| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that it is necessary to carry out an AD conversion at very high speed and the problem that a circuit configuration is up-sized and complicated. SOLUTION: The present invention relates to C pieces of first AD converters each comprising a first AD conversion circuit for each group of L pieces of pixels constituting one column among (L×C) pieces of pixels which are arrayed in L rows and C columns constituting a solid-state image pickup element and an image pickup signal outputted from each of which is to be AD converted with (m+n) pieces of bits. Wherein, each of the first AD conversion circuits includes: the C pieces of first AD converters each for performing AD conversion, with high-order (m) pieces of bits, on a signal component corresponding to the (m) pieces of bits in the image pickup signal outputted from a relevant pixel for each group of L pieces of pixels; and a second AD converter each for performing AD conversion, with low-order (n) pieces of bits, on a signal component corresponding to the (n) pieces of bits in the image pickup signal outputted from the relevant pixel for each group of L pieces of pixels. COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT
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