SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE AND ITS DRIVING METHOD

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize AF and AE by the output signal of an image pickup element itself without deteriorating release time lag characteristic by allowing an intermediate transferring part to operate by switching to processing of discharging a signal transferred from an image area and processing of transferring it to a storage area. SOLUTION: The image area 1 has m rows X n columns pixels and a partial storage area 2 keeps a signal electric charge for optional p rows from among the m rows of the area 1. A horizontal CCD 3 receives signal electric charges photoelectrically converted in the area 1 by each row to output to an output amplifier 4. An intermediate damp line 5 is constituted in the middle of the area 1 and the area 2, is a transfer cell to the area 2 from the area 1 and has an intermediate drain function by a drain in each cell. Namely, necessary parts of the area 1 except the electric chares are discharged to the drain and only the electric charge of the necessary part is transferred to the area 2.