Solid-state imaging device and camera
View Patent ↗A solid-state imaging device comprises a pixel array including a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns, and a readout unit operable to read out pixel signals of the pixels included in the pixel array row by row. The readout unit (i) reads out pixel signals of a row of pixels in column order of the pixel array during a horizontal readout period, except during a readout-standby period that is within the horizontal readout period, and (ii) suspends reading out the pixel signals of the row of pixels in the column order during the readout-standby period.
1. A solid-state imaging device, comprising:
a pixel array including a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns; and
a readout unit configured to read out pixel signals of the pixels included in the pixel array row by row, wherein:
the readout unit (i) reads out pixel signals of a row of pixels in column order of the pixel array during a horizontal readout period, except during a readout-standby period that is within the horizontal readout period, and (ii) suspends reading out the pixel signals of the row of pixels in the column order during the readout-standby period, and
the readout unit includes:
a shift register configured to (i) store therein selective data that selects a target column which is one of the columns in the pixel array, and (ii) selectively shift the selective data in one of (a) a forward direction that corresponds to the column order and (b) a reverse direction that is opposite to the forward direction;
an output subunit configured to externally output, out of the pixel signals of the row of pixels, a pixel signal of one of the row of pixels that is in the target column selected by the selective data stored in the shift register; and
a shift register control subunit configured to cause the shift register to shift the selective data in (i) the forward direction during the horizontal readout period, except during the readout-standby period,(ii) the reverse direction during a period that is equivalent to half of the readout-standby period, and (iii) the forward direction during a period that is equivalent to the other half of the readout-standby period.
2. The solid-state imaging device of claim 1 , wherein the readout-standby period includes at least a period for which noise affecting quality of the pixel signals is expected to occur.
3. The solid-state imaging device of claim 1 , wherein the output subunit externally outputs the pixel signal of one of the row of pixels that is in the target column, upon receiving an input of the selective data stored in the shift register, and
the readout unit further includes a non-selective data input subunit configured to, during the readout-standby period, input non-selective data instead of the selective data to the output subunit, the non-selective data selecting none of the columns in the pixel array.
4. The solid-state imaging device of claim 1 , wherein during the horizontal readout period, the readout unit reads out the pixel signals of the row of pixels that have been stored in one of a first memory and a second memory, while concurrently storing pixel signals of another row of pixels into the other one of the first memory and the second memory, and the readout-standby period includes at least a period for which noise is expected to occur caused by an operation to store the pixel signals of another row of pixels.
5. A camera including a solid-state imaging device and an image processing unit; wherein the solid-state imaging device comprises:
a pixel array including a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns; and a readout unit configured to read out pixel signals of the pixels included in the pixel array row by row, wherein:
the readout unit (i) reads out pixel signals of a row of pixels in column order of the pixel array during a horizontal readout period, except during a readout-standby period that is within the horizontal readout period, and (ii) suspends reading out the pixel signals of the row of pixels in the column order during the readout-standby period, and
the image processing unit discards, out of the pixel signals of the row of pixels read out by the readout unit, one or more pixel signals that are read out during the readout-standby period, and
the readout unit includes:
a shift register configured to (i) store therein selective data that selects a target column which is one of the columns in the pixel array, and (ii) selectively shift the selective data in one of (a) a forward direction that corresponds to the column order and (b) a reverse direction that is opposite to the forward direction;
an output subunit configured to externally output, out of the pixel signals of the row of pixels, a pixel signal of one of the row of pixels that is in the target column selected by the selective data stored in the shift register; and
a shift register control subunit configured to cause the shift register to shift the selective data in (i) the forward direction during the horizontal readout period, except during the readout-standby period, (ii) the reverse direction during a period that is equivalent to half of the readout-standby period, and (iii) the forward direction during a period that is equivalent to the other half of the readout-standby period.