Solid-state imaging device and imaging device

1. A solid-state imaging device having a plurality of vertical signal lines, the solid-state imaging device comprising, for each vertical signal line:

an effective pixel having a photoelectric converter, a transfer transistor, a reset transistor, and a first amplification transistor, the first amplification transistor being connected to (i) the photoelectric converter via the transfer transistor and a power supply via the reset transistor at a gate thereof, (ii) the power supply at a drain thereof, and (iii) the vertical signal line at a source thereof;

a dummy pixel having a second amplification transistor being connected to (i) a bias circuit outputting a bias voltage for judging occurrence of a black-crush phenomenon at a gate thereof, (ii) the power supply at a drain thereof, and (iii) the vertical signal line at a source thereof;

a switch transistor operable to be OFF while a first signal is outputted from the effective pixel and ON while a second signal is outputted from the dummy pixel, the first signal being outputted according to the level of the gate of the first amplification transistor, the second signal being outputted according to the level of the gate of the second amplification transistor, the switch transistor being provided on a path connecting the source of the second amplification transistor and the vertical signal line; and

a read-out unit operable to (i) read out a level of the first signal while the switch transistor is OFF, and (ii) read out a difference between the level of the first signal and a level of the second signal when the switch transistor is turned from OFF to ON.

2. The solid-state imaging device of claim 1 , wherein

at a first time point while the switch transistor is OFF, the reset transistor is temporarily ON, and at a subsequent second time point while the switch transistor is OFF, the transfer transistor is temporarily ON,

the read-out unit reads out the level of the first signal by sampling (i) an output level of the effective pixel from the first time point to the second time point and (ii) an output level of the effective pixel from the second time point on, and

the read-out unit reads out the difference by sampling (i) an output level of the effective pixel while the switch transistor is OFF, and (ii) an output level of the dummy pixel while the switch transistor is ON.

3. The solid-state imaging device of claim 2 , wherein

the read-out unit includes:

an inverting amplifier circuit connected to the vertical signal line via a clamp capacitor; and

a switch element connected in series with a feedback capacitor in a feedback path of the inverting amplifier circuit, and

the switch element is ON while the level of the first signal is read out, and OFF while the difference is read out.

4. The solid-state imaging device of claim 1 , further comprising, for each vertical signal line:

a switch element provided on the vertical signal line between a node connected to the dummy pixel via the switch transistor and a node connected to the effective pixel.

5. The solid-state imaging device of claim 1 , wherein

the first amplification transistor is identical in type with the second amplification transistor.

6. The solid-state imaging device of claim 1 , wherein

the effective pixel further includes a first selection transistor provided on a path connecting the source of the first amplification transistor and the vertical signal line,

the dummy pixel further includes a second selection transistor provided on a path connecting the source of the second amplification transistor and the vertical signal line, and

the first selection transistor is identical in type with the second selection transistor.

7. The solid-state imaging device of claim 1 , wherein

the dummy pixel further includes at least one third amplification transistor connected in parallel to the second amplification transistor.

8. solid-state imaging device of claim 1 , further comprising, for each vertical signal line:

a signal retention capacitor retaining therein the level of the first signal read out by the read-out unit while the switch transistor is OFF; and

a replacement circuit operable to replace the level of the first signal retained in the signal retention capacitor with a prescribed level when the difference shows occurrence of the black-crush phenomenon.

9. The solid-state imaging device of claim 1 , further comprising, for each vertical signal line:

a signal retention capacitor retaining therein the level of the first signal read out by the read-out unit while the switch transistor is OFF;

an AD converter circuit operable to perform analog to digital conversion to the level of the first signal retained in the signal retention capacitor;

a memory retaining therein digital information obtained by the AD converter circuit; and

a replacement circuit operable to replace the digital information with a prescribed value when the difference shows occurrence of the black-crush phenomenon.

10. The solid-state imaging device of claim 9 , wherein

the read-out unit reads out the difference during the analog to digital conversion.

11. An imaging device comprising:

a solid-state imaging device operable to image a subject;

an optical system operable to form an image in a pixel area of the solid-state imaging device;

a drive control unit operable to drive the optical system;

a signal processing unit operable to perform signal processing on a signal outputted from the solid-state imaging device and generate video data;

a recording unit operable to record therein the video data;

an output unit operable to output the video data; and

an operation unit operable to input various types of input signals for controlling imaging operation, wherein

the solid-state imaging device has a plurality of vertical signal lines, the solid-state imaging device comprising, for each vertical signal line:

an effective pixel having a photoelectric converter, a transfer transistor, a reset transistor, and a first amplification transistor, the first amplification transistor being connected to (i) the photoelectric converter via the transfer transistor and a power supply via the reset transistor at a gate thereof, (ii) the power supply at a drain thereof, and (iii) the vertical signal line at a source thereof;

a dummy pixel having a second amplification transistor being connected to (i) a bias circuit outputting a bias voltage for judging occurrence of a black-crush phenomenon at a gate thereof, (ii) the power supply at a drain thereof, and (iii) the vertical signal line at a source thereof;

a switch transistor operable to be OFF while a first signal is outputted from the effective pixel and ON while a second signal is outputted from the dummy pixel, the first signal being outputted according to the level of the gate of the first amplification transistor, the second signal being outputted according to the level of the gate of the second amplification transistor, the switch transistor being provided on a path connecting the source of the second amplification transistor and the vertical signal line; and

a read-out unit operable to (i) read out a level of the first signal while the switch transistor is OFF, and (ii) read out a difference between the level of the first signal and a level of the second signal when the switch transistor is turned from OFF to ON.