Solid state imaging device

Abstract

A plurality of pixels PX include effective pixels and optical black pixels. Signal lines VL are provided corresponding to each column of the pixels PX and supplied with output signals of the pixels PX of the corresponding column. Clip transistors CL are provided corresponding to the respective signal lines VL and limit a potential of the corresponding vertical signal lines VL based on a gate potential. At least in a predetermined operating mode, a potential Vclip_dark is supplied to a gate of one of the clip transistors CL corresponding to at least one pixel column formed of the optical black pixels when reading a noise level from the pixels PX corresponding to the clip transistors CL and when reading a data level from the pixels PX corresponding to the clip transistors CL.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A solid state imaging device, comprising;
 a plurality of pixels disposed two-dimensionally including effective pixels generating a signal corresponding to incident light and optical black pixels generating a signal at a black standard level;   a plurality of signal lines provided corresponding to each column of the pixels and supplied with output signals of the pixels;   a plurality of transistors provided corresponding to the respective signal lines and limiting a potential of the signal lines based on a gate potential; and   a gate potential providing unit providing a first potential to a gate of one of the transistors corresponding to at least one pixel column formed of the optical black pixels when reading a noise level from the pixels corresponding to the transistors and when reading a data level from the pixels corresponding to the transistors,   wherein the gate potential providing unit provides the first potential to gates of the transistors corresponding to pixel columns excluding the at least one pixel column when reading a noise level from the pixels corresponding to the transistors and provides a second potential when reading a data level from the pixels corresponding to the transistors at least in a predetermined operating mode.   
     
     
       2. The solid state imaging device according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a difference obtaining unit obtaining a difference between the noise level and the data level read from the respective pixels.   
     
     
       3. The solid state imaging according to  claim 1 , wherein the first potential is higher than the second potential. 
     
     
       4. A solid state imaging device, comprising:
 a plurality of pixels disposed two-dimensionally including effective pixels generating a signal corresponding to incident light and optical black pixels generating a signal at a black standard level;   a plurality of signal lines provided corresponding to each column of the pixels and supplied with output signals of the pixels;   a plurality of transistors provided corresponding to the respective signal lines and limiting a potential of the signal lines based on a gate potential; and   a gate potential providing unit providing a first potential to gates of the respective transistors during a reading period of at least one pixel row formed of the optical black pixels when reading a noise level from the pixels corresponding to the transistors and when reading a data level from the pixels corresponding to the transistors,   wherein the gate potential providing unit provides the first potential to gates of the respective transistors during a reading period of pixel rows excluding the at least one pixel row when reading a noise level from the pixels corresponding to the transistors and provides a second potential when reading a data level from the pixels corresponding to the transistors at least in a predetermined operating mod.   
     
     
       5. The solid state imaging device according to  claim 4 , further comprising
 a difference obtaining unit obtaining a difference between the noise level and the data level read from the respective pixels.   
     
     
       6. The solid state imaging device according to  claim 4 , wherein the first potential is higher than the second potential. 
     
     
       7. A solid state imaging device, comprising:
 a plurality of pixels disposed two-dimensionally including effective pixels generating a signal corresponding to incident light and optical black pixels generating a signal at a black standard level;   a plurality of signal lines provided corresponding to each column of the plurality of pixels and supplied with output signals of the pixels;   a plurality of transistors provided corresponding to the respective signal lines and limiting a potential of the signal lines based on a gate potential; and   a gate potential providing unit providing a gate potential to gates of the respective transistors, wherein:   the gate potential providing unit provides a first potential to a gate of one of the transistors corresponding to at least one pixel column formed of the optical black pixels when reading a noise level from the pixels corresponding to the transistors and when reading a data level from the pixels corresponding to the transistors at least in a predetermined operating mode;   the gate potential providing unit provides the first potential to gates of the respective transistors during a reading period of at least one pixel row formed of the optical black pixels when reading a noise level and when reading a data level from the pixels corresponding to the transistors at least in the predetermined operating mode;   the gate potential providing unit provides the first potential to gates of the transistors corresponding to pixel columns excluding the at least one pixel column when reading a noise level and provides a second potential when reading a data level from the pixels corresponding to the transistors at least in the predetermined operating mode; and   the gate potential providing unit provides the first potential to gates of the transistors corresponding to pixel columns excluding the at least one pixel column during a reading period of pixel rows excluding the at least one pixel row when reading a noise level and provides the second potential when reading a data level from the pixels corresponding to the transistors at least in the predetermined operating mode.   
     
     
       8. The solid state imaging device according to  claim 7 , further comprising
 a difference obtaining unit obtaining a difference between the noise level and the data level read from the respective pixels.   
     
     
       9. The solid state imaging device according to  claim 7 , wherein the first potential is higher than the second potential. 
     
     
       10. A solid state imaging device, comprising:
 a plurality of pixels disposed two-dimensionally including effective pixels generating a signal corresponding to incident light and optical black pixels generating a signal at a black standard level;   a plurality of signal lines provided corresponding to each column of the pixels and supplied with output signals of the pixels;   a plurality of transistors provided corresponding to the respective signal lines and limiting a potential of the signal lines based on a gate potential; and   a gate potential providing unit providing a first potential to gates of the transistors provided corresponding to the optical black pixels when reading a noise level and when reading a data level from the optical black pixels   wherein the gate potential providing unit provides the first potential to gates of the transistors provided corresponding to the optical black pixels when reading a noise level and provides a second potential when reading a data level from the optical black pixels.   
     
     
       11. The solid state imaging device according to  claim 10 , further comprising
 a difference obtaining unit obtaining a difference between the noise level and the data level read from the respective pixels.   
     
     
       12. A solid state imaging device, comprising:
 a plurality of pixels disposed two-dimensionally including effective pixels generating a signal corresponding to incident light and optical black pixels generating a signal at a black standard level;   a plurality of signal lines provided corresponding to each column of the pixels and supplied with output signals of the pixels;   a plurality of transistors provided corresponding to the respective signal lines and limiting a potential of the signal lines based on a gate potential; and   a gate potential providing unit providing an aligned potential to gates of the transistors corresponding to pixel columns when reading a noise level from the pixels corresponding to the transistors and when reading a data level from the pixels corresponding to the transistors, wherein   the gate potential providing unit provides different potentials to a gate of one of the transistors corresponding to at least one pixel column formed of the optical black pixels when reading the noise level and when reading the data level.   
     
     
       13. A solid state imaging device, comprising:
 a plurality of pixels disposed two-dimensionally including effective pixels generating a signal corresponding to incident light and optical black pixels generating a signal at a black standard level;   a plurality of signal lines provided corresponding to each column of the pixels and supplied with output signals of the pixels;   a plurality of transistors provided corresponding to the respective signal lines and limiting a potential of the signal lines based on a gate potential; and   a gate potential providing unit providing an aligned potential to gates of the transistors corresponding to pixel rows when reading a noise level from the pixels corresponding to the transistors and when reading a data level from the pixels corresponding to the transistors, wherein   the gate potential providing unit provides different potentials to the gates of the transistors corresponding to at least one pixel row formed of the optical black pixels when reading the noise level and when reading the data level.   
     
     
       14. A solid state imaging device, comprising:
 a plurality of pixels disposed two-dimensionally including effective pixels generating a signal corresponding to incident light and optical black pixels generating a signal at a black standard level;   a plurality of signal lines provided corresponding to each column of the plurality of pixels and supplied with output signals of the pixels;   a plurality of transistors provided corresponding to the respective signal lines and limiting a potential of the signal lines based on a gate potential; and   a gate potential providing unit providing a gate potential to gates of the respective transistors, wherein:   the gate potential providing unit provides an aligned potential to a gate of one of the transistors corresponding to at least one pixel column formed of the optical black pixels when reading a noise level from the pixels corresponding to the transistors and when reading a data level from the pixels corresponding to the transistors at least in a predetermined operating mode;   the gate potential providing unit provides an aligned potential to gates of the respective transistors during a reading period of at least one pixel row formed of the optical black pixels when reading a noise level and when reading a data level from the pixels corresponding to the transistors at least in the predetermined operating mode;   the gate potential providing unit provides different potentials to gates of the transistors corresponding to pixel columns excluding the at least one pixel column when reading a noise level and when reading a data level from the pixels corresponding to the transistors at least in the predetermined operating mode; and   the gate potential providing unit provides different potentials to gates of the transistors corresponding to pixel columns excluding the at least one pixel column during a reading period of pixel rows excluding the at least one pixel row when reading a noise level and when reading a data level from the pixels corresponding to the transistors at least in the predetermined operating mode.   
     
     
       15. A solid state imaging device, comprising:
 a plurality of pixels disposed two-dimensionally including effective pixels generating a signal corresponding to incident light and optical black pixels generating a signal at a black standard level;   a plurality of signal lines provided corresponding to each column of the pixels and supplied with output signals of the pixels;   a plurality of transistors provided corresponding to the respective signal lines and limiting a potential of the signal lines based on a gate potential; and   a gate potential providing unit providing an aligned potential to gates of the transistors corresponding to the pixels when reading a noise level from the pixels and when reading a data level from the pixels, wherein   the gate potential providing unit provides an aligned potential to gates of the transistors corresponding to the optical black pixels when reading the noise level and the data level from the optical black pixels.   
     
     
       16. An imaging sensor comprising:
 a plurality of first photoelectric converters that are arranged in a first direction and that photoelectrically convert light to generate a charge;   a plurality of first output units that are arranged in the first direction and that output a first signal based on the charge generated by the first photoelectric converters;   a first output line that is wired in the first direction and that outputs a signal from each of the plurality of first output units;   a plurality of second output units (i) that are arranged in the first direction, (ii) that are provided at a shielding area in which incident light is shielded, and (iii) that output a signal;   a second output line that is wired in the first direction and that outputs the signal from each of the plurality of second output units; and   a supplying unit capable of supplying one of a first voltage and a second voltage, which is different from the first voltage, to the first output line, and capable of supplying the second voltage to the second output line,   wherein the supplying unit supplies the first voltage to the first output line when the first signal is output from the first output units, supplies the second voltage to the first output line when a second signal for removing a noise of the first signal is output from the first output units, and supplies the second voltage to the second output line when the signal is output from the second output units.   
     
     
       17. The imaging sensor according to claim 16, wherein
 the supplying unit is capable of supplying the first voltage based on a third voltage, and is capable of supplying the second voltage based on a fourth voltage.    
     
     
       18. The imaging sensor according to claim 17, wherein
 the supplying unit has a first wire supplying one of the third voltage and the fourth voltage, and a second wire supplying the fourth voltage.    
     
     
       19. The imaging sensor according to claim 18, wherein
 the supplying unit has a first coupling unit capable of coupling the first wire with the first output line electrically, and a second coupling unit capable of coupling the second wire with the second output line electrically.    
     
     
       20. The imaging sensor according to claim 19, wherein
 the second wire and the second coupling unit are coupled constantly to each other electrically.    
     
     
       21. The imaging sensor according to claim 18, wherein
 the supplying unit has a switching unit capable of switching whether to supply one of the third voltage and the fourth voltage to the first wire.    
     
     
       22. The imaging sensor according to claim 17, wherein:
 the supplying unit has a first wire supplying one of the third voltage and the fourth voltage; and   the supplying unit supplies the third voltage to the first wire so as to supply the first voltage to the first output line when the first signal is output from the first output units, and   the supplying unit supplies the fourth voltage to the first wire so as to supply the second voltage to the first output line when the second signal is output from the first output units.    
     
     
       23. The imaging sensor according to claim 22, wherein:
 the supplying unit has a first coupling unit capable of coupling the first wire with the first output line electrically; and   the supplying unit supplies one of the third voltage and the fourth voltage to the first wire so as to supply one of the first voltage and the second voltage to the first output line via the first coupling unit when one of the first signal and the second signal is output from the first output units.    
     
     
       24. The imaging sensor according to claim 22, wherein
 the supplying unit has a switching unit capable of switching whether to supply one of the third voltage and the fourth voltage to the first wire.    
     
     
       25. The imaging sensor according to claim 24, wherein
 the switching unit switches between (i) the supply to supply the third voltage to the first wire when the first signal is output from the first output units and (ii) the supply to supply the fourth voltage to the first wire when the second signal is output from the first output units.    
     
     
       26. The imaging sensor according to claim 17, wherein:
 the supplying unit has a second wire supplying the fourth voltage, and the supplying unit has a second coupling unit capable of coupling the second wire with the second output line electrically; and   the supplying unit supplies the fourth voltage to the second wire so as to supply the second voltage to the second output line via the second coupling unit when the signal is output from the second output units.    
     
     
       27. The imaging sensor according to claim 26, wherein
 the second wire and the second coupling unit are coupled constantly to each other electrically.    
     
     
       28. An imaging device comprising:
 the imaging sensor according to claim 16; and   a generator generating image data based on a signal output from the imaging sensor.