit starts the AD conversion smaller than a difference between a length of the first horizontal period and a length of the second horizontal period.
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19. A solid-state image pickup apparatus, comprising:
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a pixel unit including a plurality of pixels arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, each of the plurality of pixels being configured to output a pixel signal; a plurality of groups, each including an output line to which the pixel signals are output from the pixels in a corresponding one of the plurality of columns and a sampling and holding unit configured to sample and hold the pixel signals output to the output line for some of the plurality of rows at each time; and a control unit configured to set, as horizontal periods in which the sampling and holding units of the plurality of groups sequentially sample and hold the pixel signals, a first horizontal period corresponding to a first group of rows of the plurality of rows and a second horizontal period corresponding to a second group of rows of the plurality of rows, the second horizontal period being longer than the first horizontal period, the control unit being configured to set a difference between a length of a period from a time at which the pixel signals of the first group of rows are output from the pixels to the output line until the sampling and holding units hold the pixel signals and a length of a period from a time at which the pixel signals of the second group of rows are output from the pixels to the output line until the sampling and holding units hold the pixel signals smaller than a difference between a length of the first horizontal period and a length of the second horizontal period.
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20. An image pickup system, comprising:
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a solid-state image pickup apparatus; and a signal processing apparatus configured to process a signal output from the solid-state image pickup apparatus, the solid-state image pickup apparatus comprising; a pixel unit including a plurality of pixels arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, each of the plurality of pixels being configured to output a pixel signal; a plurality of groups, each including an output line to which the pixel signals are output from the pixels in a corresponding one of the plurality of columns and an AD conversion unit configured to perform AD conversion on the pixel signals output to the output line for some of the plurality of rows at each time to generate a digital signal; and a control unit configured to set, as horizontal periods in which the digital signals are sequentially read from the AD conversion units of the plurality of groups, a first horizontal period corresponding to a first group of rows of the plurality of rows and a second horizontal period corresponding to a second group of rows of the plurality of rows, the second horizontal period being longer than the first horizontal period, the control unit being configured to set an adjustment period for ensuring a difference in length between the first horizontal period and the second horizontal period and executing an operation of the AD conversion unit, in a period corresponding to a part of the second horizontal period excluding a period from first timing at which output of the pixel signal to the output line starts, to second timing at which the AD conversion unit starts the AD conversion.
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Specification