Solid-state image sensor and method of driving same

摘要

A solid-state image sensor comprises unit pixels each having a photoelectric conversion element for converting incident light into electric signal charge and then storing the signal charge obtained through such photoelectric conversion, an amplifying element for converting into an electric signal the signal charge stored in the photoelectric conversion element, and a select switch for selectively outputting the pixel signal from the amplifying element to a signal line. The image sensor further comprises a reset circuit in each of the unit pixels for resetting the photoelectric conversion element every time a pixel signal is outputted from the relevant unit pixel. The photoelectric conversion element is reset every time a pixel signal is outputted, so that a pre-reset signal and a post-reset signal are delivered from each unit pixel and then are transferred via a common path, and the difference between such signals is taken to suppress not only the fixed pattern noise derived from characteristic deviation in each unit pixel but also vertically correlated fixed pattern noises of vertical streaks.