Patent ID: 8063351

Claim:
A photoelectric conversion apparatus comprising: a photoelectric conversion area that includes: a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, each photoelectric conversion element configured to convert incident light into electric carriers, a plurality of amplifying units, each amplifying unit configured to read out signals based on electric carriers of a corresponding photoelectric conversion element to a corresponding output line of a plurality of output lines, a plurality of transfer units, each transfer unit configured to transfer electric carriers of a corresponding photoelectric conversion element to an input unit of a corresponding amplifying unit, and a plurality of voltage supply units, each voltage supply unit configured to supply to a corresponding input unit voltages for setting the corresponding input unit to have at least first and second potentials, wherein the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, the plurality of amplifying units, the plurality of transfer units, and the plurality of voltage supply units are arranged in a matrix; a plurality of power supply lines configured to supply voltages to the plurality of voltage supply units; a plurality of voltage supply control circuits, each disposed in a power supply channel between a corresponding one of the plurality of power supply lines and a corresponding one of the plurality of voltage supply units, and each configured to control a voltage supply to a corresponding voltage supply unit, wherein the plurality of voltage supply control circuits are disposed on at least one side of the photoelectric conversion area; a plurality of voltage supply lines configured to supply voltages from the plurality of voltage supply control circuits to the plurality of voltage supply units, wherein the plurality of voltage supply lines are provided for individual columns in which the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements are arranged and supply voltages to voltage supply units in each column; and a plurality of control lines configured to control the plurality of voltage supply units, wherein the plurality of control lines are provided for individual rows in which the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements are arranged and control voltage supply units in each row.