Patent ID: 9426324
Filing Date: 2016-08-23
CPC Classification: H04N

Claim Text:
1. A photoelectric conversion element comprising: a plurality of light receiving elements that are arranged in a main-scanning direction, and that are arranged in a sub-scanning direction according to colors of light to be received, and each of the plurality of light receiving elements accumulating electric charge due to light exposure during a line period while being moved relative to an object; and a plurality of AD converters, implemented by circuitry, that convert analog signals that indicate quantities of said electric charge accumulated in the light receiving elements into digital signals, each of the plurality of AD converters being provided for each group including a predetermined number light receiving elements out of the plurality of light receiving elements, the predetermined number of light receiving elements being arranged at different positions in the sub-scanning direction, wherein the predetermined number of light receiving elements of each group are exposed to light at different timings and accumulate said electric charge, and each of the plurality of AD converters converts the analog signals into the digital signals in an order in which the predetermined number of light receiving elements are exposed to light, and the photoelectric conversion element further comprising a corrector that reduces influence of a first difference in the sub-scanning direction between positions of the object that face the predetermined number of light receiving elements of each group when being exposed to light, the first difference being smaller than a length by which each of the plurality of light receiving elements is moved relative to the object during said line period.