Solid-State Image Pickup Apparatus Including A Global Shutter Function and Control Method Therefor

Abstract

A solid-state image pickup apparatus includes a pixel unit consisting of a plurality of pixels; a pixel control unit for controlling the plurality of pixels; a readout unit for reading a signal of each pixel output from the pixel unit; a shutter unit for establishing a state of a light incident to the pixel unit and that of shielding the pixel unit from the light; and a control unit. The control unit includes an exposure mode changeover unit for changing over an exposure mode to either a first exposure mode performing a simultaneous exposure for all pixels or a second exposure mode performing an exposure for each of a predetermined unit of pixels. The control unit controls the pixel control unit, readout unit and shutter unit according to an exposure mode changed over by the exposure mode changeover unit.

1 . A solid-state image pickup apparatus, comprising:
 a pixel unit consisting of a plurality of pixels;   a pixel control unit for controlling the plurality of pixels;   a readout unit for reading a signal of each pixel output from the pixel unit;   a shutter unit for establishing a state of a light incident to the pixel unit and that of shielding the pixel unit from the light; and   a control unit, comprising an exposure mode changeover unit for changing over an exposure mode to either a first exposure mode performing a simultaneous exposure for all pixels or a second exposure mode performing an exposure for each of a predetermined unit of pixels, for controlling the pixel control unit, readout unit and shutter unit according to an exposure mode changed over by the exposure mode changeover unit, wherein   the pixel unit is one in which each pixel comprises a photoelectric conversion element, a reset-use element, an amplification-use element and a selection-use element; the one in which each pixel comprises a photoelectric conversion element, a transfer-use element, a reset-use element, an amplification-use element and a selection-use element; or the one in which each pixel comprises a photoelectric conversion element and a transfer-use element and also every two elements commonly use a reset-use element, an amplification-use element and a selection-use element.   
     
     
         2 . A control method for a solid-state image pickup apparatus comprising:
 providing the apparatus that comprises
 a pixel unit consisting of a plurality of pixels, 
 a pixel control unit for controlling the plurality of pixels, 
 a readout unit for reading a signal of each pixel output from the pixel unit, 
 a shutter unit for establishing a state of a light incident to the pixel unit and that of shielding the pixel unit from the light, and 
 an exposure mode changeover unit for changing over an exposure mode to either a first exposure mode performing a simultaneous exposure for all pixels or a second exposure mode performing an exposure for each of a predetermined unit of pixels, wherein 
 the pixel unit is one in which each pixel comprises a photoelectric conversion element, a reset-use element, an amplification-use element and a selection-use element; the one in which each pixel comprises a photoelectric conversion element, a transfer-use element, a reset-use element, an amplification-use element and a selection-use element; or the one in which each pixel comprises a photoelectric conversion element and a transfer-use element and also every two elements commonly use a reset-use element, an amplification-use element and a selection-use element; and 
   controlling the pixel control unit, readout unit and shutter unit according to an exposure mode changed over by the exposure mode changeover unit.