Solid-state image pickup apparatus, signal processing method for a solid-state image pickup apparatus, and electronic apparatus

Abstract

A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel array section that has at least one pixel with a photoelectric conversion unit and a charge detection unit. A driving section is configured to read out a signal of the pixel, a first portion of said signal being based on signal charge, a second portion of said signal being based on a reset potential. A signal processing section is configured to read out the first portion of the signal as a reference voltage, with the reference voltage being adjusted to cause the first and second portions of the signal to be within an input voltage range.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An imaging device comprising:
 a pixel array section including a plurality of pixels, at least one of the pixels including a photoelectric conversion unit and a charge detection unit;   a driving section configured to read out a signal of at least one of the plurality of pixels, a first portion of the signal being based on one of a signal charge and a reset potential, a second portion of the signal being based on the other of the signal charge and the reset potential; and   a signal processing section configured to read out the first portion of the signal as a reference voltage,   wherein   the signal processing section comprises a comparator including differential pair transistors,   the differential pair transistors includes a first transistor and a second transistor,   a control terminal of the first transistor is configured to receive a reference signal via a first capacitor and an initial voltage through a first switching transistor, and   a control terminal of the second transistor is configured to receive the signal via a second capacitor and the initial voltage through a second switching transistor.   
     
     
         2 . The imaging device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first portion is based on the signal charge as accumulated or retained in the charge detection unit, and the reset potential is a potential when the charge detection unit is reset. 
     
     
         3 . The imaging device according to  claim 2 , wherein the driving section first reads out the first portion of the signal in order to set the reference voltage, and then resets the charge detection unit and reads out the second portion of the signal. 
     
     
         4 . The imaging device according to  claim 2 , wherein the signal processing section calculates a difference between the first and second portions of the signal. 
     
     
         5 . The imaging device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first portion is based on a reset potential when the charge detection unit is reset, and the second portion is based on signal charge accumulated or retained in the charge detection unit. 
     
     
         6 . The imaging device according to  claim 5 , wherein the driving section first reads out the first portion in order to set the reference voltage, and then reads out the second portion. 
     
     
         7 . The imaging device according to  claim 1 , wherein the driving section is configured to selectively execute first driving of reading out a signal based on the signal charge accumulated or retained in the charge detection section first and then resetting the charge detection section and reading out a signal based on the reset potential in order to set the reference voltage, and second driving of reading out a signal based on a reset potential when the charge detection section is reset first and then reading out a signal based on the reset potential and a signal based on the signal charge accumulated or retained in the charge detection section in this order in order to set the reference voltage. 
     
     
         8 . The imaging device according to  claim 1 , wherein the signal processing section is configured to adjust the reference voltage by selectively applying the initial voltage in order to cause the first and second portions of the signal to be within an input voltage range. 
     
     
         9 . The imaging device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first switching transistor and the second switching transistor are configured to be controlled by a timing controlling section. 
     
     
         10 . An electronic apparatus comprising the imaging device according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         11 . An imaging device comprising:
 a pixel array section including a plurality of pixels, at least one of the pixels including a photoelectric conversion unit and a charge detection unit;   a driving section configured to read out a signal of at least one of the plurality of pixels, a first portion of the signal being based on one of a signal charge and a reset potential, a second portion of the signal being based on the other of the signal charge and the reset potential; and   a comparator configured to compare the signal with a reference signal,   wherein   the comparator includes a first transistor corresponding to the reference signal and a second transistor corresponding to the signal,   a control terminal of the first transistor is connected to an initial voltage line through a first switching transistor, and   a control terminal of the second transistor is connected to the initial voltage line through a second switching transistor.   
     
     
         12 . The imaging device according to  claim 11 , wherein the first portion is based on the signal charge as accumulated or retained in the charge detection unit, and the reset potential is a potential when the charge detection unit is reset. 
     
     
         13 . The imaging device according to  claim 12 , wherein the driving section first reads out the first portion of the signal in order to set the reference voltage, and then resets the charge detection unit and reads out the second portion of the signal. 
     
     
         14 . The imaging device according to  claim 11 , wherein the first portion is based on a reset potential when the charge detection unit is reset, and the second portion is based on signal charge accumulated or retained in the charge detection unit. 
     
     
         15 . The imaging device according to  claim 14 , wherein the driving section first reads out the first portion in order to set the reference voltage, and then reads out the second portion. 
     
     
         16 . The imaging device according to  claim 11 , wherein the driving section is configured to selectively execute first driving of reading out a signal based on the signal charge accumulated or retained in the charge detection section first and then resetting the charge detection section and reading out a signal based on the reset potential in order to set the reference voltage, and second driving of reading out a signal based on a reset potential when the charge detection section is reset first and then reading out a signal based on the reset potential and a signal based on the signal charge accumulated or retained in the charge detection section in this order in order to set the reference voltage. 
     
     
         17 . The imaging device according to  claim 11 , wherein the first switching transistor and the second switching transistor are configured to be controlled by a timing controlling section. 
     
     
         18 . An electronic apparatus comprising the imaging device according to  claim 11 . 
     
     
         19 . An imaging device comprising:
 a pixel array section including a plurality of pixels, at least one of the pixels including a photoelectric conversion unit and a charge detection unit;   a driving section configured to read out a signal of at least one of the plurality of pixels, a first portion of the signal being based on one of a signal charge and a reset potential, a second portion of the signal being based on the other of the signal charge and the reset potential; and   a comparator configured to compare the signal with a reference signal,   wherein   the comparator includes:
 a first transistor corresponding to the reference signal 
 a second transistor corresponding to the signal, 
 a first switching transistor connected between a control terminal of the first transistor and a voltage line, and 
 a second switching transistor connected between a control terminal of the second transistor and the voltage line. 
   
     
     
         20 . An imaging device comprising:
 a pixel array section including a plurality of pixels, at least one of the pixels including a photoelectric conversion unit and a charge detection unit;   a driving section configured to read out a signal of at least one of the plurality of pixels, a first portion of the signal being based on one of a signal charge and a reset potential, a second portion of the signal being based on the other of the signal charge and the reset potential; and   a comparator configured to receive the signal, wherein   the comparator includes differential pair transistors,   the signal is configured to be applied to a control terminal of one of the differential pair transistors, and   the control terminal of the one of the differential pair transistors is connected a voltage line through a switching transistor configured to be controlled by a timing controlling section.