Imaging apparatus including readout circuits and output lines, and driving method thereof

摘要

An imaging apparatus includes: pixel circuits (1) arranged in a matrix, each configured to generate a pixel signal by photoelectric conversion; readout circuits (50) each provided correspondingly to each column of the plurality of pixel circuits, and each configured to read out the pixel signals from the pixel circuits of a corresponding column; 2n first output lines (5-1 to 5-8) to which output terminals of every 2n columns of the readout circuits are commonly connected; and an adding unit configured to add the pixel signals from the pixel circuits arranged in different columns. Among the readout circuits on plural columns connected to the pixel circuits which are subjected to adding by the adding unit, only the readout circuit on one column performs the read out, and all of the 2n first output lines receives input of the pixel signals from one of the plural readout circuits.

主权项

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:
a first group comprising first pixel circuits and 2n first readout circuits, said first pixel circuits being arranged in 2n first columns, each of the first pixel circuits being configured to generate a pixel signal by photoelectric conversion, and each of said 2n first readout circuits being provided correspondingly to a different column among the 2n first columns and configured to read out a signal corresponding to the pixel signals from the first pixel circuits in a corresponding first column; a second group arranged adjacent to the first group and comprising second pixel circuits and 2n second readout circuits, said second pixel circuits being arranged in 2n second columns, each of the second pixel circuits being configured to generate a pixel signal by photoelectric conversion, and each of said 2n second readout circuits being provided correspondingly to a different second column among the 2n second columns and configured to read out a signal corresponding to the pixel signals from the second pixel circuits in a corresponding second column; 2n first output lines wherein output terminals of the first readout circuits and the second readout circuits of every 2n columns are commonly connected to one of the 2n first output lines; first adding units, each of the first adding units being configured to add the pixel signals from the pixel circuits arranged in different 2i first columns adjacent to each other among the 2n first columns; and second adding units, each of said second adding units being configured to add the pixel signals from the second pixel circuits arranged in different 2j second columns adjacent to each other among the 2n second columns, wherein n, i and j are positive integers, with i and j both being smaller than n, each of the output terminals of the first readout circuits is connected to a different one of the 2n first output lines, each of the output terminals of the second readout circuits is connected to a different one of the 2n first output lines, in the 2n first readout circuits, one first readout circuit per the first readout circuits of the 2i first columns performs the read out, in the 2n second readout circuits, one second readout circuit per the second readout circuits of the 2j second columns performs the readout, each of odd-numbered first output lines among the 2n first output lines receives output from a different one of the first readout circuits, and each of even-numbered first output lines among the 2n first output lines receives output from a different one of the second readout circuits.