| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a solid-state imaging device capable of extending the dynamic range of a detectable light receiving amount with a configuration as simple as possible. <P>SOLUTION: The end of a photodiode in a reverse polarity direction is connected to ground and an end of a forward polarity acts like a variation point P at which a variation of an electric level is caused in response to the light receiving amount. A pixel is reset so that the variation point P reaches an initial voltage V0 at a tip point of time t1 of a period T. Although the level of the variation point P decreases as time elapses, the gradient responds to the light receiving amount. An intermediate level of the variation point P is read at an intermediate point of time t2 after a lapse of a time M1, when the intermediate level is a reference level Vx or over (graphs G1, G2), the state is unchanged, and when the intermediate level is less than the reference level Vx (graphs G3 to G6), the pixel is again reset at a point of time t3 so that the level of the variation point P reaches a reference level Vx'. Final levels V1 to V6 of the variation point P are read at the end point of time t0 of the period T and a difference between the initial level V0 and each of the final levels V1 to V6 is outputted as a value denoting the light receiving amount for the period T. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI |
