Image pickup apparatus, solid-state image pickup device, and control method for image pickup apparatus

Abstract

Decrease of the frame rate is suppressed in a solid-state image pickup device that generates a frame having an increased dynamic range. A measurement section measures a reception light amount in each of a plurality of regions to generate a measurement result. A selection section selects one of a plurality of exposure periods different from each other based on the measurement result in each of the plurality of regions. An image data generation section performs exposure for each of the plurality of regions over the selected exposure period to generate image data. An image processing section adjusts a value of the image data generated for each of the plurality of regions based on the measurement result.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . An image pickup apparatus, comprising:
 a photodiode configured to generate charge based on an amount of received light;   a first transistor coupled to the photodiode and a power supply; and   a second transistor coupled to the photodiode and a capacitor,   wherein the second transistor is configured to transfer at least a portion of charge generated by the photodiode to the capacitor, and   wherein the first transistor is configured to discharge the photodiode.   
     
     
         14 . The image pickup apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein a potential of the second transistor is controllable to be in three stages of a lowest potential, an intermediate potential, and a highest potential. 
     
     
         15 . The image pickup apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein when the second transistor is at the lowest potential, charge generated by the photodiode is fully transferred to the capacitor. 
     
     
         16 . The image pickup apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein when the second transistor is at the intermediate potential, only charge generated by the photodiode that exceeds the intermediate potential is transferred to the capacitor. 
     
     
         17 . The image pickup apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein when the second transistor is at the highest potential, charge generated by the photodiode is not transferred to the capacitor. 
     
     
         18 . The image pickup apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein in each frame, one of a plurality of different exposure periods is selected in response to the amount of received light measured in an image pickup cycle of the frame. 
     
     
         19 . The image pickup apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein when the second transistor is at the intermediate potential, a charge amount of the capacitor varies in response to the amount of received light so that one of a plurality of different exposure periods is selected according to the charge amount of the capacitor. 
     
     
         20 . The image pickup apparatus according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a switch, wherein one of a plurality of different exposure periods is selected through the switch.   
     
     
         21 . The image pickup apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the capacitor includes a floating diffusion layer. 
     
     
         22 . The image pickup apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the first transistor is a reset transistor, and the second transistor is a transfer transistor. 
     
     
         23 . An imaging device, comprising:
 a photodiode configured to generate charge based on an amount of received light;   a first transistor coupled to the photodiode and a power supply; and   a second transistor coupled to the photodiode and a capacitor,   wherein the second transistor is configured to transfer at least a portion of charge generated by the photodiode to the capacitor, and   wherein the first transistor is configured to discharge the photodiode.   
     
     
         24 . The imaging device according to  claim 23 , wherein a potential of the second transistor is controllable to be in three stages of a lowest potential, an intermediate potential, and a highest potential. 
     
     
         25 . The imaging device according to  claim 24 , wherein when the second transistor is at the lowest potential, charge generated by the photodiode is fully transferred to the capacitor. 
     
     
         26 . The imaging device according to  claim 24 , wherein when the second transistor is at the intermediate potential, only charge generated by the photodiode that exceeds the intermediate potential is transferred to the capacitor. 
     
     
         27 . The imaging device according to  claim 24 , wherein when the second transistor is at the highest potential, charge generated by the photodiode is not transferred to the capacitor. 
     
     
         28 . The imaging device according to  claim 23 , wherein in each frame, one of a plurality of different exposure periods is selected in response to the amount of received light measured in an image pickup cycle of the frame. 
     
     
         29 . The imaging device according to  claim 24 , wherein when the second transistor is at the intermediate potential, a charge amount of the capacitor varies in response to the amount of received light so that one of a plurality of different exposure periods is selected according to the charge amount of the capacitor. 
     
     
         30 . The imaging device according to  claim 23 , further comprising:
 a switch, wherein one of a plurality of different exposure periods is selected through the switch.   
     
     
         31 . The imaging device according to  claim 23 , wherein the capacitor includes a floating diffusion layer. 
     
     
         32 . The imaging device according to  claim 23 , wherein the first transistor is a reset transistor, and the second transistor is a transfer transistor.