Patent ID: 6965463

Claim:
An image reading apparatus reading an image by emitting light from a light source onto a surface of an original, and converting the light reflected from or passed through the surface of the original into an electrical signal, the image reading apparatus comprising: a color image pick-up device having groups of pick-up elements corresponding to a plurality of colors, the groups of pick-up elements including a plurality of pick-up element trains which are arranged in parallel to one another on a substrate, the pick-up element train being formed with a plurality of pick-up elements arranged linearly; an A/D conversion portion which subjects pixel output data of the color image pick-up device to A/D conversion; a pixel data storage device which stores the pixel data subjected by the A/D conversion portion to the A/D conversion; an averaging device which applies an averaging process to a plurality of adjoining pixel data on each line stored in the pixel data storage device; and a selection device which selects whether applying the averaging process to the plurality of adjoining pixel data on each line stored in the pixel data storage device.