Solid state image sensing device which performs a linear conversion operation and a logarithmic conversion operation

1. A solid state image sensing device comprising:

a plurality of pixels comprising:

a photoelectric conversion element that generates a photo-charge in accordance with an amount of an incident light and stores a generated photo-charge therein;

a charge-holding portion that has the generated photo-charge transferred from the photoelectric conversion element so as to hold the generated photo-charge temporarily;

a transfer gate that is formed between the photoelectric conversion element and the charge-holding portion;

a first transistor that has a first electrode thereof connected to the charge-holding portion, has a second electrode thereof applied with a direct current voltage, and has a control electrode thereof provided with a first control signal that can change over among three voltage levels;

a second transistor that is provided with a first electrode, a second electrode and a control electrode and has a control electrode thereof connected to the charge-holding portion;

a third transistor that has a second electrode thereof connected to the first electrode of the second transistor, has a first electrode thereof applied with a second direct current voltage, and has a control electrode thereof provided with a second control signal that can change over among three voltage levels;

a capacitive element that has one end thereof connected to the first electrode of the second transistor;

wherein, a first state is a state in which by setting the second control signal to be at a second intermediate voltage level, thereby employing the third transistor as a constant current load, a first electric signal which changes in a linear manner in accordance with an integration value of the amount of the incident light in an entire range of luminance is outputted from a pixel; and

a second state is a state in which by setting the first control signal to be at an intermediate voltage level, thereby operating the first and the second transistors in a sub-threshold region, a second electric signal which changes in a natural logarithmic manner in accordance with a second integration value of the amount of the incident light at least in a part of a range of luminance is outputted from the pixel.

2. A solid state image sensing device as descried in claim 1 :

wherein, when an image sensing operation is performed in the first state, the first transistor is employed as a transistor for resetting the charge-holding portion so as to have the first control signal serve as a first signal having two voltage levels without using the intermediate voltage level among three voltage levels; and

when the image sensing operation is performed in the second state, the third transistor is employed as a transistor for resetting the capacitive element so as to have the second control signal serve as a second signal having two voltage levels without using the second intermediate voltage level among three voltage levels.

3. A solid state image sensing device as described in claim 1 , further comprising:

an output signal line that is connected to the pixel and has an electric signal outputted from the pixel; and

the pixel further comprising:

an amplification portion that amplifies the electric signal appearing to the capacitive element; and

a reading-out switch that is connected to the output signal line and outputs the electric signal being amplified in the amplification portion to the output signal line.

4. A solid state image sensing device as described in claim 1 :

wherein, the image sensing operation for each frame is selected and changed over between the first state and the second state.