Imaging apparatus and imaging system

Abstract

An imaging apparatus includes a pixel unit array and a driving unit. Each pixel unit includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion units, a charge-voltage converter common to the plurality of photoelectric conversion units, a plurality of transfer units which transfer electric charges generated by the plurality of photoelectric conversion units to the charge-voltage converter, an output unit which outputs a signal based on the electric charges to a signal line, and a setting unit which sets the electric potential of the charge-voltage converter. Each pixel unit is selected or deselected in accordance with the electric potential set in the charge-voltage converter. The driving unit drives the pixel unit array so that the output unit continuously outputs, to the signal line, the signal based on the electric charges generated by the plurality of photoelectric conversion units in the selected pixel unit without performing an operation of deselecting the selected pixel unit.

1 . An imaging apparatus comprising a pixel unit array having a plurality of pixel units arrayed two-dimensionally, and a driving unit which drives the pixel unit array, wherein
 each of the pixel units comprises a plurality of photoelectric conversion units, a charge-voltage converter common to the plurality of photoelectric conversion units, a plurality of transfer units which transfer electric charges generated by the plurality of photoelectric conversion units to the charge-voltage converter, an output unit which outputs a signal based on the electric charges transferred to the charge-voltage converter to a signal line, and a setting unit which sets an electric potential of the charge-voltage converter, and each pixel unit is selected or deselected in accordance with the electric potential set in the charge-voltage converter by the setting unit, and   the driving unit drives the pixel unit array so that the output unit continuously outputs, to the signal line, the signal based on the electric charges generated by the plurality of photoelectric conversion units in the selected pixel unit without performing an operation of deselecting the selected pixel unit.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the driving unit drives the pixel unit array to deselect at least the selected pixel unit after the output unit continuously outputs, to the signal line, the signal based on the electric charges generated by the plurality of photoelectric conversion units in the selected pixel unit.   
   
   
       3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the driving unit drives the pixel unit array to deselect the plurality of pixel units after the output unit continuously outputs, to the signal line, the signal based on the electric charges generated by the plurality of photoelectric conversion units in the selected pixel unit.   
   
   
       4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the driving unit drives the pixel unit array so that the output unit continuously outputs, to the signal line, the signal based on the electric charges generated by the plurality of photoelectric conversion units in the selected pixel unit via an operation of causing the setting unit to reset the electric potential of the charge-voltage converter.   
   
   
       5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the driving unit drives the pixel unit array to reset the plurality of photoelectric conversion units in a deselected pixel unit after the output unit continuously outputs, to the signal line, the signal based on the electric charges generated by the plurality of photoelectric conversion units in the selected pixel unit before the selected pixel unit is deselected.   
   
   
       6 . An imaging system comprising:
 an imaging apparatus according to  claim 1 ;   an optical system which guides light to the imaging apparatus; and   a signal processing unit which processes a signal output from the imaging apparatus to generate image data.